Let's talk about Full Moon Surf Fishing (and New Moon as well....) [Archive]

DarkSkies

11-04-2009, 12:42 PM

"Decided to go fishing last night pretending that the full moon would not have a big effect. .. I am never fishing a full moon without clouds again, just not worth it."

I put this up here not to embarass C4, but because it's something I have said to myself time and time again. I'll bet quite a few guys have said it to themselves as well. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

When the fishing is bad, is it really because of the full moon, or are there other factors?

Does the brighter light spook the fish or make them more wary? Isn't the stronger current a more important factor to focus on?

Surf fishing books mention beginning and ending stages of the moon as stimulating a greater innate feeding behavior by striped bass. The greater current is one factor in disorienting baitfish, causing some to be more easily eaten.

There are countless other factors, issues and questions.

Does it matter if you fish on a cloudless full moon or it's overcast?
I think so. IMO when the night is overcast, it doesn't make one difference whether that moon is full, other than you have to decide what spots you will hit if there is current involved, and at what stage of the tide.

Does it matter if you fish bait or artificials when the moon is full on a cloudless night?
I definitely think so, and feel the bait sitting there will work better on a cloudless night, than some artificial presentations.
I would also point out that when you have a "fire in the water" situation where phosphorescence is present, fishing bait may give some anglers an edge because I feel it looks more natural sitting in the water than the plug you're throwing that looks like it's possessed. :scared::scared:

Of course, all of these behaviors depend on how hungry the fish are and IF they are on the feed at that time.

I'm not claiming to be right here in all instances. These are merely my observations, and I'd like to hear yours.

For those who would completely discount fishin during the full moon tide, I would point out that Al McReynolds got his world record surf-caught bass during a noreast weather pattern, which happened to occur during a full moon. :learn:

So let's hear what you guys and girls think, and about your experiences, no right or wrong answers here. :thumbsup:

DarkSkies

11-04-2009, 12:47 PM

I'm not just happy to fish, I have to analyze everything the next morning. :kooky:

I think either talking to Fin or one of the OFFC guys this morning, it was mentioned that in the late fall, the full moon night bite, dependent on water temperature, is not a great one.

Any other thoughts?

DarkSkies

11-04-2009, 01:01 PM

Another go to guy is my friend and fishin maniac Zimno, AKA the Demented Weatherman, the King of Photochop. :2flip:

This guy takes watching weather to the next level of insanity, getting various feeds delivered to his house.

Even though he talks more than me :laugh: the dude knows stuff!

I mentioned the frustration of 7 1/2 hours of fishin last night when I felt the moon should not have affected the feeding behavior of at least a few nice fish.

He said: "Of course ya didn't catch any fish ya knucklehead, there was a high pressure system last night which gave the fish lockjaw! :moon: :learn:

So is it the moon, or does high and low pressure have an effect as well? I think pressure is important and have started to pay more attention. However, you can learn so much about barometric pressure if ya want, that a degree would be needed for others to understand. It really has a lot of variables. How do ya separate the important stuff from the minor details so ya know when it's a good time?

For me, I say anytime you can get out is a good time, you might catch a fish despite all the evidence you read telling you you won't.

Example of this is the guys who stand around in the spring waiting for the bunker to come into the pockets so they can sling the big pencils or weighted trebles. :don't know why:

Meanwhile, there are one or 2 guys quietly plugginng away, blind casting. That guy catches a 30, and all of a sudden all hell breaks loose, everyone into action!

My journey as a fisherman is not only about what happens, but learning why, so I can use that knowledge as I travel to other waters. That's why I take so much time to present this stuff to you people, to get you to think for yourselves, instead of following the herd. :D

storminsteve

11-04-2009, 01:14 PM

So do ya bag it all when it's a full moon?

