Fish tend to go deep into cooler waters when the sun is in the sky, and they are considerably less active. This makes the times just before sunrise, and just after sunset the absolute best times of the day to pull in the highest number of fish.

One thing to keep in mind though...when fishing during these times, be sure to being your lure in at a steady pace. With poor lighting adding to their limited vision, it becomes even more imperative that the bass can consistently sense the bait so he has the opportunity to strike it.

Finally, if you are going to be out at dawn or dusk, make sure the temperature is over 50 degrees. Same as being too warm, bass will become much more lethargic when the ambient air temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

With a solid understanding of the proper time of day to fish, and the proper bait to use to catch them, you're already ahead of many anglers who have been at this for years. There is much more to learn, such as the way that weather effects bass activity, and water quality and purity, but that will come later. For now, go have fun and bring home your limit!

About the Author
Mike Long is the webmaster and publisher of The Easy Fisherman's Newsletter, a weekly publication giving anglers tips, secrets, insights, articles and other information cover the sport fishing. You can pick up a copy of his ebook, The Pocket Fishing Guide for free, just for signing up for the newsletter at http://www.PocketFishingGuide.com