Hey all,

 

 I've read a lot with regards to bass fishing but I haven't done nearly as much research into other species. I am planning on going fishing this weekend though for Northern Pike and perhaps some Perch since the Bass season has yet to open.

 

It got me wondering, do weather patterns and moon phases affect these species in similar ways as bass?

Yes. In fact, it effects most animals. The deer even seem to respond to it.

I prefer fishing the new moon. The fish will spawn on both new and full, but skewed toward the full. Fishing is good on both, but tends to be best on the days leading up to the full moon and on the days just after the new moon. To simplify it, it seems the fishing is best when the moon is getting bigger, not smaller, with each succeeding day.

Word for word from Doug Hannon..

This is a statement concerning the Bass Spawn,

However I believe in it.. Based on many sources, last but not least my own experiences in the field, including whitetail, elk, turkey & fishing..

Take it for what it's worth, which is nothing, lol..

Those are things that affect every aspect of life.

I don't believe the moon has any effect on bass or any freshwater fish. There are no scientific studies that shows any connection between the moon phase and the spawn. The difference between a new moon and a full moon is purely visual. The moon does not change, just the amount of reflected sunlight we see. The boat you fish out of has more gravitational pull on a bass than the moon does.

Weather, on the other hand makes a big difference in the behavior of fish.

For salt water,I`ll take the new moon  period. The catching usually increases as do the tide speed and elevations.

For salt water,I`ll take the new moon  period. The catching usually increases as do the tide speed and elevations.

Absolutely !

 

Tide too, and with the change relative to sunrise and sunset.  Each day the tide here is about 45 minutes later, progressively there is less bait and less game fish.

My favorite scenario is new moon, outgoing tide with the tide change about 30 minutes after sunrise.

I don't believe the moon has any effect on bass or any freshwater fish. There are no scientific studies that shows any connection between the moon phase and the spawn. The difference between a new moon and a full moon is purely visual. The moon does not change, just the amount of reflected sunlight we see. The boat you fish out of has more gravitational pull on a bass than the moon does.

Weather, on the other hand makes a big difference in the behavior of fish.

 

I don't necessarily think it has much to do with the spawn other than maybe they like having more light around at night when they spawn to guard the fry?

 

But I do think that night time bite on a full moon has the potential to be better than on a new moon, and consequently I believe the bite at first light will be better the morning after a new moon than a full moon.

A favorite time for stripers around here is when the tide comes full about 1 to 2 hrs after  sunset.

 

The flounder bite  seems to be best on the crown of the high tide. That is about 1 hr before  thru 1 hr after high tide.

 

To answer the OP question, imo yes the full moon seems to have a negative effect on DAYTIME  fishing in salt water.

At night  it seems to increase the catching. 

 

Being that there are no absolutes in fishing, all I said here is subject to change.

C22