Fishing Conditions- how much do you overthink your trip?

[alanw]

If you wait for the sun, moon, tides, temperature, season, work schedule, wife's blessing, etc.. to be perfect then you will never get out on the water. The best time to go fishing is when you can.

[Ggiannig89]

My biggest limiting factors are weather and free time. I’ve also found that changing tides are best in my opinion especially in the bay bust also for working the kelp for bass and rockfish. But the only thing I truly check is the weather and whether or not I’ll be able to comfortably paddle.

[Saba Slayer]

Fish when you can.... don't overthink it...It's all about time on the water...

[Hunters Pa]

If the stars align and I have the rare open window of time I go. Conditions will determine where. Catching something is a bonus. As Jim said, it's all about time on the water, away from the office, todo list and whatever obnoxious show the kids have on the tv.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my kids activities. I'm doing as much as I can with them while they still tolerate me around

[ProfessorLongArms]

Let me be clear-I am totally appreciative of the notion of just going fishing whenever I can find time. This is more theoretical question than something I would ever let keep me off the water.

Much as I’ve always heard people talk about it in passing, I’m just more curious if anyone looks at that kind of stuff with any real sense of conviction

[goldenglory18]

I look at it, partially from a scientific standpoint (I'm a curious analytical type) and partially from a comfort and safety standpoint. For me, there are two types of "fishing days"

1) Bay/Marina - If the surf is up, and the intervals are short, then its probably going to be safer to stay inside a protected area. If I make that call, then I'm looking at change of tide (water movement.) Still water to me is dead water. What I fish for, in the size I'm looking for, I almost never find in still water. Days like this I find more numbers, less quality fish.

2) Open water (outside a breakwall or surf launch) - This is when the swell is low, or the intervals are long. Wind is rarely an issue in this situation so I then feel "safe" to venture out to more open and unprotected water. I pay less attention to the tide in these situations and more to weather (any risk of adverse conditions) and water conditions (temp, clarity, depth, etc.) This is when I tend to catch higher quality, but less in quantity.

Disclaimer: I've only surf launched once, and that was with the help of an experienced hand. When I look at conditions now, its to see the wave/swell height, and to see the lag between sets. From my minimal understanding of "surf launching" for a newbie, I'm looking for low wind, low swell/wave height and longer intervals/sets. YMMV.....

- Kenny

[Saba Slayer]

Read last weeks article in the Western Outdoor News. Full Moon or New Moon?
It's in the in the "Long Range Season Primer" insert...
Frank LoPreste said..."Sometimes I get really close to thinking the whole moon phase thing is a bunch of hogwash. You can predict and plan a trip around the moon phase if you really want to but YOU CAN"T PREDICT THE CURRENTS. My feeling is just book your trips when it's most convenient.
Cast. Tim Ekstrom says..."But to throw a final wrench into the works, I have seen unbelievable fishing, coastal and offshore, unseat every theory and notion of what should be time and again...
Cast. Andy Cates Said..."You can't blame the full moon for slow fishing. We always tell people to book a trip that fits your schedule rather than trying to predict whether a moon phase is going to be better or worse. You pay your money and take your chance.
Cast. Kevin Osborn says..."My advise is to pick a good time for your fishing vacation and get out there...The single most important factor is current..."
Capt. Jeff DeBuys said..."...but just when you think you have it figured out you get a whole new set of rules...There is in my opinion, no set handbook to go by.
Cast. Art Taylor said...I encourage anglers to just go fishing when their schedule allows and not worry that their availability might not fall on the perfect phase of the moon.
Larry finished the article with...
"I'm inclined to go with with the above captain's experience and judgement that there are many other critical factors, like CURRENT, CURRENT, and CURRENT, which can't be predicted in advance..."

[kenb]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

Fish when you can.... don't overthink it...It's all about time on the water...

Yes, Think that pretty well sums it up!

[jorluivil]

Tomorrow isn't guaranteed so fish today

[ProfessorLongArms]

I'm starting to detect a consensus here

[PapaDave]

About the only thing I look at is the weather. Otherwise I just go.