Well… I didn't vote for any of them because in my experience there are other factors when talking celestial influence. These other factors seem to be of more significance for BIG fish than moon phase alone like:
– transit
– perigee
– relationship of the moon rise/set to the sun rise/set
Though good celestial times normally show increased activity it is often trumped by local weather and water.
I try to make it out when there is a new/full moon and pay attention for the moon rise/set but havent been fishing long enough to really see if there are any huge effects for the fish. I just try to fish those times because lots of people talk about how good they are and it always helps to put as many positive things in your favor. I still focus on the weather more than the moon stuff but if you can add them together then its that much better. Am I the only one who hasnt ever heard ot Perigee or transit??? Good thing there is Google lol; i have so much to learn still 😀 😀
"hemichemi" said:
I'm highly skeptical about the moon's effect on fish in any small body of water like the inland lakes in MI…
Solunar effects on fish behavior is a very difficult thing for a scientist to accept, because, it really should not be. Plain and simple! But there are many things that simply cannot be explained by human science, that defy human logic, and that may (probably will) never be understood! All that is required to appreciate them is a sense of awe. Consider that solunar effects do not only have an effect on bodies of water and things that live in them, but that there is also a correlation in activity levels of land animals as well. It is not merely a response to varying gravitational pulls that can be physically observed (by us), nor is it an effect that can be measured by instruments. Bottom line- go ahead and add it to your bag of musky tricks (don't replace your others with it) and over time it will show something of a trend that is tough to argue with in the real world. Science can argue it, but science is not always in the real world!
Yeah; I CAREFULLY didn't say I don't believe; I said I'm skeptical. Perhaps more than most people I'm aware that there are many things in the Universe that Man doesn't understand.
But I'm also aware that Man has an astonishing ability to see patterns in random events, and <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">** you do not have permission to see this link ** takes over.
But I keep an open mind! (Read: my mind is like a sieve… 🙄 )
Article from Musky Hunter:
<url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">[Permission to view this media is denied]
When I booked my trip to Andy Myers Lodge I asked the owner if I should factor the moon in to my dates. He felt that the moon could have an effect but the local weather just before I came up and the week I was there would be the most important factor. My feeling is anytime you can go muskie fishing you should just go!
"hemichemi" said:
But I'm also aware that Man has an astonishing ability to see patterns in random events
Many others people have written or said these next two thoughts in moon articles and I'm thinking… DUH.
– Be on the water during the New/Full Moon phases
If 66% of your time on the water is during the New or Full moon then I'm going to guess that most of your fish will be caught during the New/Full moon – probably 2/3 of them.
– Make sure you are on your best spot when the moon is rising or setting
If we learn anything from Buck Perry it should be that good structure is good structure. Then consider that the moon rising and setting often corresponds to the sun rising and setting. Therefore you are tellling me that you are going to be on your best spot (good structure) during low light conditions… um… Good Structure + Low Light = Fish… Wow that is groundbreaking! (Joe Bucher has been selling this for years.)
When the moon is involved it is easy to end up with a <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">** you do not have permission to see this link ** – aka. Joe Bucher's Moon Secrets
I've been watching it more this year, possible results mixed as one would expect, weather seems to trump it etc. For example, my last outing was a skunking, long slow day with bright skies, light to moderate east winds. 6 contacts all day, one a lost fish, with two of the contacts right at moonset, just lazy follows and not the fish that hit. So do the two contacts in a 15 min timeframe mean it was better timing than the 4 contacts during the other 11+ hours total? Maybe, but maybe just more to other factors like location and presentation, though the spot had no contact earlier (but with a different presentation). Maddening, but part of why we stay obsessed.
I like to fish during a full moon, especially when it is a clear night. Maybe the fishing is better, but my vision is much better. The only other reason I enjoy fishing a full moon, is Rob doesn't doesn't have to wear his incredible hulk underroos. Which basically means he is more comfortable fishing at the other end of the boat and I have more room to cast.
I do have a real question. What are your thoughts on barometric pressure and how it relates to fish activity? I have read several articles online. Most of them speak favorably to a falling barometer. [smilie=applause.gif]
I have no answers, only questions, too. 🙂
Is it falling pressure, or decreasing light? Falling pressure usually means an advancing low-pressure system (read "storm") with its associated cloudsrain. My feeling is that light level has a far greater effect on predating fish behavior than barometric pressure.
But what do I know? 🙄
"hemichemi" said:
I have no answers, only questions, too. 🙂Is it falling pressure, or decreasing light? Falling pressure usually means an advancing low-pressure system (read "storm") with its associated cloudsrain. My feeling is that light level has a far greater effect on predating fish behavior than barometric pressure.
But what do I know? 🙄
Way to apply the knowledge gained from Buck Perry about light levels Hemi!
Here's something I recently posted on another site asking the same questions:
I'm pretty sure I read that even the most dramatic barometric pressure change equates to a fish moving up or down 5' in the water column. I also believe that I read barometric pressure has no effect on water pressure. (I wish I had the time to go look for this info so I'm just flying by the seat of my pants on this one)
I've always believed the changing light levels associated with highs, lows and changing barometers were the cause of increased or decreased fish activity not the change in barometric pressure. Maybe a light meter instead of a barometer would be a better tool to determine fish activity levels.
Nice BST, Will!
We have all seen phytoplankton rise as the sun goes down.
But if fish can't feel the impact of the barometer (air pressure) then how on earth can they feel the impact of the MOON (lunar influence)?Well… If barometric pressure was really a huge influence on water then during extremely low pressure (tropical cyclone) wouldn't it cause water to rise? Instead it is actually the winds associated with the cyclone that causes the associated storm surge. However, the moon has the ability to move water and therefore should have more of an impact than barometric pressure – fish feel it. I go with the theory that since we're dealing with a fish, these fish since the earth was covered with water have relied on tidal influence for feeding. New/Full moon have stronger tides with moon overhead and underfoot creating the high tides (feeding time). This contradicts Bucher's moon secrets that revolves around moon rise/set. Moon rise and set generally fall near sun rise/set so similar to high/low pressure changes we're probably seeing and increase in activit because of a change in light level and not an actual moon influence.
Just my opinion though…
The compressibility of water is 4.6×10–10 M^2/N; the change in atmospheric pressure even in a hurricane being MAYBE 0.1 atmosphere ( or 1 N/cm^2 = 0.00001 N/M^2). This means a MINUSCULE change in water volume or pressure would occur under normal atmospheric changes.
What MAY change more is the amount of DO, but that will take some time to diffuse out, and it would DECREASE the O2 in the water when the pressure drops, which would probably negatively affect fishing, just the opposite of what we're looking for.
My vote's still for light changes associated with low pressure excursions.
57
25
1 Guest(s)