Fall is here - What time frames do you perfer?

[RuKiddingMe]

I'm a huge fan of getting up ealry and trying to be one of the first on the water, I don't fish in the evenings much (guess that has to do with responsibilities at home). With the cooler weather here to stay what is your perferred time frame to be on the water? Do you still get out first thing in the morning? I have found that my success has been better in the fall in the later morning and mid afternoon then first thing in the morning or last light in the evening, like the summer time. Mine would be 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

If I had it my way I'd be on the water all the time.

RU

[cableguy031]

I agree with you RU, I do tend to fish later in morning during the fall. One reason is me being lazy....lol

[Muskydanno]

I would subscribe to that same timeframe RU. My belief is that when the water starts to really cool , activity levels of the fish would increase during the day as the temp comes up. During the lucky instance that november brings alot of fishable non-hardwater days , i go out in the morning but find that most of my action occurs during the normal slow time like 10 to 2 when the sun is peaking. I think thats why a sudden warmup for a few days late in the year can be good after a long stretch of chilliness. Seems to really hold true for shallow rocks that can soak the suns heat up real quick. I prefer to be out every minute of every day though allthough reality says that can't happen!!

[ARMAN-21]

I agree with you all! that 9-3 window has alway worked for me. Danno, you gettin' out this weekend? I may have a open seat in the boat!

[Random guy]

I get up at 3AM fish until 11 or 12 then back out at 2-3 until 1 hr after sunset. A little on the hardcore side but in the fall I tend to see the best action right before sunrise and from 8-10 am. I believe that it is different for everyone. It is how and where you are approaching the fish that creates "your" good time.

[RK]

Hiya,

I think in terms of contacting the most numbers of fish, the 10am-3pm window has probably been the best for me, especially the later it gets. However, some of my biggest fish have come at dawn or dusk, or after dark. I've unhooked some pretty big fish by feel after hooking them right at dark. A few years back the last fish in my boat for the season was a 51 that hit an hour after sunset. As long as it isn't too bitter cold, it can be worth toughing it out after sunset...

Cheers,

RK

[LEECH21]

Wow Jon, do you work or even have time to sleep? That's one crazy schedule.

I've been trying to get out this year to do some muskie fishing , but haven't made it out yet. I caught my first ski last year and have been pumped to try it again, but something always seems to come up. Plus my cuz has the boat and his schedule most of the time differs from mine, I get Sundays and Mondays free. Hopefully I'll make it out at least once this year.

[Random guy]

Quote:

---

Wow Jon, do you work or even have time to sleep? That's one crazy schedule.

---

I normaly only sleep about four hours a night, and all I do is work and fish. No other hobbies or interest of any kind so it leaves alot of time open.

[Muskydanno]

I used to have other hobbies Jon, but this one has now cannibalized every single one of them and the budgets associated with them. I need to do more of that night fishing. Hopefully mille stays semi decent for the four days i am up there next week. I called the taxidermist and told him to clean out his freezer so there is room for the new state record when i get back. Think thats overly optimistic..? chaaa! I am going to catch it on a red phantom!!

[Random guy]

Shoot for the stars dude! It only takes one strike, one fight, one good landing, and one big fish. If you can put those together at one time you will never pay for a piece of musky gear again.

[AWH]

RK,

Or anyone else, for that matter, that's had success after dark in the late fall....just curious if you're finding the fish in the same locations when it gets dark that time of year? I fish until I can't get the boat in the water anymore. So that time of year, it's pretty much all trolling. I've stayed out past dark a number of times but have never had anything happen late in the fall. I'm mostly trying the same things I've had success with during the day. But maybe these late fall fish move somewhere else after dark?

As far as time frames, I would agree that mid day can be very good. But I can not say that one time has really proven to be substantially better than any other time. But it seems like I can pretty much always count on some kind of action that last hour prior to sunset.

Aaron