Bass and moon phase 2024
juicebass reply :
Can anyone give a simple and short explanation to how bass move and react to the moon?
thx!
Scott F reply :
Yes, they don't.
Team9nine reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 8:12 AM, Scott F said:Yes, they don't.
Classic 
Next question, please...
flyingmonkie reply :
HAHA! My observations align with that of Scott F. 
That being said, there has been a lot of research done around this, and there is evidence that lunar cycles impact fish activity. Impacts on fish feeding peak around the full and new moons, more specifically, when they are directly overhead or directly underfoot.
It's just one more thing to work into our equation of seemingly infinite variables. I don't weight it very highly, though...
tomustang reply :
I knew a guy who also believed the moon controlled women's cycles too LOL
Raul reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 6:57 AM, juicebass said:Can anyone give a simple and short explanation to how bass move and react to the moon?
thx!
I love salami.
Mike L reply :
You guys crack me up!
OP... do a search on here for moon phases and you'll find a lunar chart made years ago by our own WRB. It will answer your questions.
Mike
Catt reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:00 AM, Mike L said:You guys crack me up!
OP... do a search on here for moon phases and you'll find a lunar chart made years ago by our own WRB. It will answer your questions.
Mike
And you'll find evidence disproving it!
Raul reply :
I also love Serrano ham and pepperoni.
A-Jay reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 1:27 PM, Raul said:I love salami.
As a snack or a pet ?
On 3/11/2016 at 1:13 AM, Raul said:I also love Serrano ham and pepperoni.
So you're probably not on a gluten-free vegan diet then . . . .
A-Jay
Mike L reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:10 AM, Catt said:And you'll find evidence disproving it!
Just trying to answer the Man's question.
Mike
Bigskinny reply :
Is there Bass on the Moon?
A-Jay reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:22 AM, Bigskinny said:Is there Bass on the Moon?
Only on the High Tide . .
A-Jay
gobig reply :
I believe that the moon does have an effect on fish and all wildlife for that matter. However its just one of many variables. I believe it has an effect on how bass position to structure in the water column. I know Butch Brown has strong feelings about moon rise and moon set and he has caught more DD's than just about anyone. One thing is for sure bass live by there own set of rules and nothing is absolute.
Dypsis reply :
Bill Murphy think's it does. I personally haven't been fishing long enough and or been paying attention long enough to form an opinion.
Catt reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:21 AM, Mike L said:Just trying to answer the Man's question.
Mike
So did I. 
Raul reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:19 AM, A-Jay said:As a snack or a pet ?
So you're probably not on a gluten-free vegan diet then . . . .
A-Jay
Unfortunately I am on a diet, low saturated fat/low cholesterol diet and occasionally I have to take pravastatin to maintain the bad cholesterol/triglicerids levels as low as possible. I love salami, Serrano ham, pepperoni, sausages, butter, bacon and all those tasty things but can´t eat them on a regular basis ( it´s been like 2 months since the last time I ate 2 slices of bacon ) or my undesirable cholesterol levels begin to rise. Incredible taking in consideration I weight 130 lbs.
A-Jay reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 3:06 AM, Raul said:Unfortunately I am on a diet, low saturated fat/low cholesterol diet and occasionally I have to take pravastatin to maintain the bad cholesterol/triglicerids levels as low as possible. I love salami, Serrano ham, pepperoni, sausages, butter, bacon and all those tasty things but can´t eat them on a regular basis ( it´s been like 2 months since the last time I ate 2 slices of bacon ) or my mistake cholesterol levels begin to rise. Incredible taking in consideration I weight 130 lbs.
Agreed, that is not what we usually hear - I like all that quite a bit myself - totally in my heritage & feels like it's in my DNA.
Stay strong - perhaps just a sniff now & then.
A-Jay
Raul reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 3:09 AM, A-Jay said:Agreed, that is not what we usually hear - I like all that quite a bit myself - totally in my heritage & feels like it's in my DNA.
Stay strong - perhaps just a sniff now & then.
A-Jay
Thanks for the heads up !
So now, back to the thread, I like beer ! 
A-Jay reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 3:12 AM, Raul said:Thanks for the heads up !
So now, back to the thread, I like beer !
A-Jay
Florida Cracker2 reply :
I don't remember where I read it, but I read an article online that a charter captain maintained a detailed record of catches and he noticed more fish caught within 45 minutes of either the sun or moon rising or setting. But I haven't seen any evidence of it.
WRB reply :
The moons affect on gravity changes daily throughout it's approx 29 nightly cycles from full moon to new moon back to full. It's the full moon that creates maximum gravity pull and maximum light reflection.
Animals and some plants are affected by the moon influence and some fish time thier spawning activities around this moon phase.
You can accept the moon influence or disregard it, difficult to deny it's influence on earths gravity or increased light at night.