Stay home and watch the Series? :plastered: ;)

Examine the lint between your toes? Look for fromunda cheese? :upck:

Or just spend some quality time with the family? :argue:

Fromunda cheese? Got pics?:D

fishinmission78

11-04-2009, 02:29 PM

I have no problems fishing full moon under clouds at night. For the fall, I say the early morning bite is a good one, moon or no moon.

bababooey

11-04-2009, 03:16 PM

Fromunda cheese? Got pics?:D

You sure you want to see pics of that?:kooky: You're not gay, are you?

fromunda cheese-
Meaning "From Under" - Australian Style.
Commonly known as Smegma, dead skin cells that accumulate in areas of poor ventilation and usually associated with sweaty areas. ie; Belly Buttons and a woman's vaginal area. Most seen on those who don't properly bathe!
"Dude, I went down on my date last night and she had a horrible case of Fromunda Cheese, I couldn't finish the act!"

storminsteve

11-04-2009, 04:03 PM

No I have a fascination with the gross and unusual. Any problem with that? Why would you ask a question like that?:huh:

clamchucker

11-04-2009, 06:35 PM

Does it matter if you fish bait or artificials when the moon is full on a cloudless night?
I definitely think so, and feel the bait sitting there will work better on a cloudless night, than some artificial presentations.
I would also point out that when you have a "fire in the water" situation where phosphorescence is present, fishing bait may give some anglers an edge because I feel it looks more natural sitting in the water than the plug you're throwing that looks like it's possessed. :scared::scared:

That is a good point dark. Lots of folks will not attempt to fish with the fire in the water. A little trick I use is to use dark or black terminal tackle. Shiny brass is too visible during such a cycle.

Frankiesurf

11-04-2009, 06:50 PM

I HATE fire. I will continue to fish, and I have pulled some out of it, but if it gets too bad I either find some lights to fish near or call it a night.

The moonlight is a different story. With the moon comes higher, bigger water. I will try to find deep structure or some turbulent water. If the bait is being washed through a rip, the bass will be there regardless of how bright it is.

nitestrikes

11-05-2009, 12:52 PM

Good thread. As for seasonal variation, I find in the spring when the big bunker are around, the bass will feed throughout a night full moon in a harbor or marina area.

stripercrazy

11-05-2009, 02:16 PM

For those who would completely discount fishin during the full moon tide, I would point out that Al McReynolds got his world record surf-caught bass during a noreast weather pattern, which happened to occur during a full moon. :learn:

Fish are all on vacation during the full moon. Might as well stay home.:D

bababooey

11-05-2009, 03:42 PM

No I have a fascination with the gross and unusual. Any problem with that? Why would you ask a question like that?:huh:

Steve, all in fun, I meant nothing by it. I couldn't imagine a guy who wanted to see smegma pics. I have been plagued with this at times, and it just struck me as an unusual pic request. No hard feelings, here's some links for that kind of stuff, enjoy.:thumbsup:

www.ebaumsworld.com (http://www.ebaumsworld.com)
www.rotten.com (http://www.rotten.com)

And, if you really want a view of the sickest chit out there, try efukt. I'm not going to put the link because Dark might censor it, so just search and add dot com. Happy hunting, I wouldn't advise eating a sandwich while you're browsing there.;) :HappyWave:

rockhopper

12-16-2009, 04:55 PM

Steve, all in fun, I meant nothing by it. I couldn't imagine a guy who wanted to see smegma pics. I have been plagued with this at times, and it just struck me as an unusual pic request. No hard feelings, here's some links for that kind of stuff, enjoy.:thumbsup:

www.ebaumsworld.com (http://www.ebaumsworld.com)
www.rotten.com (http://www.rotten.com)

And, if you really want a view of the sickest chit out there, try efukt. I'm not going to put the link because Dark might censor it, so just search and add dot com. Happy hunting, I wouldn't advise eating a sandwich while you're browsing there.;) :HappyWave:

Boy there are some sick people on here! I know ebaums but I went to the others, the sickness knows no limits!:eek:

finchaser

12-16-2009, 08:25 PM

I have no problems fishing full moon under clouds at night. For the fall, I say the early morning bite is a good one, moon or no moon.

