by Simon Wright

Created on: December 22, 2011

The ideal times and conditions for fishing will vary greatly depending on factors such as where you are fishing, what species you are targeting and the time of year. Fishing is also a very broad term that encompasses saltwater fishing, lake fishing, river fishing and canal fishing and, again, the ideal times and conditions will vary depending on what type of fishing you intend to pursue. However, with that important caveat in place, here are some general guidelines that may prove useful.

Night or day fishing:

Most recreational anglers prefer to fish during hours of daylight. There are a number of reasons for this. It’s warmer, more comfortable, safer and easier to spot bites. However, there are species (such as cod, whiting, and rays) that fish best during the hours of darkness and many committed anglers choose to do most of their fishing at night to maximize their chances of catching.

It’s worth pointing out that night fishing relies on using the scent from a bait to attract feeding fish. Therefore, if you want to fish using lures or feathers, using a cast and retrieve method, then you will need to fish during daylight, so that the fish can see your sparkly hooks.

High or low tide:

One question that angling beginners often ask is whether it’s best to fish at high tide or low tide, or somewhere in between?Unfortunately, there’s no one standard answer to this question. Some venues fish best at high tide, whilst others fish best at low tide. If in doubt, it’s worth checking with local anglers or asking on an Internet fishing forum to see what works best at the fishing marks you are considering. If fishing at low tide, always make sure that you have a safe route to retreat as the tide comes in.

Water clarity or murkiness:

Very clear water can make it more difficult to catch fish, as the fish get spooked by the angler’s shadow or simply are more wary about the threat of predators. However, good water clarity can help if you are wanting to fish with lures or feathers as the fish will be able to clearly see your hooks as you retrieve them after long distance casts. Murky water conditions are often favored, however, when bait fishing, either in freshwater or saltwater settings.

Wind, rain, and sun:

When trout fishing on a lake, anglers often say that they like a little breeze and rain to increase catch rates. Sunny conditions tend to make the fishing harder. Heavy winds, however, can make fishing very difficult or too dangerous. This is especially the case if you are planning to fish from a boat. Safety must always be the primary consideration, so make sure you check weather forecasts and pay attention to sudden changes in conditions.

Keep a record of what works best:

There are general guidelines that can be followed, with regards to the best times and conditions for fishing. Reading textbooks, fishing magazines and online articles can help you build up a broad picture of what works best. You can layer onto that by speaking to fellow anglers, who hopefully will be able to pass on their experiences of local marks. However, you should keep in mind that all of the information that you glean will refer to generalizations and is not prescriptive. A venue may fish best for cod at high tide at night but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t be able to catch fish there at low tide during the day; it may just be a bit harder work. Every time that you go fishing, it’s worth recording your results – i.e. what baits you used, when you fished, what the conditions were and what fish you caught. This will help you build up your own invaluable picture of what works best at the fishing spots that you use.

Learn more about this author, Simon Wright.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.