The Magic Hour

This past week I thought I'd research this "Magic Hour" for myself. I went to three different lakes to test this theory. Friday Morning I went to Keystone lake. Got out on the water at 5:00 AM. Right at 5:45 the fish were going crazy on the shad at the surface. I used a slip cork rig set at two feet deep using jigs. I immediately caught crappie on each cast. The bites were so agressive that one of the fish hit the cork with a major bust. This frenzy lasted for about 30 minutes.

Saturday - Oologah lake:

On the water at 5:00 AM. Frenzy started at 6:00 AM - 6:30.
Caught large slab crappie right on top of the water.
Using same slip cork rig on rip rap. Very aggressive bites.

Sunday: Eufaula:

On the water at 5:30 AM. Frenzy started at 5:35. I had to fish
a little deeper at 4 feet with the slip cork rig, but caught much
larger fish. Got my 6 pound test line broke four times. Assuming
they were sandbass or hybrids. Landed several over 14 Inches.

Conclusion:

This magic hour theory is TRUE

Dang thats early and very interesting

Educate us, what is the "Magic Hour"?

I've seen posts of it several times on this site. It's when feeding is at it's peak. When the fish gorge on shad or whatever's small enough in their path to be eaten.

How do you determine what hour of the day it will be?

I would assume its typical at the day break hour. That's why I went to three lakes to determine this.

Magic hour for me has been 9:30 to 10:30 am? But I may need to try it at daybreak.

Are you fishing muddy water or stained water? I've always done better this time of the year in the afternoon and night time rather than early in the morning. Gotta wait for that water temp to warm up. I guess that's why Todd Huckabee does not start guiding this time of the year until 11:00 AM.

Blue cats have their magic time at daybreak too even in the dead of winter.

We use the phrase "Magic Hour"in the hospital too. It's exactly one hour after we make rounds giving soap suds enemas.:D