What he said

finchaser

12-16-2009, 08:27 PM

DarkSkies

12-16-2009, 08:30 PM

you forgot your bird watching:thumbsup:

Didn't I tell you about our new forum called "birds have feelings too". We're rolling it out next week, thought you should be among the first to know...:HappyWave:

[Look for our new video forums, "birds have feelings too" :ROFLMAO and how to close down a beach for half a season for a few non-existent birds. :kooky: :2flip: ]
(posts#13 & 17, I filmed a video documenting they kept the beach areas closed for WEEKS :2flip: after the plovers were long gone)
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...?t=3374&page=2 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=3374&page=2)

dogfish

06-17-2010, 03:56 PM

fromunda cheese-
Meaning "From Under" - Australian Style.
Commonly known as Smegma, dead skin cells that accumulate in areas of poor ventilation and usually associated with sweaty areas. ie; Belly Buttons and a woman's vaginal area. Most seen on those who don't properly bathe!
"Dude, I went down on my date last night and she had a horrible case of Fromunda Cheese, I couldn't finish the act!"

My life is so much more complete now that I know all about fromunda cheese, thanks.:rolleyes:

hookset

06-17-2010, 04:01 PM

For some reason I have always done better with bait during a full moon. Maybe that's just me.

dogfish

07-23-2010, 05:55 PM

For some reason I have always done better with bait during a full moon. Maybe that's just me.

Bait, pogy chunks, eels, etc, some striper magnets during a full moon.

dogfish

08-19-2010, 12:57 PM

The full moon is coming in a few days, get your bait set ups ready.

lostatsea

08-24-2010, 02:24 PM

Yeah, the surf has been way high the last 2 days.

surferman

03-12-2011, 05:14 PM

So is anyone going to make any predictions on how fishing will be during the first full moon of the fishing season? I think it is on the 20th. Do you guys think it will make a difference?

ledhead36

03-18-2011, 12:21 PM

I think when you are plugging with top water and swimmers it can be a disadvantage because of the brightness. Bucktailing I feel is different because you are further down in the water column, so imo it doesn't matter for that. As for bait fishing, I feel its like a coin toss. Some full moons I have done well, and others I have not. Actually, I like the new moon better than the full. You have roughly the same tidal surge/pull, while you have the absense of the moon's luminescence.
Forthe moon we have on the 20th, I think they are saying it will be closer to the Earth than at any time in a decade or so. Fishing a back bay that means you will have more time near the top of the tide to fish as it will be noticably higher. It also means if you are fishing the incoming, be careful where you are. Crossing any creeks to get to your location, you may be stranded for a few hours till the tide drops.

DarkSkies

08-04-2011, 11:15 AM

This is a great thread and I think there are a lot of good points made here.
I wanted to add some comments about the new moon. Instead of starting a new thread I thought I would add to this one. I've been fishing hard the past week because of the new moon which occurred on Monday August the 1st.

Remember a few things, guys and girls...
1. The "new moon" or "full moon" is a static date in time, only. It does not signify a magic point.

2. What I'm getting at is that this time period (few days before, few days after) can be one of the most productive for fishing.

3. Lots of guys have a negative bias against the full moon. I will tell you that if you are fishing artificials, and there are phosphorescent jellyfish in the water, it will be a problem for your presentation, and you will be discouraged. However, the same holds true for a new moon. When these jellyfish are around, some type of presentation low in the water column or on the bottom is a better idea.

4. Back to the subject, the moons are good because of higher tides and stronger current. As has been said here, this allows you to fish longer and in areas of structure that otherwise might not hold fish. :drool:
5. While I said the dates are not magical, it is still a great time to fish. :fishing: You still have to find an area that holds the fish.

6. If you have a busy life, and are pressed for time, if you only went out and fished the 2 nights before and after the full and new moons, you would exponentially increase your odds of catching. Whether you do catch or not, that's up to you and the waters you fish in (which I hope you have chosen carefully) ;)

clamchucker

08-25-2011, 02:34 PM

You won't be doing much surf fishing after the hurricane and this new moon. The beach will be a mess for a few days and could be dangerous. Be safe, folks.

