Moon Phases

[hookset]

Fishing By Moon Phase: Increase Your Catch
by: David Rose
Every fisherman dreams of a bigger catch! Is it possible to know beforehand when you should plan a trip to enjoy some fishing, catch more than usual, and come home feeling 100% satisfied? Based on my own personal research around the best fishing times, I think it is.

When I first started fishing, the best fishing time for me was whatever time happened to suit me. I tried different lures, baits and techniques until I'd spent a small fortune in my quest to improve my fishing catch. When I finally heard about the "Solunar Theory"--or fishing by moon phase--like most anglers, I was skeptical.

What I'd read sounded too complicated. All sorts of factors needed to be checked and the determined angler needed to be at the water's edge at exactly the right time, TO THE MINUTE, in order to improve on his average catch. Was I really willing to take my hobby that seriously? Let's just say that curiosity got the better of me.

To help me determine whether there was any truth in the moon's effect on the best fishing times, I kept a record of every trip I made over a period of 18 months. All information related to the moon's phases, the weather conditions and the catches I made were carefully logged. What I discovered convinced me that moon phase fishing works. BUT, I also found that it isn't anywhere near as complicated as many would have us believe.

How Does Fishing By Moon Phase Work?

Every fisherman knows that the best fishing times are when the fish are feeding. This tends to be during dawn and dusk, but what often goes unnoticed are the two periods elsewhere in the day--moonrise and moonset. Because the moon has an effect on a variety of factors surrounding the fish--including the live fodder they hunt--these periods, combined with the moon's phase, are what trigger feeding.

By understanding this, and choosing times when sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset coincide with new or full moon phases, you'll increase you chance of a good fishing catch. Assuming there are fish in the area, of course.

Choosing The Best Fishing Times

There really is nothing complicated about this at all; it's just a matter of knowing ahead of time exactly when the sun and moon will rise and set. Fish are most active during 90-minute windows surrounding each of these four daily events; that's 45 minutes before and after these four daily points.

Fishing during these four periods will help increase your fishing catch, but if you plan wisely so as to ensure you're at the water's edge on the days of new or full moon, you can use these 'windows' to reel in a catch like you've never done before. If you have to choose between sunrise/set and moonrise/set, always go with the moon as the moon is the stronger influence.

Hunters have always known that fish and game are most active at dawn and dusk--sunrise and sunset--but their activity surrounding moonrise and moonset is less noticeable because these events are likely to occur without e*ffecting any change in the perceived light. The rise and set of a new moon is invisible anyway, and overcast weather often hides the moon. Without prior knowledge of setting and rising times, two of the best fishing times will be missed every day!

Other Considerations

When planning your fishing by moon phase, there are certain other factors that should also be considered.

Weather - Severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. When a storm's brewing, or just after one has passed, is a good time. If this happens while you're in place, you'll be in for a treat! However, if there's a cold front approaching, the fish are likely to move deeper into the water and become inactive.

Season - Most fish are more likely to bite willingly during seasonal transitions with the transition from winter to spring and summer to fall being the two best fishing times.

Now that you know that moon phase fishing really works, there's no reason why you shouldn't utilize this knowledge to increase your own fishing catch by being at the ready with your rod during the best fishing times available. It's easy and it works!

Good luck!

About The Author

David Rose is an outdoor enthusiast and the creator of QuickPhase Pro, a popular moon phase software (http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases) program. Visit http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases to discover the fun and easy way to view the phases of the moon and increase your fishing catch.

[dogfish]

I always did well the first 5 days after a new moon.

[surferman]

What moon phases or tides are best to fish in or which ones do you prefer?

[CharlieTuna]

Many old salts say don't go fishing on a full moon. I think time and tide are more important. Al McReynolds caught his world record striper fishing during a full moon.
The only negative during the full moon is the brightness, including you. So if you are careful when moving around, and quiet in the water, maybe that would be less of an issue.

[skinner]

The ones where you can get out and go fishing. Sometimes I stay away from the full moon tide, especially in a boat.

[cowherder]

This is cool, thanks for posting. And they say the world record striper by Al McReynolds was caught during a full moon, so you never know. :don't know why:

[baitstealer]

We often change the type of bait or plugs we use based on the weather. Do you use specific bait or plugs based on the moon phases, ie, new moon, full moon?

[paumanok]

baitstealer--

That's a really interesting question.

I had no idea how much I actually thought about this. But now thinking about how I fish at night, I acutally do have a couple of guidelines I follow.

I don't use bait or plugs, I use flies. And I do make adjustments according to how much light there is.

During new moons and both crescent moons I tend to us heftier flies in black or black and red. Very little flashing. Flies with bulky heads, like snake flies. Half-n-halfs. I feel that on really dark nights, unless the fish (stripers) are feeding on 'rain bait', say, or keying in on sand eels, etc.,the heftier fly is going to cause the vibrations that'll attract attention and strikes.

