Do salmon sleep?

[Percy Stipec]

Well over the past few weeks I've been trying some night fishing after work at about 10 pm. Although the scenery is majestic and the water is glass the fish don't bite. I mark a lot at 100' feet on the finder and pull my gear through them but they don't take interest. I've been using glow gear and the water lights up a bit with the phosphorescence. By comparison though I don't really catch much in the day. So what does everyone think do they sleep or quit biting in the nighttime hours?

 

[fishchaser]

It has been my experience that the feeding times are closely related to the change of tides more so time of day or night. Generally and hour before and after the tide is the time I get most hook ups. Also pay attention to the moon, fish feed better at night during the fuller moons.

 

[Rum Buddies]

Salmon are visual predators. Night time is dark and hard to feed, so better to rest than waste energy chasing feed.

This is one reason why fishing usually sucks after a clear night with a bright full moon, salmon can feed through the night. Or that's the theory anyway.

Besides, way too much sh*t in the water and bad outcomes from fishing inshore at night time - not worth it.

 

[bones]

We find that the magic time for shallow big springs is right after the sun falls behind the mountains. The next 2-3 hours has provided some great fish. Where we fish, I find that the springs come in from the deep and get get caught shallow. Same as the morning and if the moon was full and out all night fishing is sometimes poor. like mentioned the ride home is a roll of the dice. Never caught great big springs on bright sunny days in shallow water, always deep

 

[black dog]

Yes,
on water beds.

 

[bones]

Lol

 

[Breaking_Shimanos]

When i did an in shore bottom fishing charter in hawaii, the fish took a little while of adjusting to the low light conditions before the bite turned on. Atleast that what i gathered, and i would assume some fish are more predatory at night than others. While we're on the topic, "What fish see," by Kageyama is an interesting read.