DarkSkies

01-13-2012, 05:46 PM

surferman

01-13-2012, 06:50 PM

6. If you have a busy life, and are pressed for time, if you only went out and fished the 2 nights before and after the full and new moons, you would exponentially increase your odds of catching. Whether you do catch or not, that's up to you and the waters you fish in (which I hope you have chosen carefully) ;)

everytime I read one of these threads I am impressed by the wealth of knowledge. Not only do you seem to love everything about fishing, you are not stuck up about sharing it. Thank you for great threads like this. I actually thought the full moon turned off the bite, but then Al McReynolds supposedly caught his trophy on the full moon, so go figure.

skinner

02-19-2012, 02:55 PM

^ Me too surferman. Lots of great tips here, and dispelling of myths. New moon coming up next week. My favorite new and full moon cycle is April and May. I have always done well during those months fishing at night.

UrbanFishingMan

03-08-2012, 06:30 PM

Full moon with cloud cover has been good to me.
3 days before & 3 days after are what i focus on

storminsteve

05-04-2012, 02:50 PM

Full moon with cloud cover has been good to me.

I am hoping for some cloud cover saturday night. They are calling this the super moon, brightest full moon in years.

DarkSkies

09-27-2012, 12:29 PM

Still, I have to be out there during the full moon.
No mater how much experience you gain, there is always more to learn.

Full moon scouting at night.....It gives me a chance to see what has changed and poke and prod looking for different kinds of forage.

nitestrikes

09-27-2012, 03:25 PM

Full moon with cloud cover has been good to me.
3 days before & 3 days after are what i focus on

Yup and thats what we had last night at the End. It was some good fishing.

gjb1969

09-27-2012, 06:06 PM

full moon fishing cant stand it at all never do well at all :burn:

Monty

09-27-2012, 07:25 PM

Last year fished Island Beach on the full moon in December, was low tide, was able to wade out to the sand bars and with the the sky being so bright it was awesome being out there. Was my last trip of the season for me, only caught one short but had an incredible time out there fishing cuts, points, troughs and wading out on the bars. Was a great night with the ocean shining from the bright moon and the sky filled with stars. Had not fished there on a night in years, forgot how awesome the place can be at that time.
Over all catching on full moon nights has been slow for me. The more clouds the better on those nights when the moon is full for me.

storminsteve

09-29-2012, 12:06 PM

Moon obscured by clouds - pay very close attention to the distinction between this and a full moon in a bright sky, folks...I'll try to add more to this when there is time. Meanwhile, feel free to comment...

Full moon with cloud cover has been good to me.
3 days before & 3 days after are what i focus on

I agree with you we should be fishing intensely during this period. I was out last night tho, and the fishing really sucked.:don't know why: Perfect cloud cover and the fish were on vacation. One blue and some hickory shad on bucktail and teaser.

fishinmission78

09-29-2012, 05:19 PM

I like new better than full. A double kiss of death in ocean county is when you have a full moon and all that fire in the water whatever that is called. It kills the bite if you are casting when the water is clear. The only way I have been able to combat that and get fish is by throwing bunker or clams so it doesn't move around in the water too much.

DarkSkies

06-27-2013, 11:41 AM

Fishing the Moon Tides.....

Anyone who begins to develop an addiction to fishing...and starts to plan out their trips, as to which place they will be fishing, at which stage of the night tide....knows all too well the importance of the moon tide....

Every time I see someone claim, on the internet
"Well I didn't catch fish last night, damn full moon!" :mad:

If you are using that excuse, maybe you need to re-think your skill set, and ask yourself why you are not finding fish...because most likely it ain't the fault of the moon....:rolleyes:

1. You may want to blame fire in the water, phosphorescence...(a common occurrence during warmer months and exascerbated by the brightness of a full moon)
2. You may want to blame lack of bait, forage....all good reasons for fish not to be there...
3. You may want to accept that there are less fish around than there used to be, even at night,
4. You may want to consider that with all the new guys in the game today, there are less fish to go around for us all.
5. You may want to consider that weather or storm patterns have affected migration in your area...

All of the above would be valid reasons why you may not catch duriing a full moon trip...but if they are not factors...please don't blame the moon.....