On brighter nights, the first-through third-quarter moons (and around dock lights and lit-up beaches), I tend to go with thinner, sleeker flies with a bit more flash in them. There's some say that too much flash will spook fish. I don't like a lot of flash, regardless, so I couldn't say if that's true or not. Black is still my color of choice. But sometimes I'll use a little white underneath. I'll even use blue over white.

Those are the basic guidelines I use during the various moon phases. Especially, when I'm prospecting, when I haven't found fish quite yet.

[Frankiesurf]

I generally base it on available light. You could have a full moon but if it is overcast then I may use a darker color.

The another factor is water depth. On a moon tide the water may be a few feet deeper so a deep diving plug may not be in the strike zone anymore.

Due to the moon tides the current, in certain areas, is also going to be moving at a faster rate. Now you have to compensate for that.

I don't think it is really based on moon phase but actually just adjusting to conditions.

[paumanok]

Absolutely. Fog, water depth. Don't forget water clarity, too.

[jigfreak]

Is there a correlation between the moon phases and bigger striped bass?

[surferman]

Here one explanation:


Moon Phase, Solunar Influence, Tides, and Bass

by Ralph Manns

There seems to be some confusion among bass anglers about the relationships, of moon phases, solunar periods, and Tides. During the full and dark of the moon, tides are at their maximum and minimum. Higher and lower tides mean more water and more water means faster flows in and out. But, there is still a period or relatively slack water near both the high and low water marks. The fastest flow is normally about mid_tide, roughly three hours after the high and three hours before the low tide.

Tides vary feeding opportunities and places where food is abundant and catchable. Different fish species react differently. And the same species, like bass in brackish water, may behave differently in response to tidal changes depending upon their own specific home ranges and the distances between low_water sanctuaries, high water feeding flats, and narrows (places where constrictions focus current flows.

Some bass move from sanctuaries onto flats to actively feed, and fishing in both deep-water sanctuaries and flats tends to be best during the relatively slack water periods. In contrast, narrows become attractive when the current is flowing hard enough to carry careless baitfish near awaiting bass (one of the few true ambush situations — see my article #27 ).

As for the moon phases: Phase is mechanically associated with the relationship of the moon and sun. Full and dark moons occur only when the sun and moon are lined_up and the gravitational/electromagnetic/whatever forces are combined and strongest. Mechanically, this also means the solunar major mean times always occur within about an hour of local noon and minors around 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. with this moon phase.

This relationship is so certain that you can estimate approximate time from seeing the moon as well as you can from seeing the sun. If you know the moon phase and can see the sun, you can estimate the times of solunar majors and minors visually. If you can see the moon, you can estimate majors and minor periods directly. Any directly overhead moon is a major, while a moon on the horizon is a minor period, regardless of phase.

Half-moons occurs only when the sun and moon are at right angles, a situation causing the least combined solunar force. Mechanically, this automatically means solunar majors fall at about 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and minors fall within about an hour of noon and midnight (local time). At half moon times, the solunar forces cancel and tides are minimal, with minimal low and high tides and decreased volume of flow. Quarter and 3/4 moon phase fall in between with increase flows and higher_high and lower_lows, but without maximum tidal changes. The rate of change is NOT linear, so the actual tides are not ½ of the force, flow, or volume between maximum and minimums.
When majors and /or minors or high and or low tides coincide with dawn or dusk (low_light feeding opportunities), they can increase bass activity.

But, most places with tidal flows have delayed highs and lows due to water friction and constricted flows. In the most restricted tidal areas, this can even result in only one high and low tide per 24_hour period even though the 24_hour cycle of about two_each majors and minors continues.

When tides are strong, they tend to override the direct influence of solunar effects, as the fish respond more directly to the current and feeding opportunities than to the relatively smaller solunar forces.

How this effects bassing depends on specific situations and habitats. Depending to some extent upon the availability of terrestrial foods when flats are inundated and/or movements of baitfish. The highest tides may put water over areas containing reduced food. In such cases bass don’t find moving with the highest tides particularly beneficial, instead holding on feeding flats that stay a foot or two deep most of the time and therefore holding more prey. During half-moon phases with minimal tides, solunar periods may have increased influence on the activity periods of bass in tidal water.
In contrast, low_tide sanctuaries tend to be places that stay wet and deep enough 100% of the time. A sanctuary that runs dry a couple of days every month isn’t worth much to a fish.

http://www.wmi.org/multi_boards/doc.asp?message_number=46647&ini=d:asp_ini\mb_5.ini

[seamonkey]

Does anyone think the fishing was good during the supermoon that just passed? I heard the crabbing on that date was terrible.

[ledhead36]

Yes it does. All other things being equal I don't crab during the new or full moon. Most crabs molt during the full but can also do it on the new. We were crabbing a few days after and did well. They are now getting bigger and most of them are keepers.

[7deadlyplugs]

New super moon on November 14th, the biggest in something like 70 years. Check it out.
http://www.sciencealert.com/we-re-about-to-see-a-record-breaking-supermoon-the-biggest-and-brightest-in-nearly-70-years

[hookset]

Cool thanks for sharing. I'll definitely be fishing then. Who's afraid of the full moon ROFL?