A Guide to Morning Bass Fishing With 5 Secret Tips and Tricks

Fishing for bass can be demanding and different conditions can have a significant effect on your chances of catching them.

While bass can feed all day long, early morning tends to offer more opportunities to catch bass than any other time of the day.

So, how do you fish for bass in the morning? To fish for bass in the morning you need to be prepared with the right gear and lures. It’s recommended to use a 6-7 feet rod with medium-heavy power and fast action along with a baitcasting reel and braided fishing line. For the lures, it’s recommended to use topwater lures, crankbaits, and soft plastics.

Continue reading to learn what makes bass fishing in the morning so successful and what you need to increase your chances of catching more bass in the morning. Or scroll to the end of the article to find all our sources to become a better bass angler today!

What Makes Bass Fishing in the Morning So Successful?

There are several reasons why the morning is one of the best times to target bass fish.

Let’s take a look at some of these reasons:

• Bass tend to come out of their usual hiding place and head to shallower areas of the water during the morning as the water temperature will be comfortable enough for them to feed.
• There will be less boat traffic and noise during the morning so the bass fish will be less wary and more likely to bite.
• Bass fish are usually dormant at night which makes them more active and ready to feed by the time morning comes.
• Bass fish tend to feed more in the early morning when the sun is not up fully because the low light levels give them an advantage over their prey.

Bass Fishing During Different Stages of the Morning

Here’s a quick breakdown of how bass fish usually behave during different stages of the morning to help increase your chances of catching them:

Dawn and Sunrise

The first light of the day comes out at dawn but the bass fish won’t come out and bite until sunrise as they need more light to hunt.

It’s recommended to launch your boat around dawn and wait until sunrise for the best action.

Early Morning

Early morning is the time period from sunrise until about 2 hours after sunrise when the water temperature is comfortable and the light is strong enough for the fish to bite.

This time is considered the best time of the day to target bass fish as they will be feeding aggressively to make up for being dormant during the night before.

Mid-Morning and Late Morning

As you get closer to noon, you will start to see a decline when it comes to bass activity.  That is because the sun will be directly above the water and the water temperature will be too hot for the bass fish to bite.

However, you can still find bass in areas with shade or near structures such as marinas, laydowns, ledges, and thick weeds.

I also have a guide to fishing for bass at night here that you should definitely check out to find out what time is best for you to get the best catches.

Bass Fishing in the Morning Through the Year

Bass behavior in the morning throughout the year so here’s a quick breakdown of how they behave during each season:

Winter

Morning fishing for bass during winter is not recommended. That is because the water temperature will be too cold and the bass fish won’t be active.

Instead of fishing in the early morning, it’s recommended to fish around late morning, which is a few hours before the sunset. you can learn everything about fishing for bass in winter here.

Spring

Early spring, right after winter, is also not the best time for bass fishing.

You have more chances of success at catching bass in the morning by late spring, however, keep in mind that around this time bass will enter their spawning season and they will not be feeding at all during this time.

You can still good results in the spring though if you know what you are doing, and you can start by checking out this guide to bass fishing in the spring here.

Summer

Summer is the best time to fish for bass in the morning.

As mentioned before, sunrise and early morning provide the best opportunity to catch bass because the water temperature will be the most comfortable for them to feed.

However, later in the morning, the water temperature will be too hot for bass to feed, so you’ll have a much better chance at night.

Fall

Fall can also be a good time for morning bass fishing.

During early fall, bass will be more likely to bite in the morning in the same way they did during summer. However, by late fall, as the temperature gets colder, they will start to become less active during the morning and less like to bite.

Guide to Bass Fishing in the Morning

What Locations Are Best for Bass Fishing in the Morning?

During the morning, bass fish will come out of their hiding places to start feeding. It’s important to know where exactly to target them to increase your chances of catching them.

The best locations to target bass in the morning are near the coastline, on the edges of cover, or around large rocks, sunken tree stumps, and weed beds.

What Kind of Gear Is Best for Bass Fishing in the Morning?

You normally need heavy gear when targeting bass at any time because they’re large in size and they can put up a tough fight.

For the best results, it’s recommended to use a 6’7” to 7’8” foot fishing rod with medium-heavy power and fast action paired with a baitcasting reel. For the fishing line, it’s best to go with a heavy braided line with a breaking strain that’s about 8 to 10 pounds.

It’s also recommended to use larger hooks for bass because hooks that are too small might bend or break in the bass’ mouth if they put up a fight. You can go for hook sizes between 4 and 6/0.

Since you’ll be using a large hook, you will also need to bring pliers to remove the hooks from the bass’ mouth properly without causing the fish any harm.