DarkSkies

06-27-2013, 11:52 AM

The one caveat is that I try to be more cautious in my movements at the waters edge, during a full moon...because I know if fish are in close, they can see me,,,and my movements might spook them....

For a full moon trip, I'm most happy when there is a "full moon obscured by clouds".
The cloud cover gives me more confidence, and knowledge that if the fish are spooky that night, they will be less wary with the cloud cover...again...this is just my experience,,,yours may be different....

Fishing during the moon tides....
There are a whole host of things to get excited about.....
1. Many major bait migrations or movements occur during moon tides.
2. One needs to only briefly scan the internet fishing reports to see terms like "June New Moon" and "October Harvest Moon" as times of great anticipation among fishermen...and times of great bait migration and movement....
3. Even without a major bait migration, whatever bait that is available, will be on the move, and at a much faster rate, in the rivers, bays, ocean, and inlets and inlet points,,,
4. The rapidness with which this bait moves, tends to have it disoriented and less organized in areas of stronger current or turbulence...
5. This presents perfect ambush opportunities for predators to feed aggressively on fish that may previously have been harder to catch....
6. With the predators being more active, you, the fisherman who studies these things, has more opportunity to catch them.

DarkSkies

06-27-2013, 11:59 AM

As you get more into the game, and see fishing as a challenge of opportunities and openings, it becomes like a big strategy game.....if your strategy is correct you are a genius and will find fish when no one else seems to be able to...if your strategy fails.....you are just another loser, with a fishing addiction...:laugh:

The best of the best know this....there is a video where Bill Wetzel talks about the conditions that drive him to be out there....
He describes sitting at work...and the feeling that a particular weather pattern, will bring bigger fish to the beach.....making for the possibility of a great night ......

I have these same compulsions driving me too....

How many others out there, have felt this as well? :drool:
The times, when you know, you just HAVE to be out there.....

DarkSkies

06-27-2013, 12:14 PM

The days before and after the Moon Tides......

You will find discussions ad nauseum on internet fishing forums on most preferred moon fishing cycles.....
Waxing
Waning,
Gibbous, etc, etc......

I'm gonna simplify it all for you folks reading this...this is what works for me....
I make it my business to fish the 2 days before and after each moon tide.....
This puts your committment to fishing, to 8 nights per month....

If you're compulsive like me, you can make it 3 days before and after...which makes 12 nghts a month, that you absolutely must be out there fishing...

If you fish a lot, you will notice that the tides in between (this is why it's helpful to keep a log...) are generally less productive....
I call these "weak tide" nights because I feel that's exactly what they represent...weak tides, weak opportunity to catch fish....

Can you catch fish during these "weak" tides?
Absolutely, if there is a lot of bait around...
Whenever I am trying to illustrate a point in fishing theory, or what works for me...the absence or presence of bait., trumps all other factors... :learn:

DarkSkies

06-27-2013, 12:23 PM

Fishing the Supermoon....

The recent June Super New Moon presented a great opportunity to fish....

As explained in other threads,
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?9061-Following-the-Night-Tides-Do-You-have-What-it-Takes&p=70701&posted=1#post70701

the new and full moon tides put more baitfish on the move, and more opportunities for predators to ambush and feed on them....

However, the extreme high and low, and stronger current flow, meant that folks out there fishing needed to change it up a bit, and change their timing....

Without giving it all away, I want to put it out there, that particularly during the strongest moon tides, like the one we just had, timing, and where you were at what stage of the tide, was key to success.....you can learn all of this, by keeping your own log, and making good notes....:learn:

DarkSkies

11-07-2013, 08:40 AM

the new and full moon tides put more baitfish on the move, and more opportunities for predators to ambush and feed on them....

However, the extreme high and low, and stronger current flow, meant that folks out there fishing needed to change it up a bit, and change their timing....

Something I posted today about fishing the moon tides.....

IMO one of the most important things to back bay fishing right now is the moon phase. We are coming off the new moon, a key time to be out there, good for you for recognizing.
Since you mentioned bait all over, let's assume (even though you didn't have success,) that there could be some bass around)

Where would they be?
My answer is the most likely place would be the structure you were talking about. I think you can figure out the specifics by yourself. When the fishing is slow, I go right to the place where I know the most likelihood of fish are....and for me, that's structure with lights and shadow lines.

