Best Time of Day to Fish for Trout

Kristian Ole

Updated:

Reader-supported

Even though trout fishing is one of the most challenging activities you can take part in when outdoors, it is also one of the most rewarding and stress alleviating ones. One of the main reasons why many anglers find fishing for trout such a nerve-wracking affair is because they are not aware of the exact time of day to fish for them. Fishing for it when you have the free time to do so is not the best way to go about with this. Many anglers make a mistake of fishing for trout in the mid-afternoon or late morning.

To understand when the best time of day to fish for trout is, here is what you need to know.

Look at water temperature and cloud cover

  • Comfortable water temperatures usually between 34 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit are a trout’s best friend as they more actively feed during this time
  • Trout generally want to shield themselves from the extreme sun and bright lights so fishing in shady places, preferably under cloud cover, when water temperatures are cooler help.
  • Heading upstream to cooler waters if water temperatures reach the high 60s especially during the summers works wonders
  • Examining the temperature of the water every hour is important as trout feeding gains momentum just as the water temperature rises. Typically, this happens when the water temperature rises a degree higher than 40, 45 or 49 deg. Fahrenheit.

It is quite natural to find fishing enthusiasts fishing just before dusk right until it is quite dark. In the summertime, as the water temperature rises and the surroundings are dark, chances are high that you will lure a bigger catch.

Early morning and late afternoon

Want to know about the best time to catch trout? It’s right before sunrise until about two hours after sunrise. Other than this, the late afternoon that is three hours prior to sunset right until dusk is also a favorable time to catch most species of trout. In the case of rivers and streams, the best time of day is directly related to the existence of insects. This is generally in the early mornings and late afternoons.

During the seasons

In summer, the best time to get your hands on trout is in the early mornings as well as late afternoons. Nighttime fishing is also bound to provide fruitful results, so you can pack your trout pole most of the day in the summer. In early spring, the best time of day to fish is mid to late morning and even mid to late afternoon. Later in spring, early morning and late afternoon should be your best bet. While during the winters, whether you want to go ice fishing or fly fishing, mid to late morning works, at night, ice fishing can either get you a good catch or not. In the fall, early mornings are undoubtedly the best time. Following this, you can also try your hand during the mid to late afternoon. Nighttime fishing should be avoided since the chances of getting a good catch are not very good and inconsistent.

Related article: When is the best time of the day to ice fish for perch?

So there you have it. Now that you know the best time of day to fish for trout if you want to get lucky, go ahead and use this to your best advantage.

You might also be interested in:

kristian-ole-roerbye-fishingkris

About Kristian Ole

Kristian Ole Rørbye, a marine biologist and seasoned angler, shares his fishing adventures and expertise on FishingKris. Join him as he explores the world's waters, one cast at a time.

Leave a Comment