Moon phase fishing

[FryDog62]

I haven’t really paid much attention to fishing major and minor moon phases in the past... but a friend of mine has been monitoring for years and swears by it. 
 

So I got an app for my phone and started targeting major moon phases. Our bass/walleye season doesn’t open until May 9, but I started using it while white bass fishing this Spring.  
 

Always the skeptic, but have to admit the major moon phases have been my most productive windows so far. in limited action this Spring. 
 

Anyone else put any stock into moon phase fishing?  

[gim]

3 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Anyone else put any stock into moon phase fishing?  

 

I will admit that I don't check it regularly when I intend to go bass fishing.  I used to walleye fish more and I always checked it then, especially if I was planning to fish at night.

 

I check it regularly now before I go muskie fishing.  I can't say for sure whether it helps because muskie fishing is hard regardless.  Not enough "samples" to determine whether it helps.  I have found that avoiding angling pressure seems to help more when I muskie fish.

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Anyone else put any stock into moon phase fishing?  

I might pay more attention if my fishing days/times weren't limited. This year, it's going to be Wednesdays, mid morning to early afternoon. Since I'm 'stuck' to that schedule, the solunar tables and moon phases aren't taken into account.

[NHBull]

I have downloaded the same app and paid attention years ago.

Truth be told, I fish when I can regardless of phase and weather.

I did not notice any difference, but it want do to the lack of wanting ?

[redux]

I've used one for years. I take it as a data point (feeding/hunting intensity), and do not plan when I go fishing around it because I want to fish nearly every day. What I do use the schedule for is setting my expectations for how much of a grind the day may be, likely fish locations, and plan for that. More senkos, more bottom contact baits, and slow presentations and retrieves in cover on low score days. More reaction baits, flash, and moving baits around cover and in more open water on high score days.

 

I have a friend who always looks at the daily number and plans all his fishing around it. He also is getting to the point where he hates tough fishing and only wants to catch easy fish (AKA he is getting lazy and has low motivation). Too bad he does no better on low days vs high days because he does not change his approach at all. 2"-4" white or watermelon weightless paddle tails in lilly pads. Sometimes it pays off. Usually it does not. The guy who introduced me to the schedules caught his PB (10+ on a senko in grass) on a day the schedule said fishing was going to be poor. Yes, he only caught one fish that day, but it was a big one!

 

Down here in Florida the weather is way more important than the moon cycle, in general. Around the spawn the moon will impact the number of fish moving up, but water temperatures and fronts are more important in my experience from day to day.

[A-Jay]

I logged it and 'lived' by the lunar phases fishing both salt & sweet water for Years.

Had some great trips on every phase of it.

Had some horrid trips on every phase of it.

I still 'watch it' but not nearly as religiously as in the past.

This is what I've taken from it all.

First - night fishing for bass I always do better with a new moon - so dark nights.

Even if the moon bright but obscured by cloud cover, it's better than full moon for me.

Now giving a choice, I would prefer to fish daylight hours in & around the Full or even the new moon.

But I go regardless when the weather's right.

Also, there's may be some magic thing that happens when sunset & moon rise are close to the same time or moon set & sun rise are close together; had some silly good bites happen  . . . .

Finally, The standard three days before & after a full and new moon, drive the calendar selection dates for every trip south of the border that we make.

And that's worked out OK - especially in Oct 2018.

That was crazy !

YMMV

A-Jay

 

 

[WRB]

Yep, see my Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar, especially during spawn cycles.

I don't pay much attention to published Solunar tables anymore, tend to simply keep track of the sun and moons position from the horizon i.e.; rising, overhead, setting verses when I am fishing. Sun I like near the horizon, moon overhead.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

The only pattern I've noticed with the moon is when it's full I can't catch crap 

[WRB]

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The only pattern I've noticed with the moon is when it's full I can't catch crap 

Don't fish for crap.

Tom

[MIbassyaker]

No. I think moon phases are little more than superstition fuel, at least for freshwater fishing.

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

Don't fish for crap.

Tom

Haha. Thanks buddy

[FryDog62]

One thing that has me thinking is that awhile back someone posted - “What time of day did you catch your PB?”  As I remember, there were a surprising number of people that didn't catch theirs in the usual early morning or early evening hours.  You wouldn’t think of catching a big one in the middle of the afternoon - unless something else like moon phase might have had an affect...

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

One thing that has me thinking is that awhile back someone posted - “What time of day did you catch your PB?”  As I remember, there were a surprising number of people that didn't catch theirs in the usual early morning or early evening hours.  You wouldn’t think of catching a big one in the middle of the afternoon - unless something else like moon phase might have had an affect...

Middle of the day is my favorite time to fish for big ones but I’m usually at work. I remember reading in bassmaster magazine about fishing top water midday midsummer when I was a kid. I’ve tried it ever since and it works pretty well, River smallies seem to wait until midday to hit it. Why this is the case is non determinable in my opinion. I asked a bass about the moon once and he danced around the question 

[Bird]

Weather has way more influence on me than any table has on fish.

 

That said, I've seen first hand the effect a full moon has on humans while at work.

If Bass could only be so aggressive. 

[NHBull]

21 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

One thing that has me thinking is that awhile back someone posted - “What time of day did you catch your PB?”  As I remember, there were a surprising number of people that didn't catch theirs in the usual early morning or early evening hours.  You wouldn’t think of catching a big one in the middle of the afternoon - unless something else like moon phase might have had an affect...

Point well taken....my best have come between 11:00-2:00 with bluebird sky's 

[Catt]

I have detailed records of every trip over the last 50-55 yrs. 45+ yrs of that was night fishing from April through October.

 

I've not noticed a significant advantage with any particular moon phase.

 

Like water temperatures, water clarity, barometric pressure, sky conditions, length of sunlight; moon phase is just another part of the equation.

 

Being a successful angler is adapting to those constantly changing variables. 

 

I'm aware of the moon phase but I don't use it as an excuse as to why I was or wasn't successful.

[Catt]

Now with all that being said I could argue full moon vs new moon.

 

Like @A-Jay & others here I came from a saltwater background where moon phase means tidal movements. In saltwater & tidal affected freshwater tidal movements are everything.

 

What I do find associated to moon phase is where the bass are located on structure. 

[lo n slo]

nope, but i do know that when the squirrels are down feeding it means the bass are biting. never fails. 

[Bird]

17 minutes ago, lo n slo said:

nope, but i do know that when the squirrels are down feeding it means the bass are biting. never fails. 

What if the cows are laying  ?

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, Bird said:

What if the cows are laying  ?

If they're laying eggs...toss all your gear in the closest river and take up knitting or something.

[soflabasser]

Have caught some nice bass during the night when the moon was full. Have also done well on a new moon. Any time you can fish is good.

[WRB]

How was the fishing today, May 5th 2020?

Tom

[redux]

Funny enough it was amazing for me. Moon was out with the sun the whole time and nearly full.

 

10 fish. They were all skinny post spawners that ranged from 5+ to 2.5 with 1 at 1.5. I lost a single 3+ at the kayak. Best 5 went 5+, 4+, 4+, 3+, 3+. All on a 100x100 yard stretch of patchy grass from 2-8 feet deep.

 

First one was on a small watermelon red swim bait. The rest were evenly split on a 1/2 black and blue swim jig and a 3/8 green and blue spinner bait.

 

Guess I should edit my previous post

[Catt]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

How was the fishing today, May 5th 2020?

Tom

 

Horrible!

 

I couldn't go!  ?

[Bird]

8 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Horrible!

 

I couldn't go!  ?

I've found fishing less productive at home......everytime.