Is the morning or afternoon better?

HOOD OUTDOORS

MICHAEL ACOSTA

As a licensed professional fishing guide, Michael Acosta shows you how to find them. A Granbury resident of more than 35 years, he has been fishing all of his life, and has been a licensed guide since 1998.

We have been having some up and down weather for sure.  But when it is nice, it has been really nice.  So with this nice weather, when do the fish bite?  At least that was one of the questions recently asked of me.  Actually the question was “is the morning or afternoon bite better this time of the year?”

I don’t believe anyone can definitively say that the morning is better versus the afternoon, as it will be different on different days. The warming waters in the afternoon on a winter day may be better for a feed and conversely the morning bite in the dead of summer may be better as this may be the coolest part of the day where the fish will be more apt to bite.

These are general rules, but there will be morning bites in the winter and afternoon bites in the summer.  Timing is everything, and predicting these times have been attempted by many over the centuries and still there are days when you are not sure what happened on the water. 

I can tell you that whether the morning or afternoon is better may not be a choice when you head out.  I typically go when others want to go or when I can go, and of course I try to make the best of the time I’m out there.  This is probably true with most anglers.  If I get the luxury of choosing when I can go, then I will follow some of the guidelines/rules of thumb that I discuss below.

If I am to choose my fishing times, I like to follow the predicted feeding times as it relates to the moon.  These are good to follow and on many occasions they are not too far off.  The new moon and a half moon overhead in the a.m. are some of my favorite times.  Full moon night fishing is also known as being productive.  Of course, any weather event could potentially change feeding times as predicted by the moon phases.

Fishing right before a front moves in is always a good choice.  Also, a slow passing low pressure system with drizzle/overcast conditions can make for a great day on the water.  Summertime rains that cool the surface is also a great time to get on the water. 

If I am to fish in the morning any time of the year, I try to make sure not to miss sunup.  There is always some fish feeding in the a.m. somewhere.  Some days, this may be the only time you will get bit.  The same thing applies at sundown.  If I am fishing the afternoon, I don’t like to miss the setting sun unless I have already filled the ice chest.  

The full moon was present last weekend, and the best times were midday or in the middle of the night. By the time this article is published, the moon should be approaching a quarter moon — which is typically a morning or evening bite, so both times may be good!

Morning or afternoon, get out there and give it a shot.  You’ll never know for sure unless you go.

HOOD COUNTY FISHING REPORT

Water temperatures are in the upper 50s to low 60s and spring-like fishing is here.  Golden alga continues to plague the midlake area where fishing is slow.  Spawning white bass continue to be good to excellent in the river near Tin Top (in the river).  Striped bass are good on the lower ends on live shad and jigs fished near channel breaks.  Catfish continues to be good on cut shad fished near Hunter Park.  Crappies are fair to good under deeper docks on small minnows and jigs.  Black bass reports are fair to good on crankbaits and soft plastics near main lake creek entrances and in the river above Granbury.   

Comanche Creek Reservoir continues to boast of limits of eater-sized channel catfish on prepared and cut baits.  Largemouth bass numbers continue to be excellent on drop shot rigs and crankbaits near creek ledges.  Some good top water action has been reported. 

On other reservoirs, Lake Whitney limits of striped bass continue on live bait and Alabama rigs fished near McCown Valley and near Bear Creek.  The sand bass run on the upper ends near Hamm Creek is good to excellent on roadrunners and spinnerbaits.

michael.acosta@att.net | 254-396-4855