When to Go Fishing
I am frequently asked questions about when is the best time to go fishing. Basically I have two answers, so I ask them: how much time do you have for an answer? Presumably they have some time, so they get the unexpurgated version which runs something like this.
Predicting angling success is pretty much akin to predicting the weather, but there are a few things I've observed over the years which may help tip the scale in your favor. First of all, I prefer fishing on cloudy days; not in bluebird weather. Fish seem to be less cautious on cloudy days and certainly are not so easily lined on those days. Moreover, I have found them to be very active on a falling barometer just ahead of a storm. And I have had very good luck fishing in a light rain (sometimes even in a downpour)! They do not seem to like thunder, so, as soon as I hear the first rumble of thunder, I get out of the river especially because I do not aspire to become a human lightening rod!
Trout need to eat and it is not uncommon to find them feeding at all hours of the day (and night). That said, I find that the early mornings and late evenings are predictably best in the Midwest, and the mid-day to late afternoon best in the West (because the water warms up enough to bring on the insects).
I think those are good general rules to follow when you have a choice of when to go fishing. There are lots of things that determine when fish will feed: availability of food, and water temperatures being two major ones. With that said: the best advice I can give is this: check your local hatch charts, and try to have your angling coincide with the significant hatches in your area. Also I've had better success in late-Spring and early Fall than during the Summer doldrums.
And now for the short answer to when to go fishing: whenever you can! Any time spent streamside is valuable, even if it is not productive in terms of fish caught. You can find out a lot about your chosen river even if the trout don't happen to be active while you are there. That information can help you the next time you are fortunate enough to be able to go trout fishing.
Let us have the benefit of your observations. We want to keep the discussion at The Angler's Roundtable lively, and there is always something to be said about the weather and fishing after all!