...imho. I have been a moon fanatic for years; planning my trips around the moon phases etc... Well this year, the days I have gone (according to the moon's best days) , have all been post front, bluebird skies...and sucked. I mean, I caught fish but just not the usual numbers I typically do on this particular lake. So I saw the forecast for this last Sunday to be stormy, rainy etc...perfect! I called my buddy and we went to said lake and just whacked em. We were out for about 7 hrs in the morning to noon area and boated 67 between the 2 of us; including lost fish we had close to 80. I'm deleting all my bookmarked moon websites...

Let me know if I should change my screen name to Captain Obvious.

Here's what I've learned:

The minute you think you know something is the minute you know less than you did the minute before.

Nature is complex. Precious little is obvious. That said, my observations generally jive with yours.

The moon phase is important when it's important otherwise it's not.

Tom

...imho. I have been a moon fanatic for years; planning my trips around the moon phases etc... Well this year, the days I have gone (according to the moon's best days) , have all been post front, bluebird skies...and sucked. I mean, I caught fish but just not the usual numbers I typically do on this particular lake. So I saw the forecast for this last Sunday to be stormy, rainy etc...perfect! I called my buddy and we went to said lake and just whacked em. We were out for about 7 hrs in the morning to noon area and boated 67 between the 2 of us; including lost fish we had close to 80. I'm deleting all my bookmarked moon websites...

Let me know if I should change my screen name to Captain Obvious.

 

Meh. Just adapt and move on, don't worry too much about it. One of these months, the moon cycle will yield your personal best and become your best friend. Seriously, I'm with you, though. I've paid a lot of attention to moon, barometric pressure, etc., and sometimes the prognosticators were spot-on, other times they were dead wrong.

 

Or at least dead wrong to the way I was fishing and presenting baits.... I've had spectacular days when I should have been skunked, and I've been skunked when I should have had spectacular days. C'est la vie.

Here's what I've learned:

The minute you think you know something is the minute you know less than you did the minute before.

 

 

The moon phase is important when it's important otherwise it's not.

Tom

:

I've got an app that tells me the best times to fish and how good the fishing should be, it has never been as good as it claims and there's been time when it was suppose to be great and I couldn't get a bite. I fish the same 4 ponds most of the time so I know there's fish there I have caught them and returned them.

 

So now I go fishing when ever I can no matter what the app or moon charts say. Sometimes I catch fish sometimes I don't. Normally don't go in the heat of the day this time of year. 

 

if the moon charts were right anybody could catch fish.....

The best time to go fishing is any time you can go fishing...doesn't mean the catching will be good!

Personally I like some where between 40-60% chance of rain.

The thought that the moons gravitational pull on water or earth has no influence on animals, including fish, is ridiculous. Too many animals time their mating cycles on moon phase to ignore it's impact. The pre spawn and spawning cycles for bass is influenced by a combination of stable water temperatures and the moon phase.

The 5 day full moon cycle; 2 nights before, the full moon and 2 nights after are prime times during the pre and spawn periods, it also affects light during clear summer nights.

My ideal pre spawn time is the 5 days around the full moon and if light rain is in the forecast you can bet I am on the water! Heavy rain, high wind or bad storms are in my past.

Tom

Crayfish, insects, etc.. Also re-produce during strong moon influence. My 2 biggest whitetails were both harvested on full moon periods, I can't really nail it one way or the other, but it seems real valid sometimes, while other times not so much...

Don't think he's asking about when bass spawn, but when he can most expect to be catching all year long. Immediate conditions and circumstances trump the moon.

Don't think he's asking about when bass spawn, but when he can most expect to be catching all year long. Immediate conditions and circumstances trump the moon.

It matters when it matters, otherwise it doesn't.

Rainy weather in the winter is the pits, bright clear warm days are better in winter. What seasonal period do you wish to discuss, they all differ in both weather and moon phase preference. No panaceas.

Tom

A more 'serious' response this time:

I usually get 1 day a week to fish, and my job is such that I get to pick my day.

In the summer, I always choose the cloudiest, rainiest day in the forecast (not that the forecast always ends up right, of course). A cloudy summer day with a steady rain is bass fishing heaven for me.

In late fall, winter, and early spring, I choose the days that are most tolerable to me. Those seem to be the days that it's most tolerable for the fish as well

It's just a second light source.

The best time is any time, as catt said.

Sorry Tom but weather conditions trump moon phase every single time including pre-spawn and spawn. Even a minor front during pre-spawn/ spawn will move bass back out to deeper water. Stable weathers during pre-spawn/spawn does not need to be bluebird skies but rather conditions that do not change drastically over a period if time.

Moon phase effects "nature" over a 30 day time frame, weather affects the here and now!

Sorry Tom but weather conditions trump moon phase every single time including pre-spawn and spawn. Even a minor front during pre-spawn/ spawn will move bass back out to deeper water. Stable weathers during pre-spawn/spawn does not need to be bluebird skies but rather conditions that do not change drastically over a period if time.

Moon phase effects "nature" over a 30 day time frame, weather affects the here and now!

Totally agree with you (28 day time period).

Tom