Lasher Posted March 5, 2015 Posted March 5, 2015 I have a tournament on Saturday on Lake Chutuge in NC/GA. Friday night is a full moon and I'm wondering what adjustments I should make to help catch some fish. Do you have any suggestions for fishing the day after a full moon? Quote
kikstand454 Posted March 5, 2015 Posted March 5, 2015 I'd look for bedding fish. Regardless of water temp. ... take a minute and look. Water temp is a strong factor- but the amount of sunlight in a day and a full moon are bigger ones IMHO. Quote
Super User geo g Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Fish early, or fish late, noon might be a struggle, unless you find bedding fish. That's always a possibility this time of year in the south. Good luck! Quote
Super User RoLo Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Like most anglers, I've experimented with the Solunar Theory, read Doug Hannon's book and followed moonrises and moonsets. With the exception of moonrise and moonset, where some patterns seemed to emerge, I was never able to hammer out any concrete lunar premises. The most pronounced correlation I've made was negative. During full moon periods, daytime bass fishing tends to be poor, almost as bad as a post cold-front period. When I deer hunted with bow-&-arrow, I noticed that full moon nights were always followed by the worst hunting days. Deer would frolic all night in the moonlit fields, and were already bedded down before legal hunting light, before I was able to get on my morning post. After setting up on my evening stand, nothing came down the mountain until after dark, when I was in my car driving home. In the same manner, I suspect that bass activity during a moonlit night can seriously downgrade daytime activity. Solution: During a full moon, bass fish at night Roger 3 Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 When I deer hunted with bow-&-arrow, I noticed that full moon nights were always followed by the worst hunting days. Deer would frolic all night in the moonlit fields, and were already bedded down before I got on my morning post (before legal hunting light). After setting up on my evening stand, nothing came down the mountain until after dark, when I was in my car driving home. In the same manner, I suspect that bass activity during a moonlit night can seriously downgrade daytime activity. The solution: Bass fish at night during a full moon ;-)) Roger you couldn't be more right about the deer. i find that deer and other land animals seem to relate to the lunar charts a bit more than fish. as a kid i remember my dad not even taking us hunting during a full moon period as he typically saw it as a waste of time. now as far as chatuge goes, i would expect that water to still be fairly cold and though you could look i wouldn't expect to see any/many bedding fish. i would look around some bedding areas and look for them to be staging somewhere near by. if the weather/water clears up a little bit i would probably be looking to catch some on a drop shot (although i am admittedly not a good drop shotter) Quote
Super User Sam Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Interesting topic. I never pay attention to the moon phases although I do realize that during a full moon the water levels can be a little higher. Like state above, I am more concerned with water temperature, wind and the sun. But if you have confidence in the moon phases by all means continue to use them as a guide. Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Interesting topic. I never pay attention to the moon phases although I do realize that during a full moon the water levels can be a little higher. Like state above, I am more concerned with water temperature, wind and the sun. But if you have confidence in the moon phases by all means continue to use them as a guide. sam, in tidal water the moon may impact water levels, but in a body of water regulated by dam/water flow it will not have any impact on water levels. Quote
Lasher Posted March 5, 2015 Author Posted March 5, 2015 Great thoughts. Tournament is 8am -4pm so night fishing is out. Guess I will just hope for some early morning success. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Just fish like any other day 1 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Watch out for werebass! 1 Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 The bass are always biting somewhere...your job is to find that somewhere! Not all bass do the same thing at the same time! I would be looking for pre-spawn bass Quote
Super User Scott F Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 The difference in the moon's gravitational pull between any moon phases on a freshwater lake, is so small it has no effect on the water level. An easy breeze will change the water levels on one side of a lake to the other many, many times greater than the moon can. The boat you are fishing in has a greater gravitational pull on a bass than the moon does. Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Ignore it. Concentrate on the seasonal window you are in. Find active fish. Don't miss the weigh in. Quote
matuka Posted March 6, 2015 Posted March 6, 2015 Like others have said, it's just a factor. Whether or not the fish you have found are biting is a bigger factor, though yes the moon can influence that. Those pre-spawners are still gonna be there so make'em eat. Quote
Super User WRB Posted March 6, 2015 Super User Posted March 6, 2015 I agree with Catt, pre spawn and from the weather reports in that region it's been cold! The moon phase may have no affect on bass activity except during the spawn cycle. I believe the 2 days before and after the full moon has a positive affect based on my own success during the spawning cycle and summer night fishing. This could be because I spend more time on the water during full moon phase period at pre spawn to spawn and Summer nights! Tom 1 Quote
BassmanDan Posted March 6, 2015 Posted March 6, 2015 Nothing like sitting on a brightly moonlit lake during a warm summer night and throwing big topwaters. I know that doesn't help answer your question but it brought back some good memories of trips gone by. 1 Quote
Super User scaleface Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 Nothing like sitting on a brightly moonlit lake during a warm summer night and throwing big topwaters. I know that doesn't help answer your question but it brought back some good memories of trips gone by. You ever use the Musky Jitterbug. I have one and never caught a fish on it but had several blow ups. Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 sam, in tidal water the moon may impact water levels, but in a body of water regulated by dam/water flow it will not have any impact on water levels. Fishing an inlet nearly everyday there is no question that both the full and new moon affect the speed of the current as well as water level. The speeds are faster and there is lower low tide and higher high tide. In smaller bodies of freshwater I don't believe it's significantly noticeable. I'm going fishing anyway, if I could pick the situation it would be the new moon. Quote
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