Cloudy days are usually good times to fish, and rainy days are even better. However, if you hear thunder or see lightning, stay away from the water to keep from being hit by lightning. Usually, the worst time to fish a lake is in the middle of a hot summer afternoon. Take a nap then, and fish later in the evening when the sun is lower in the sky. More fish are caught per hour in the spring than during any other season.
Fish are hungry after the long winter, and the water is warming, which makes the fish active.
Also, fish are near shore laying their eggs, which makes them easier for shore anglers to catch. Spring fishing for sunfish and crappies begins as soon as the ice has melted off the lakes, usually about the first week in April. The season for walleyes and northerns doesn't legally open until mid-May. The bass season usually begins in late May or early June. Shore fishing in the summer is tougher.