The best time of day to catch trout is usually 10 AM to 3 PM, not first light. That is triple true in cold weather. Once the sun hits the water, plankton moves, minnows start feeding, and the trout bite fires. Morning water can sit at 43 degrees, then warm and turn on the bite by noon. Captain Jeff Goodwin runs spoons like the Optimizer behind side planers at 3.8 mph, using a first-light color early and a brighter midday color once the sun is up.
What is the best time of day to catch trout?
Year in and year out, across all seasons, the best window is about 10 AM to 3 PM. A lot of anglers assume early morning is prime, but the midday window usually produces more limit fish. It is triple true in cold weather, when the water needs time to warm and the food chain needs sun before the bite turns on.
Do you have to fish early in the morning for trout?
No. You can catch trout at first light, but you do not have to be on the lake early to hook fish. Very often the bite is better once the sun gets on the water. Getting out early is fine, but do not pack up at 9 AM, because 10 AM to 3 PM is frequently the strongest stretch of the day.
Why does the trout bite improve midday?
Sunlight fires the food chain. As the sun warms the surface, plankton starts to move, minnows begin feeding, and trout follow. On one cold morning the shallows read 43 degrees, then warmed through midday and the bite got much better over the next 90 minutes. Cold, dense cloud cover in the morning often gives way to a better afternoon bite.
What lures work for morning versus afternoon trout?
Captain Jeff Goodwin runs spoons and stick baits behind side planers, moving about 3.8 mph. He fishes an Optimizer size 3 in a darker first-light finish early, then switches to a brighter midday and afternoon color once the sun is up. His biggest fish come on those spoons, fished shallow from 5 to 15 feet deep.
When is the best day to fish a freshly stocked lake?
Fish the day they plant or the day right after. Once trout are planted, that first window is your best chance, because the fish will not hold in the warm water of the launch cove for long. On lakes like Comanche and Pardee, check where they plant, then be there the day of or the day after the stock.
What baits work for freshly stocked trout?
From the bank, run long leaders with PowerBait in rainbow or green glitter, plus white jigs or white power eggs. Trolling, run speedy shiners, Optimizers, Trigger Spoons, and Trigger Juniors. A shot of Chrome Killer scent helps fresh plants commit.
How does weather change the best time for trout?
Cold weather pushes the prime window later. On chilly days the 10 AM to 3 PM stretch matters even more, because the water and food chain need sun to get going. A little sunshine on the water turns on the spoon bite, so time your trip around the warmest, brightest part of a cold day.
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Best time of day for trout FAQ
Midday wins more often than most anglers expect. First light can produce, but the 10 AM to 3 PM window is usually the most reliable, especially in cold water. Fish early if you like, but plan to stay through midday for the best shot at a limit.
It is less about a magic number and more about warming. One morning the shallows sat at 43 degrees with a slow bite, then warmed toward noon and the fish turned on. As the surface heats and the sun hits the water, the plankton and minnows move and the trout follow.
Captain Jeff Goodwin runs his Optimizer spoons about 3.8 mph behind side planers. Spoons are a fast, clean troll, so keep them moving and let the flash do the work. That speed produced some of his biggest trout on Shasta Lake.
Often shallow. Jeff Goodwin's number one depth on Shasta has been 5 to 15 feet, with spoons and stick baits run behind side planers and divers. Keep your gear in that upper zone during the midday window when the surface food chain is active.
Yes. Run a darker, subtler finish at first light, then switch to a brighter color for midday and afternoon once the sun is up. Jeff Goodwin treats his Optimizer size 3 as an early spoon in one color and a midday spoon in another.
Not long. Freshly planted trout will not hold in the warm water of the launch cove for long, so your best odds are the day they stock or the day after. Find out whether they plant the south shore, north shore, or a single ramp, and fish that spot fast.
Chrome Killer scent has been producing on recently planted lakes. Add it to spoons or bait to help fresh fish commit. Pair it with the standard stocked-lake spread of PowerBait from the bank or spoons on the troll.
