Half Day Fishing

Maybe you guys can take it up on the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts, but in the Southeast, a whole day of fishing in this unbearable summer heat can really wear a fellow out. That's why I usually only fish a half day during the summer. Come to think of it, I usually only fish a half day at any time!

I used to fish all day long, from daybreak until sunset, drive two hours to get home, clean the boat and the fish and end up getting to bed around midnight. And it took me quite a few years to realize that I could catch the same number of fish and only fish a half day!

It's called fishing the tide. I sat down and calculated just when during the day I caught most of my fish. Invariably it turned out to be either on the incoming or the outgoing tide. Then I pieced together the places I fished and kept track of what tide was the best.

After that exercise, it was easy. I may still rise at 4AM to make it to the ramp before daybreak, but it's because the tide I am fishing is right at that time. On those days, I am home at noon, cleaned up and cooking fish on the grill that afternoon! Some days, I may not leave the house until noon. I'll fish the afternoon because the tide was right!

I still catch about the same number of fish, only I come home and have time to spend doing other "required" things around the house.

All this is great for inshore fishing. As soon as I figure out how to fish a half day offshore, I'll let you know! I can't bring myself to leave the blue water that quickly!

How about you? Do you fish all day, but only catch for half a day?