A problem with fishing that in moon tides is that the fishing can be better or worse, you have to learn each spot, as to what is optimal.

**I do notice, that for me, this "feeding window" changes during moon tides, and I have to adjust my fishing times and presentation at each area accordingly.

2. However, overconfidence, will sometimes get in the way of adaptibility, which IMO is the mark of a consistent fisherman.

4. What that means to me, if I see bait and no fish, is I have to be ready to move on to the next spot.
But....before I do,
a. I ask myself am I at the best place for presentation, at this stage of the tide?
b. Am I working the best part of the water column, where they are most likely to be?
I know you said you worked all levels, but in my last trips out, fishing structure, 80% of my fish have come on the bottom.
You said you were throwing rubber and jigs, but didn't mention small bucktails.
Last time I was out, I was not successful for awhile. I was throwing rubber shads, the 4 and 5" kind, no action at all.

I downsized to ball head jig with white curly tail.
** Note, for me this is one of the most effective things to get fish to hit, even better than zooms, because if they are feeding on very small bait they can't resist the curly tail. This will often pick up fish for me when they won't touch anything else.

I had almost immediate action on this, but only because I was bouncing on the bottom. If I was even 3 feet up from the bottom there was no action. Of course, depending on where you fish you may lose a lot of gear this way. Which is why many fishermen don't like to fish bottom. I change jig size and weight to accomodate different stages of the tide. Otherwise I know I don't have a real chance at staying where the fish are for that night, once I find them.

Hope this helps.,...with the final thought.,,,,,
When what worked yesterday does not....you have to really ask yourself...
1. Should I move on?
2. Am I really targeting where the fish are most likely to be, for tonight?

**(One quick note about structure...to me shadow lines are less important than stage of the tide....I have found during different stages fish will gravitate toward one side or the other....if you are not working both sides, and making notes in your log about when the bite changes, you will miss a big part of the picture, and will miss the bigger, solitary fish, that you might not know are there)

buckethead

11-07-2013, 01:56 PM

Right on the $$ ds the stage of tide and current flow is of primo importance.

jigfreak

11-15-2013, 06:00 PM

The full moon is Sunday. There is some strong current for the guys wading out on the bar. Fished tonight and there was a good S to N sweep. Be careful out there.

DarkSkies

05-30-2014, 08:39 AM

This is the first year that fishing during new and full moon tides has not been a consistently productive pattern for me. I had a few observations from the other night's trip............

The night tides have been a consistent producer for me for bass and bluefish action, especially the moon tides, during which I have almost always done well.

To be out at night, moon tides, cloudy conditions, has been the ticket for multiple trips of double digit catches of larger bass for me in the past. There is one place that I only usually hit during the beginning of a noreast pattern, always holds fish for those specific conditions...

Thur's trip was the first time this season, that I have seen fish there.....and they were only bigger fish.....mid to high teens.....no signs of smaller bass at all.....which is really disturbing to me....

** Catching fish with artificials, especially looking for bass at night.....has been pretty disappointing for me, this year......because there is just no pattern that has lasted more than a few days, or hours, so far, for me.....and the catching (while focusing on areas that have always held a few bass) has been disappointing as well..
These are just my observations...thanks for reading.....:HappyWave:

cowherder

11-10-2014, 07:20 AM

Picked up 12 little guys on bucktail and teaser. They hit pretty hard. Missed a few more. Biggest was 27 1/4. All hit in close. Nice night under the full moon. Who says you can't catch fish under a full moon?

vpass

11-10-2014, 09:55 AM

I lose all confidence with a bright full moon night. I have witness many times when the bass stopped biting as soon as the moon shows. I tend to not fish when I know the full moon will not be cloud covered. For me the darker the better some ambient light is good. And I had alot of great times with bass fishing the shadows casted by boat docks.