Tom
Catt reply :
Sorry Tom
The gravitational pull of the sun and moon is three times greater on the new moon than the full moon. At the time of the new moon the earth has the moon and the sun in a straight line pulling together.
The only effect the moon has on fishing is it controls the tide which in turns positions the bait.
Scott F reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 5:38 AM, Catt said:Sorry Tom
The gravitational pull of the sun and moon is three times greater on the new moon than the full moon. At the time of the new moon the earth has the moon and the sun in a straight line pulling together.
The only effect the moon has on fishing is it controls the tide which in turns positions the bait.
Bass living in fresh water are not affected by tides. Freshwater lakes even the Great Lakes, are too small to have tides. Also, even during the new moon, the pull exhibited by the moon is so weak that your boat has more gravitational pull on a bass than the moon does.
Josh Smith reply :
As a teenager, I had two fishing predictors: A homemade barometer and a solunar calendar.
They worked well enough.
Regards,
Josh
Catt reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 6:16 AM, Scott F said:Bass living in fresh water are not affected by tides. Freshwater lakes even the Great Lakes, are too small to have tides. Also, even during the new moon, the pull exhibited by the moon is so weak that your boat has more gravitational pull on a bass than the moon does.
Exactly my point
Scott F reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 6:40 AM, Catt said:Exactly my point
I was just sharpening that point a bit.
wnspain reply :
There are numerous environmental influences that make fish behave in a certain way. The moon phase, at least in my experience, doesn't seem to matter much.
WRB reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 5:38 AM, Catt said:Sorry Tom
The gravitational pull of the sun and moon is three times greater on the new moon than the full moon. At the time of the new moon the earth has the moon and the sun in a straight line pulling together.
The only effect the moon has on fishing is it controls the tide which in turns positions the bait.
On 3/11/2016 at 6:39 AM, Josh Smith said:As a teenager, I had two fishing predictors: A homemade barometer and a solunar calendar.
They worked well enough.
Regards,
Josh
Catt, thank you for the correction; new moon gravity effects, full moon light effects activity.
Bait activity certainly has no affect on predator feeding activity and I know you don't believe that. By the this week we are having a major spawn movement of course nothing to do with the moon phase that fishing is very good.
Tom
Raul reply :
The influence of the moon on bass behavior has been greatly exagerated, but it's still a good excuse to have something/someone to blame for a lousy day on the water.
Lendiesel22 reply :
Better night bite is about all I notice. The thread is hella funny though.
WRB reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 7:47 AM, Raul said:The influence of the moon on bass behavior has been greatly exagerated, but it's still a good excuse to have something/someone to blame for a lousy day on the water.
The majority of my DD bass were caught around full moon during pre spawn so I am going to give credit for having some of my best pre spawn days and summer nights on the water.
Tom
Catt reply :
During the late 60s & into early 70s I believed in moon phases.
But from then until now I have logged thousands hours night fishing when the moon's influence is supposed to be at it's strongest.
What night fishing has taught me was the moon phases didn't matter cause I did extremely well during all phases.
If one spends their time fishing the full moon then their results will be biased towards the full moon.
When I first started night fishing I fished the new moon mostly & believed it to be the best with results to back it.
Until you fish all moon phases equally you have incomplete data!
Raul reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 8:48 AM, WRB said:The majority of my DD bass were caught around full moon during pre spawn so I am going to give credit for having some of my best pre spawn days and summer nights on the water.
Tom
Good for you Tom, the majority of my DDs were also caught during the pre spawn but that's because it was the pre spawn.
Josh Smith reply :
I don't question what works. Solunar tables seem to work, paired with other factors.
The whole wind direction thing could be called crap, too, because what does wind direction have to do with whether bass bite, right? Just follow the wind to the plankton, and the bite should be on.
It's the weather pattern that the wind direction represents that determines the bite.
I would guess something similar happens with the moon phases.
Josh
WI_Angler1989 reply :
The moon has an effect on nature. Plain and simple. Even something as simple as watching a nature show can be enlightening. Animals don't have calendars or schedules so they use moon phases, along with temperature, barometric pressure, and a host of other environment factors to time their biological "happenings."
My understanding of it is far from knowledgeable, but that basic thought process of it is interesting and makes a lot of sense.
Understanding and applying it all to fishing.....well that's a different story. Good luck!
Fishing Rhino reply :
Since we are on animal behaviors, and the impact of the seasons, temps, tides, currents, etc., here's an interesting tidbit.
Emus and ostriches. Birds in the same family.
A friend of mine had both, and for a few years made much money breeding emus in the early 1990s. A breeding pair of emus was worth over fifty thousand dollars at their peak. Then the developing market crashed, and they became nearly worthless.
There is a big difference in their breeding habits.
Bring them to the Northern Hemisphere from Australia and/or New Zealand, and the Ostriches will adapt their breeding patterns. They will change to breed in our summer. The Emus on the other hand, breed according to the calendar and continue to breed in what was their summer months, our winters.
