Fish movement during a day
- Thread starter afishinado
- Start date
Not very good science IMO.
Butler and Bachman studies of wild trout behavior in Spruce Creek are good references.
General physics determines behavior. I.e., the least amount of energy expended for the greatest amount of energy incorporated.
Offer this personal advice from thousands of hours of personal experience in trout water and other:
In the very early morning, before any actual sun rays hit the sky and raise the visibility, brown trout especially are feeding and in good position. This time of year, 4 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. - ish.
They leave for protective cover as soon as sunlight rays emit.
During the daylight small fish are active.
Rainbows, brook trout and brown trout each behave differently. Each tend to occupy different sectors within a segment of flow.
Big browns especially in small flows will shelter all day in dark shadow providing structure and feed much less actively.
Daytime is the time for small fish to actively feed in the open. It provides the best safety in the open water flow.
Big browns will emerge at dusk and begin hunting the smaller fish. (And other evening and nighttime creatures.)
Raccoons and other will also seek out smaller fish.
It's interesting to walk along a native brook trout or other small stream at night and use a flashlight to see into the water. The small fish are away from the banks and cover. They are holding into what is the safest water. Less apt to be trapped. This makes them less vulnerable.
It works the same way with large bodies of water.
During the day the large fish stay in depths below the daylight and small fish can feed and more safely occupy the upper layers in the sun.
At night the large fish come up toward the surface and feed on the smaller fish that are now close to the surface to evade the predator fish that are now able to occupy the upper layers and surface.
Sunlight affects species and age-group behavior greatly. Daytime behavior is different than evening and nighttime behavior, as well as shallow water behavior is different than deep water behavior as defined by the penetration of sunlight.
It is a major reason for fishing with top water at night. But predator behavior needs to be considered all the time. For big browns it can easily be hunting the shallows in the evenings and early night and early morning. In Pa., I always consider voles as targeted food by both largemouth bass and brown trout. In streams brown trout will hunt the tails and banks of pools and of course attack injured baitfish and other when possible.
Butler and Bachman studies of wild trout behavior in Spruce Creek are good references.
General physics determines behavior. I.e., the least amount of energy expended for the greatest amount of energy incorporated.
Offer this personal advice from thousands of hours of personal experience in trout water and other:
In the very early morning, before any actual sun rays hit the sky and raise the visibility, brown trout especially are feeding and in good position. This time of year, 4 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. - ish.
They leave for protective cover as soon as sunlight rays emit.
During the daylight small fish are active.
Rainbows, brook trout and brown trout each behave differently. Each tend to occupy different sectors within a segment of flow.
Big browns especially in small flows will shelter all day in dark shadow providing structure and feed much less actively.
Daytime is the time for small fish to actively feed in the open. It provides the best safety in the open water flow.
Big browns will emerge at dusk and begin hunting the smaller fish. (And other evening and nighttime creatures.)
Raccoons and other will also seek out smaller fish.
It's interesting to walk along a native brook trout or other small stream at night and use a flashlight to see into the water. The small fish are away from the banks and cover. They are holding into what is the safest water. Less apt to be trapped. This makes them less vulnerable.
It works the same way with large bodies of water.
During the day the large fish stay in depths below the daylight and small fish can feed and more safely occupy the upper layers in the sun.
At night the large fish come up toward the surface and feed on the smaller fish that are now close to the surface to evade the predator fish that are now able to occupy the upper layers and surface.
Sunlight affects species and age-group behavior greatly. Daytime behavior is different than evening and nighttime behavior, as well as shallow water behavior is different than deep water behavior as defined by the penetration of sunlight.
It is a major reason for fishing with top water at night. But predator behavior needs to be considered all the time. For big browns it can easily be hunting the shallows in the evenings and early night and early morning. In Pa., I always consider voles as targeted food by both largemouth bass and brown trout. In streams brown trout will hunt the tails and banks of pools and of course attack injured baitfish and other when possible.
wildtrout2
Well-known member
Interesting video, thanks for sharing that. The one thing that stuck out to me most, was the feeding became more pronouned later when the water got warmer. Less feeding activity early, when temps were cooler.
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
Amen.
rustbeltwilds
Well-known member
When i was young like 12 i remembwr getting up early 5am riding my bike down to the local kmart whete thwre was a trout stream that ran thru the parking lot biggest browns i got out of that stream were always then 5 to 6 am window. Then off to school
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
In true fly fisher fashion, dude couldn't get on the water before 9AM, even for science 😁
In June it's been daylight for nearly 4 hours!
In June it's been daylight for nearly 4 hours!
greywolf
Active member
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- Apr 19, 2013
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It always amazes me how many people do not show up to trout fish until late morning, even at destination spots where you have to pay to fish.
rustbeltwilds
Well-known member
Thats why there not a 10 pct er lol
wildtrout2
Well-known member
I always get on a stream (Class A's) early to avoid anyone potentially getting ahead of me, and that strategy has served me well, but I almost always see my best action start around 9:00am on, when the stream has warmed a bit. I rarely have good action first thing (7:00am) in the morning. I'm talking about mountain freestones.
nymphingmaniac
Well-known member
or another: guides say meet me at 9:30AM
I agree that on mountain freestone streams the early morning fishing is typically slow. It usually starts to pick up around 10 am. So that's when I start.
The fishing is typically best in the afternoon. (I'm talking about forested freestone streams with plenty of shade from trees.)
greywolf
Active member
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- Apr 19, 2013
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- 198
I agree that this makes sense fishing for rookies on cold mountain streams
greywolf
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2013
- Messages
- 198
I would be okay with a guide saying 0930 for Mountain brookie fishing, winter fishing in cold temps., or if I told the guide I only want to fish with dry flies. Would get another guide for most other situations though
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
Gotta love K-Mart brand Brown Trout. The Jaclyn Smith Collection type brown trout!
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
This is very true, Jeff.
And to be fair, the video shares water temps, but he makes much more significance out of sunlight not water temps in the video. In PA in June on a creek without a dark canopy of trees, the bite could be over by 10 AM when fish drop out of the riffles and get inactive, the opposite of dude's "science"....
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
Blue light special!
Cougarbaby
Well-known member
Perhaps him walking down the creek with an under water camera puts them in a shy mode ,fish usually scatter when we're walking around in there territory
rustbeltwilds
Well-known member
Lol beat me too it
rustbeltwilds
Well-known member
On some creeks i fish on clear bluebird skies wirh no canopy its over by 8
Forestfishin
Active member
I started using this approach a few years ago. Quickly found out that some people have no issue hiking the hills above you to drop in upstream of you. Even when they know you’re there. Not talking easy access type places but places that require a lengthy hike to reach and are off the beaten path. I know public land is all fair game but still a pretty f up move.
