OK all you springer experts out there. Is the bite at first light a key factor in consistant success? What percentage of fish are caught in the first hour of daylight?

Thanks!
SA

Not an expert but on heavily fished rivers, I have had better luck very early. If the river is not heavily fished or has good deep water or has some color to it then based on my experience it didn't matter much. I think in general they are more active or on the bite on first light.

I'm an 0 dark 30 aholic anyway, but my first springer of the year hit at first light after trolling 100 feet. Had it in the fish box before any other boats even showed up. Only fish I say caught for the next 4 hours. So yeah, I'll be out there at first light

I've fished for springers pretty hard about seven out of the last ten seasons on my home river (as a weekend warrior, "home river" is a bit of a misnomer)which gets a small native run of springers. You really have to be lucky and persistent to get your fish. Due to its glacial origins the river tends to stay cloudier and colder than most rivers at that time of year which works to my advantage.

My experience has been that under clearer warmer flows the bite-window is much smaller. Seemed to hook the majority of the ten or so fish I've hooked under these conditions in the first 90 mins of daylight. Never hooked one in a hole that was receiving direct sunlight in the clearer and warmer conditions...

The good news for me is that, as I said before, the conditions tend to stay cloudier and colder. Out of the maybe 25 fish I hooked in these conditions 5 came in the first 90 mins, five in the last 90 mins and the rest spread out through the rest of the day. Pretty spread out really...

My theory (heavily adapted) is pretty obvious I guess...Cloudy and cold, pound it all day...Clear and warm, pound three likely holes in the morning, take an extended nap, drink many beers, pound it in the evening.

The other wild card is the tides. I play the tides game alot on the lower river. Fish will move into the lower three holes on the river and mill around on the tide change. This can be pretty productive no matter the light conditions.

I hope this applies to your fishing situation.

My experience, for what its worth to you.

I am by no means an expert, but I've caught a few. Some of them have been at 0 dark thirty, but most have been throughout the day. Give a darkish, cloudy, drizzly day on the Willamette or Columbia, and I think you're fishing effectively from 5:00am to 8:00pm.

I've also caught more than a few on the columbia in the height of summer, middle of a sunny day (while fishing for steelhead. Once on a worm while trolling for walleye.

In smaller rivers, I suspect they would be more sensitive to time of day. In the Columbia, get the lure wet, keep it wet, net the fish. Repeat until satisfied or out of beer.

Most of my springer experience is on the Willamette and Columbia in tidally effected areas. I think in these areas tide plays more of a role on the bite than daylight does. The half hour before and after a tide change are usually the most consistent times to catch fish for me. I've caught them at all times of the tide, but the tide changes are a better bet. I think it's more important to match the lure/bait to the daylight conditions than to worry about intestity of the light.

Aaron

The explanation I have heard and believe from the evidence I have seen,is;that anadromous fish make their main migration moves during the dark hours. Towards daylight ,having negociated some difficult water,they will stop in the first good holding pool. The more agressive the species,with chinook at the top of the agression list,they will circle the pool driving out any less agressive species including any foreign objects like spoons hot shots and spinners.
A somewhat similar period of activity occurs just before dark in the evening.Fish will circle the pool gettibg ready to move if they encounter eggs or worms they will grab them as a reflex knowing they will need all their energy for the next night`s migration.

While swimming, I once was removed from a nice pool by an aggressive king. My plug was in danger On a serious note, I have had migrating smolts? bite my feet aggressively. I could not believe it.

UFK, I can believe it. Once when cleaning salmon on a river in Alaska, hordes of smolts started collecting to feed on the offal. It was fun watching them try to run off with little pieces of gut. After a few minutes, they got very aggressive, and would chew on my fingers if I dabbled them in the surface. I couldn't believe these little 4 inch fish, trying to chew the ends of my fingers off.