The Best Time to Fish for Bass (Including Seasons)

Bass are the most popular and challenging fish among all fishermen. The vital part of getting ready for bass fishing is gathering all the information about their habits.

You can go fishing anytime but every season, weather, and time of the day requires a unique approach.

If you want to have a fruitful and enjoyable fishing experience, you need to know all the key information about bass living habits and preferences. The best fishing time depends on your location, fish species, weather, and many other factors.

Now, let’s jump into more details about bass fishing seasons to know when is the best time to fish for Bass.

The Best Season to Fish for Bass

Spring

Spring is the perfect time to go bass fishing. At first, Bass might be slow and a little inactive, but soon they become very active. The rain season brings the warmth needed for Bass to be active and comfortable.

In early spring, mostly March, the weather can change quickly so don’t be surprised if fish go back to the deep waters, where they spend most of the winter.

Spring is a spawning season for Bass, so no matter how warm the weather is, they will have to be active and start getting ready.

spawning season gives you a great opportunity to catch Bass in well-known areas. You’ll know where to look and how to lure them. This makes spring the easiest season for bass fishing.

Bass are most likely to bite when the temperature is about 13-29 Celsius/55-85 Fahrenheit.

They are cold-blooded creatures, so they prefer a season that is not too cold and not too hot, which makes spring the perfect season for fishing.

Summer

The spawning season is over. Now Bass are concentrated on feeding themselves.

The two primary aims of Bass are spawning and eating, so spring and summer are perfect for catching as many Bass as you want.

Bass are found everywhere in summer, as they are incredibly active moving back and forth. You’ll find them in both shallow and deep waters.

In August, when it’s too warm, Bass generally hide from the hot sun in deep waters. It makes your task of catching Bass even more challenging and complex. You need to know exactly what to look for. Read our best bait for bass in the Summer, where we go in-depth about what is the best bait to catch bass in the summer.

Fall

Bass are getting ready for winter in the fall season. They are slowing down, but continue eating intensively to be fully prepared for the most inactive season, winter.

It’s easy to attract their attention, as Bass are looking for food all the time.

Try to avoid fishing on cold days, but the best time for fishing in fall is early in the morning or late at night.

Winter

Bass are inactive in winter, as they don’t like the cold and try to save energy. Bass are hard to find in winter, they usually hide under a cover or ledges for the entire season.

Catching Bass becomes extremely hard and slow. You should know the fish's exact locations, but even then, they are resting too deep in the water for us to find them.

In late February, when the temperature is going slightly up (depending on your location), Bass are easier to find as they slowly start coming out closer to the surface.

If you’re fishing in winter make sure to fish in the afternoon when the temperature is at the maximum.

The Best Time of the Day to Fish for Bass

Morning

Early morning is the best time to go bass fishing. The air is cool but not too cold for Bass to swim around. The best fishing time changes depending on the season and weather but generally fishing between 6:00 AM-9:00 AM is recommended.

We created the Ultimate Guide to Morning Bass Fishing showing you how to make the most of a successful morning and catch plenty of bass.

Afternoon

The middle of the afternoon is not the best time for fishing. Fish are cold-blooded creatures and don’t feel comfortable in hot weather.

Although, late afternoon is a great period for fishing. When the dusk falls and it’s getting darker and colder, Bass become more active and want to eat.

Night

Nighttime is great for fishing especially because of the serenity and paucity of other fishers.

If the night is too cold, you will have a hard time finding Bass as they will be deep in the water.

Bass largely depend on their vision, so in the full darkness of night, they mightn’t be able to notice your bait. For that matter, you should have noisier and larger baits. It’s more likely that noisy baits will interest Bass in the nighttime.

The Best Weather for Bass Fishing

Weather plays an important role in bass behavior. They are more or less active depending on the weather and temperature.

• Cloudy days will give you an extra advantage while fishing as fish won’t be able to see your boat’s shadow.
• Rainy days are great for fishing. The Bass become more energetic and actively go after their prey. Rain also stirs up nutrients and increases water-dissolved oxygen which is extra support while bass fishing.
• The cold front gives you an advantage. Just before the cold front, Bass are much more likely to be attracted by baits and lures. They will bite instinctively. Fishing after the cold front is not the best, as Bass are very inactive and don’t move around or bite energetically.

Fishing times for Different Bass Species

Bass species have unique habits, features, and preferences, so they require different tactics and fishing strategies.

Let’s look at some of the most popular bass species and the best times for catching them.

• Largemouth Bass: the best period of the day to catch Bass are dawn and dusk. These are the times when they are the most energetic and are actively looking for food. Largemouth may prefer time with low vision for hunting, as they are strategic predators and don’t want their prey to notice them.
• Smallmouth Bass: the perfect time for catching smallmouth bass is 3 hours before dusk and dawn. At other times smallmouth are usually in deep waters where it’s harder to find them.
• Striped Bass: spring and fall is migration time for striped Bass, so you’ll have an advantage over them. They will be more active than ever.

Are You Ready?

There is no such thing as a wrong time for bass fishing. Some seasons and time periods are just more challenging and require precise knowledge of bass habits.

You can improve your likelihood of catching if you use a great lure or bait. We reviewed and did an ultimate guide on the 8 Best Crankbaits For Bass Fishing. Check it out to get some pointers and advice on how to select the best crankbaits.

Generally, spring is considered to be the best season for fishing, as it’s not too cold or hot, but somewhere between.

Dawn and dusk are the most strategic for bass fishing. The temperature is low, the sun isn’t bothering anyone, and the fish are less likely to see your boat’s shadows.

Before going bass fishing, check out the weather to plan your fishing approach. In case of heavy rains, you’ll need stronger gear, so make sure to be fully prepared in all possible ways.