The Emus that are born here will continue the breeding pattern of their parents and ignore the seasons in favor of the calendar.
They would build a nest and breed in freezing weather. My friend had to go out a couple of times every night while they were breeding to gather the eggs before they cooled too much, and put them in an incubator.
Zsolt Rebek-Nagy reply :
The phases of the moon can have a large effect on the feeding habits of fish because of the movement of tides and the ability of fish to feed throughout the night. If you admit or not. Lakes not really effected by tides, especially smaller size lakes.
On the other hand, night feeding can be very successful or not so, which could determend the bass daily feeding behaving.
People, who believes that, know the best time in each month to fish based on the four phases of the Moon, which are full Moon, last quarter, new Moon and first quarter.
Many people who fish follow the phases of the Moon to judge when the best and worst times are for fishing. Some people claim fish can be caught with greater ease when fishing the four days either side of the New Moon is often successful because fish are more active during these times.
It is also thought that during periods of a full Moon fish are active during nighttimes because of the greater amount of light making feed in the water more visible for fish. Some fishermen also believe fishing during the day four days around the full Moon it may not be so great, because the fish are less likely to bite at bait because they have been feeding throughout the night.
Hope it helped.
Tucson reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 11:09 AM, tomustang said:I knew a guy who also believed the moon controlled women's cycles too LOL
There may be some truth in that. Not necessarily control, but lunar phases do affect it.
"hamma" reply :
a short answer? ummm,...ahhh, oh, sometimes they bite , and sometimes they dont
nightfishing to me has always seemed to have the ability to dumbfounded the wariest angler when it chooses to .,..its a fickle thing......... hence the above reply
Zsolt Rebek-Nagy reply :
Yeah, they sometimes bite and sometimes don't, but it is not that simple. A lots of information between, and it is a big advantage to know about it. But I get it, we are all different.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:43 AM, Dypsis said:Bill Murphy think's it does. I personally haven't been fishing long enough and or been paying attention long enough to form an opinion.
Yes he did think it to be true and actually recorded his catches in different phases, I think all of his recordings were that of "Trophy cycles" good, fair, better and best, best was the waxing cycle and second best being the waning cycle, 3 or 4 moons before the full and 3 or 4 moons after.
These were recordings of position as well as activity, but, he did make note that the fish he recorded were 8lbs plus and 10lbs plus, in general getting pretty specific with his documented catches.
tomustang reply :
No, and no. If you believe that then there's unicorns and leprechauns hiding in your house.
Catt reply :
On 3/20/2016 at 2:56 AM, Nitrofreak said:best was the waxing cycle and second best being the waning cycle, 3 or 4 moons before the full and 3 or 4 moons after.
If you include the day of the full moon that's 7 or 9 days
Was that every month?
Was that spring, summer, fall, & winter?
The reason I'm asking is I lost my book!
Slade House reply :
usprimetimes.com
Nitrofreak reply :
On 3/20/2016 at 5:41 PM, Catt said:If you include the day of the full moon that's 7 or 9 days
Was that every month?
Was that spring, summer, fall, & winter?
The reason I'm asking is I lost my book!
I have mine somewhere Catt, I will find it and get the exact dates of his studies, I recalled reading about his studies in that chapter and thought about the specifics, if I recall correctly, his documentation began in the 70's and I am assuming it went through the time that he published his book which was in the 90's, I remember him also stating that the moon phases basically intensified the action that was already taking place, even noting anglers catches from other parts of the country including different species being larger during these phases.
Catt reply :
I'm extremely irritated I can't find my book!
Since I night fish a lot I've read everything concerning moons and moon phases.
Nitrofreak reply :
I found my book, he does not give an an exact date, only that "since 1970, the date I started keeping records"
Nitrofreak reply :
His findings still incorporate the importance of key outside structure during these moon phases as well as pre-frontal conditions but also notes the two or three days around a 3/4 waxing and a 3/4 waning moon were the two most consistent times "each month" to intercept large bass on structural elements.
So yes, I would say that his records show that he studied this for a long or in depth period of time, I don't see where his writings show an end date, that's why I assume he kept records until he published the book.
Catt reply :
I don't remember it being year round or what months.
i read another book by a guy from up north who only fished musky size Jitterbugs during new moons & he caught a lot of 10# northern bass.
Afishionado reply :
Awesome topic here, lots of good insight...
I know that in the salt, when you have a big moon the fish feed hard at night (considering the water temperature is high enough, over the winter they will feed in deeper more insulated water, or just go into a holding pattern).. On those full moon days we wait to go out to fish until about 11am because a solid pattern I have found is that the fish feed hard at night, you get a very short lived bite at daybreak and then they are laid up until about 11am I am assuming letting that belly full of food digest.. full moon fish at 8am here pretty much need a court order to eat... is it the same with bass in that there is a early morning gap where they don't eat? Sounds like they just eat whenever the mood strikes them from what I can gather here..
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