Not just a-wishin' ... Gone fishin'

A lot of people like to fish, but what they like best about it is catching one. The question is: When is the best time to do it?

The files of the Old Farmer's Almanac provide the following tips, though we give no guarantees:

1. An hour both before and after high tide and an hour before and after low tide are considered ideal. Both freshwater and saltwater fish are thought to feed at these times.

2. Just after sunrise, or as the Almanac puts it, "just after sunup for a spell."

3. When water is still or has just a ripple, fishing is better than when there is a wind.

4. When the moon is between new and full.

5. When the barometer is steady or on the rise. Fish will continue to feed even in a storm.

6. When the breeze is from the west rather than north or east.

7. If there is a hatch of flies, like mayflies or caddis, match your flies with them or go fishless, say the experts.

Most people go fishing when they have time instead of when the time is best, but some of these tips could still be helpful.