Fishing activities do not only have to be done at sea. You can also channel this hobby in freshwaters, like rivers, lakes, or ponds. Don’t get me wrong! 41 percent of the total fish species live in freshwater, you know? Well, if you are planning to fish in freshwaters, you are right here. We will share the secret to getting lots of fish by knowing the best time of day for freshwater fishing. This is very important for you, especially for beginners, lol. Don’t let your first experience become a tragic experience that traumatizes you, yap, hours of fishing and not getting your fish. Check this out and read this article to the end!
Well, besides concocting bait, determining the best time is indeed an important thing you need to do before fishing. Fishing in freshwater can be done at any time, indeed. However, you need to know when your fish are looking for food actively. So, without waiting long to get bored, your fish is in hand. Then, let’s find out the best time of day for freshwater fishing.
Early Morning
This is the best time of day for freshwater fishing during the dry season, in the morning just before dawn when the water temperature is at its lowest. Instead, you need to remember! Morning is not the right time for fishing in winter, for example, when there is a lot of rain.
In addition, you will also often encounter flying insects near the waters in the morning. The good news is that not a few of them fell to the surface because of the heavy burden they carried as their wings came into contact with dew while flying. Well, at this moment, predatory fish take advantage of the time to find food on the surface. Therefore, at this time, you are advised to fish with surface fishing techniques.
Apart from predatory fish, in fresh waters, you can also make carp and tilapia your targets for surface fishing in the morning. Furthermore, this time is the best time of day for freshwater fishing for fish species with good eyesight in dim light conditions, such as catfish and snakehead fish.
Midday
Fishing during the day is challenging for anglers, especially during the dry season. Most fish will only be at a certain depth, avoiding water conditions that are too warm due to the strong sunlight. The fish will look for a stable place to adjust to their body condition.
However, weather factors, such as when it is raining,allow you to make many catches even during the day. Rain can warm water temperature because rainwater contains a high enough salt content. At this time, you can fish in the lake. The best time of day for freshwater fishing in the lake is when the rain doesn’t fall too long, and the sun will shine afterward. Moderately shining sun, then shady bright is the best time to fish for tilapia. Besides, drizzling conditions without lightning are also the best time to fish since your catch will not be small.
In addition, the proper fishing technique used when fishing during the day is the bottom technique. The bottom technique is fishing by positioning the bait at the bottom, close to the lead weight. There’s a good chance you’ll catch a variety of fish with this technique at a time like this. You can also use the tree’s shadow to try your luck. Cast the bait into the shade of a tree or under a bush where the fish are most likely to hide during the day.
Afternoon
Like the morning, the afternoon is the time when the sun’s light begins to dim. As you already know, fish love moderately warm waters. So, in the afternoon, fish tend to be aggressive and actively move everywhere looking for food. In the afternoon, you can go fishing at sunset. This is the best time of day for freshwater fishing, such as tilapia.
It’s just that you need to know that most freshwater fish do not have good eyesight in the dark. Instead of using sight, they rely more on their sense of smell in the dark. That’s why fishing strikes in the afternoon can be short. The afternoon is the time when predatory fish species start to roam around looking for food. Therefore, changing the right bait is the best solution when the fish pull starts to decrease.
Evening
When the sky is getting dark, the fish in the river will return to their habitat and are lazy to hunt for food because the night is the time for fish to rest. However, this period, from sunset to midnight, is the best time of day for freshwater fishing, a productive time if you want to fish for nocturnal fish. They are a type of fish that actively seek food at night and become more aggressive when grabbing the bait when compared to the morning.
Types of fish that are usually actively looking for food at night and can be your target for hunting include catfish, cork, and eel. Some types of nocturnal fish usually have a slow and very careful character. Therefore, patience is a must when fishing at night. You shouldn’t move or move the bait too often from where it was thrown. This splash of water too often will make the night predator fish run away. Additional tips, you can use the scent on the bait to increase the chances of your catch.
Well, those are the best times of day for freshwater fishing that you can consider. Don’t forget to pay attention to the weather conditions before going fishing because this will affect the water temperature and the character of the fish. As previously mentioned, weather patterns can turn fish into very active ones or vice versa. A light rain, for example, can cool the water which is positive for your luck and sets you up for a day of fishing. On the other hand, heavy rains can make fishing the most difficult as fish prefer to stay still in cool water temperatures.