jigfreak

11-10-2014, 10:09 AM

Good point vpass. Sometimes thats happened to me as well. Sometimes it hasnt. I read a post the other day where someone said they caught because their plug was extra shiny or holographic and that's what the fish focused on during the full moon. I think what may be happening is that some guys are fishing where there is a higher concentration of fish like a point or inlet area. Since there are more fish they are catching. If you took that same plug and fished it elsewhere you would not catch squat. So I think it's not always about the moon. It is about the concentration of fish if they are in front of you. just my .02

jigfreak

11-10-2014, 10:15 AM

TTo be out at night, moon tides, cloudy conditions, has been the ticket for multiple trips of double digit catches of larger bass for me in the past.
These are just my observations...thanks for reading.....:HappyWave:

I see that you qualified that observation that it needs to be cloudy for the best catches - I agree. Al McReynolds caught his record bass during a full moon.

nitestrikes

11-10-2014, 04:29 PM

If you took that same plug and fished it elsewhere you would not catch squat. So I think it's not always about the moon. It is about the concentration of fish if they are in front of you. just my .02

X2. Bingo, someone who understands fishing.

hookset

11-11-2014, 09:36 AM

..Moon didnt seem to bother the fish to much but the hit were lighter than they have been..

Blazin said this, I agree. I think full moon does matter sometimes but last night it was like a new crop of fish showed up and they were just there. slow presentation was the key for me. Also I usually use lighter colors but my best plug last night was a black magnum bomber crawled slow.
Go figure. The more I fish for striped bass the more I am scratching my head some times.

hookedonbass

09-26-2015, 09:46 PM

I heard about the super moon but had no clue. So I did a search here. Awesome details and info guys thanks lots. Tried tonight because of that moon figured it would make some stripers or blues get motivated with the stronger tides. I didn't do that well. At least there was no skunk for me. Thanks for all the info and sharing.

seamonkey

09-28-2015, 10:31 AM

Agreed on the helpfulness of this thread. I have heard repeatedly that you cannot catch on the full moon. When you dig further you see it's not just not true more like an old wives tale.
We just had an eclipse last night which coincided with the supermoon. Here's something I found that seemed interesting.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34375868

seamonkey

09-28-2015, 10:34 AM

It's also called a blood moon which I thought was pretty cool. According to this we have one more in Oct and thats it for the rest of the year. They also talk about the super harvest moon in Oct.
http://earthsky.org/space/what-is-a-supermoon

VSdreams

09-28-2015, 10:45 AM

Very informative and good reads. Thanks for posting.

ledhead36

09-29-2015, 07:34 AM

Two words about this moon. Be careful. Last night at high tide water seemed about 2 feet higher than usual.

DarkSkies

10-21-2016, 10:26 AM

Some more good info here, people. Just for sake of comparison, my best successes lately have been fishing the full and new moon tides for the reasons mentioned in this thread.

Some quick numbers....
-August to Sept - new to Full, to new moon tides - 51 bass, all smaller fish, night tides during these cycles
-Sept- Full moon - 22 bass, 2 nights of fishing. These were small, but 3 fish legal size in that number.
-Oct new moon - 2 nights fishing, skunked both nights. This was mostly due to my stubbornness in not wanting to fish where other groups were clustered up. I fished many of my usual spots, finding multiple crews at each location. Shifted goals to less popular areas. I was unwilling to abandon my strategy of finding fish in unpopular spots with no crowds, and as a result I failed.

** I posted those numbers not to brag but to let others know if you pay attention to seasonal patterns you can find a few fish. For the cycle where I managed the 51 bass I was fishing hard. Every night during the desired moon cycle, I was out there. Some nights were better than others, and I still failed in some of my predictions. As others have mentioned, fishing was very inconsistent for me, even when I thought I had a good bite and it would continue for days....things gradually petered out...the searching and changing different locations was constant and intense...I don't think a lot of others would have thought it worthwhile...with all the hours I put in for those fish.

**The solitude is more important than catching to me most nights, so I accept the good and the bad....
Just had to change it up a bit, and in the last few nights of the full moon have been catching again. Full reports in the night tides thread, -
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?9061-Following-the-Night-Tides-Do-You-have-What-it-Takes
when I get a spare moment....