What Kind of Baits and Lures Are Best for Bass Fishing in the Morning?

Bass fish will come out of their hiding place and swim closer to the surface of the water to hunt for food as they will be very hungry after being dormant all night.

Generally, bass fish are not selective when it comes to their diet and they will eat a wide variety of prey in the morning including minnows, shads, bluegills, herring, shiners, crawfish, sunfish, perch, as well as worms, lizards, snakes, and sometimes even small turtles.

You can even use hot dogs for bass, which is surprisingly effective. I also love using powerbait for bass, which works great and they are very easy to get and use.

If you’re bass fishing in the morning using live bait, it’s recommended to use small baitfish such as minnows or shiners. If you’re going to use artificial baits, it’s recommended to use top water lures, crankbaits, and soft plastic to attract the bass’ attention and get them to bite.

What Fishing Technique Is Best for Catching Bass in the Morning?

The most common fishing techniques that anglers use to catch bass in the morning are flipping and pitching, or fly fishing.

Pitching and flipping is a highly effective technique where two processes are happening at the same time.

Flipping means you need to let out more line than the full length of your rod and feeding that line back through the guides as you drop and lift the rod, while pitching means you need to release the lure from your hand at the same time you feed the line through the guides while also keeping your thumb the spool.

Fly Fishing, on the other hand, is a fishing technique where you present the bait to the bass as if it has landed on the top of the water or slightly under the surface of the water. It is often done while wading into the water or from the shore instead of fishing from a boat or kayak.

5 Tips and Tricks for Morning Bass Fishing

Here are some tips you can follow to increase your chances of catching bass when targeting them in the morning:

• Make the most of the morning period – Bass will be the hungriest in the first hours of the morning and they will start feeding as soon as there’s enough light for them to hunt. So, you need to head out on the water at dawn to catch them as early as possible.
• Familiarize yourself with the water body you’ll be fishing in beforehand – You need to be able to find the best locations to target bass in the morning. Since they’ll be coming out of their hiding places and swimming close to the surface, it will be much easier to catch them.
• Set up multiple fishing rods – It’s best to have several lines in the water with different bait and lures because the bass fish will be more spread out during the morning. However, you need to make sure your state doesn’t have any restrictions on the number of fishing rods you can use on the water.
• Choose a lure color that’s suitable for the water conditions – If you’re fishing in clear water, it’s best to go for bright lure colors. While if you’re fishing in murky water, it’s best to go for darker lures as they will stand out better in the water which will be easier for the bass to detect.
• Keep your noise to a minimum – There’s usually less traffic in the morning, so it will be quieter on the water. You need to be stealthy and avoid hitting your fishing rod on the water surface to avoid scaring the bass away.

Related Questions

Can You Ice Fish for Bass in the Morning?

It’s not always ideal to ice fish for bass early in the morning. That is because bass will become less active and their metabolism will slow down when the temperature gets too cold.  You might still have a chance of catching them later in the day, as the temperature gets warmer.

What Are the Main Types of Bass Fish?

There are two main types of bass fish which are largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. You can easily tell them apart as largemouth bass are green with horizontal stripes and spots on their body while smallmouth bass are brown with vertical stripes on their body. Another difference is that largemouth bass like warm water while smallmouth bass like cold water.

Will Bass Bite at Night?

Bass fish might bite at night because they have an excellent vision which allows them to hunt effectively during the night. However, you need to keep in mind that they will not be as active during the night as they are during the early hours of the morning. To catch more bass fish at night you need to know where exactly to target them and prepare the right kind of gear for night fishing

How to Remove Large Hook from Bass Fish?

To remove large hooks from bass fish, you need to hold the fish in a vertical position then use your pliers to grip the eye of the hook and roll it towards the hook’s point. When the hook starts to tug at the bass fish’s mouth, you need to twist the hook’s point then gently pull it out of the bass’ lip.

Are Bass Fish Good to Eat?

Bass fish might not be good to eat for a lot of people because of their unpleasant murky flavor. This murky flavor is a result of bass fish occasionally feeding at the bottom of the water. While they might not have the best flavor, bass fish are very easy to clean and fillet because they have few bones in their meat to pick out.

How to Safely Hold a Bass Fish?

To safely hold a bass fish, you need to hold it vertically with its mouth facing the sky and its tail pointing toward the ground. This will help relieve any pressure on the bass’ jaw from the weight of its body. You also need to make sure to keep your thumb placed inside the mouth of the bass to keep a firm hold of its bottom lip.

Helpful Resources

Big Book of Bass: Strategies for Catching Largemouth and Smallmouth – ( you can also check it on Amazon here)

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