Cloud, light and fishing: why grey often beats bright

On bright days fish the shade: overhanging trees, reed beds, lilies, deeper water and coloured water. On dull days fish are more willing to feed in open water and shallower areas.

In bright, clear conditions, natural colours and smaller baits are less likely to spook fish. In low light, brighter pop-ups and lures in fluoro or high-contrast colours help fish find them.

Plan sessions around the low-light windows — dawn and dusk. On a bright day, a stealthy approach matters more: stay back from the edge, don't stand on the skyline and keep noise down.

Dawn and dusk are the classic feeding times for a reason. Light levels are low, predators are less effective from above, and many natural food items are active. In summer, these windows may be the only real chances on a bright day, so get there early and stay late. In winter the middle of the day can be best, because light is low anyway and the water is warmest after a few hours of sun.

A thick, low blanket of grey cloud is ideal for many species. Patchy cloud with sunny spells can be tricky — fish may switch on and off as the sun goes in and out, so be ready for short spells of action. Clear blue skies in summer push fish to cover or up in the water; clear skies in winter usually mean frosty nights and cold water.

Clear water amplifies bright light, while coloured water dulls it. After rain, or in a shallow lake that's been churned by wind, fish can feed confidently even on a sunny day. In gin-clear water, slow down, use lighter lines and fish further from the bank or close to cover.

On bright days, choose pegs with shade — trees, reeds, lilies or a high bank. On dull days, pegs covering open water or shallow bars come into play. Sun behind you casts your shadow on the water, so keep low and back from the edge.

Packing up as the sun drops, just as the best spell starts. Using bright, oversized baits in clear, bright water. And standing on the skyline in full sun at the edge of a shallow margin.

Tench and bream are among the most light-shy fish we target; a grey dawn in June is about as good as it gets, and once the sun is high they often fade away. Carp are more flexible — they'll happily bask in sun but tend to feed hardest when it's dull or at the edges of the day. Roach and rudd will rise in the water under cloud and sink in bright light, so adjust your float depth through the day. Pike and perch hunt by ambush, and low light gives them the edge over bait fish, so dull mornings are the time for lures and dead baits.

Barbel on rivers follow a similar rule: bright, low, clear water usually means waiting for dusk, while a coloured river under cloud can see them feed all day.

Drop your hooklength diameter, use a more natural-coloured or washed-out hookbait, and cut back on freebies so fish aren't spooked by a big bed of bait. On the float, shallow up and use a finer line. For carp, a single pop-up near cover or a zig just under the surface can pick off cruising fish that ignore anything on the bottom.

As the light fades, switch back — brighter hookbaits, a bit more feed and positions closer to the open water as fish move out from cover.