Many of us anglers consider the morning as the most opportune time to cast a line for bass fishing. Why, you may ask? Summer bass fishing could be the best thing in existence, and this post will give you an idea why.
Morning: The Optimum Time for Bass Fishing
During warmer months, the morning is indeed one of the best times of the day to catch more and larger bass. As the dawn breaks, bass venture out from their deep, dark hiding spots and swim into the shallows, making it an ideal time for us anglers to strike. On the flip side, during colder months, the morning tends to be a bit slow, with the late afternoon promising better yields due to the warmer water temperatures. However, this doesn’t completely rule out early mornings for bass fishing in the colder months, as we will explore further.
Nuance of Morning Bass Fishing
There are several factors that influence bass behavior and their feeding habits. Understanding these nuances can be key in knowing when to cast your line and reel in the big ones.
- Temperature: One crucial factor that dictates bass activity is water temperature. During warmer months, early mornings provide the coolest water temperatures which drive bass to feed.
- Light: The reduced light in the early morning gives bass a tactical advantage over their prey. This is especially beneficial for bass anglers as we can take advantage of this period of aggressive feeding.
- Prey: In the early morning, bass mostly feed on baitfish and crawfish. By selecting the right bait that mimics these prey animals, you can increase your chances of hooking a bass.
- Weather Patterns: Bass tend to feed more aggressively before a steady rainfall or a cold front. So, if you can anticipate these changes, you can utilize these feeding frenzies to your advantage.
Morning Vs. Evening Bass Fishing: A Debate
Some anglers prefer the evening while others prefer the early morning for bass fishing. This ultimately boils down to personal preference and one’s own schedule. However, morning fishing can often be superior because bass likely spent the night not feeding and will be eager to gorge on shad and crawfish at first light. This can lead to more aggressive bites in the morning, and in my opinion makes it easier to do logistically. Remember – it’s light outside, which makes things a heck of a lot easier than fumbling around in the dark.
Best Baits for Morning Bass Fishing
The best baits for catching bass in the early morning are baitfish presentations or craw presentations. Topwater early in the morning is always dynamite, along with baits that mimic the natural prey bass would be hunting for at this time of day, such as tubes, drop shots, worms, squarebills, or swimbaits. Remember, a slow moving bait such as a Texas rig is always great in the summer heat, for ideas on what to Texas rig during the summer, check out this article I recently wrote. If you would like a more in-depth video analysis of how to effectively fish the summer mornings, here is a video from TacticalBassin.
Morning Breakdown: A Deep Dive
Understanding the different parts of the morning and how bass behavior changes during these periods can help you become a more effective angler.
- Dawn & Sunrise: Bass tend to be more active around sunrise, especially in the summer. They have spent the night with little to no food and are eager to feed. However, they need some light to find food, which usually comes closer to sunrise.
- Early Morning: During the summer, the early morning, from sunrise until about 2 hours after, is the best time of the day for bass fishing. This is when the water is still pretty cool and the light isn’t too strong yet.
- Mid-Morning: As we progress towards mid-morning, the returns start to diminish as the bite slows down during the summer. During the winter, this scenario flips. Bass start feeding in mid-morning because early morning will have been too chilly for them to chase down food.
- Late Morning: In the summer, late morning can still yield decent catches, as bass start becoming predictable, holding tight to structures either shallow or down deep.
An early start to the day may come with its challenges, but the rewards of morning bass fishing are worth the sacrifice. You’ll not only beat the rush of other anglers but will also enjoy the serene beauty of nature in the quiet hours of the morning, and more than likely catch that bucketmouth you have been hunting. Remember, the early bird gets the worm, and in our case, the early angler catches the bass.
Tight Lines,
Dawson