How does a full moon effect bass? I'm talking the amount of light as opposed to the moons tidal pull.

 

This am was full, where I could have easily fished most of the night had I thought of it last night but tonight looks clear and little wind so I might try it. Maybe go out at 2am or some such.

clueless beyond tidal pull.  

I don't have much luck fishing during a full moon, other than that I'm not sure what effect it has. 

Moon phases have most effect during the spawn cycle with fish and most land animals during mating cycles.

Now the moon is full at night in lieu of daytime and has a positive impact on sight feeding fish like bass when dark.

Like the day time timing active bass periods is the key factor.

Full moon is a 5 night phase that affects lighting at night.

Tom

My best night fishing has been on bright moonlit nights . Dark nights have been terrible . I like the moon to be up early . like it was last night . The two or three days before the actual full moon are good .

Beyond science, I always knew I was going to have a tough guiding trip on the days after full moon nights.  My personal hypothesis is that they can see better and tend to feed more at night with the full moon.  

Bass turn into water wolves, and you need a silver bullet to catch them.

I don't have enough of a sample size fishing at night to say whether a full moon is more productive than one without in the realm of bass fishing.  I know that @Catt does though.  So maybe he will offer his knowledge.

 

I used to do a lot of walleye fishing at night when we had a full moon.  We slayed 'em.  Especially in the fall during September and October.

With low light conditions like cloud cover the night bite often carries over well past dawn. Weather definitely has a impact of full moon cycles outside the spawn.

Tom

It affects them however you want it to. If you kill them under a full moon, credit the light. If you don’t, blame the light. It works the same way with barometric pressure, the sun and the clouds, the wind, and most other variables. That’s the great thing about fishing - there’s always a reason (or an excuse) 

1 minute ago, Team9nine said:

It affects them however you want it to. 

 

 

                                                       

My worst fishing locally is on bright moon nights without cloud cover. Every type of fish freezes in place until the moon drops below the tree line. Until that point, and If the water is glass, insects are safe on the surface. Nothing will break top to eat them. Nothing. Once the moon drops things turn on quickly. Sometimes instantly.

 

However, I'm fishing on an island in very shallow waters which are very close to saltwater. During daylight hours, large fishing birds like Osprey, Cormorants, and others are a constant threat to fish. Many of the bass I've caught have healed scars showing where they've escaped the beaks of fishing birds. I imagine their survival instinct informs their behavior, and I've observed that a bright moon illuminates these shallow waters enough to shut down everything until it drops. I've killed a ton of hours watching a dead surface, but then witness it erupt with activity once it gets dark enough for everything to feel safe enough to move freely again. I'm not saying bass can't be caught under these conditions, because they can, but they won't chase at all, and are certainly reluctant to bite hard even if a bait is dropped on their heads. They're even shy in the pads.

 

I get the same reports from others fishing similar waters elsewhere on this island. These days I try to time my trips here for before moon rise and after moon fall unless I'm simply in the mood for casting practice or just feeling masochistic. YMMV

 

 

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

The Moon.  Is it good or bad?  Does it help or hurt ?  And what about artificial lights like dock lights and street light etc.    May be No definitive answer.  The water's here in northern MI are for the most part Very Clear - often 15 feet plus of daytime visibility.  As much as this plays a role during the day, it matters at night as well.   Fish can still see me on nights with a big moon or in areas where there is sufficient ambient light.  And the Shadow the boat makes on a brightly lit night sticks out like a sore thumb.   If I disregard this, it definitely negates the effectiveness of being there after dark.  Moonless nights are by far The Best for Fishing but were hardest to learn to fish in.  Even nights where I can be out there before the moon comes up or after it goes down are always much better for both numbers & size.   However, some my best nights have been Full Moon events BUT there was sufficient cloud cover to obscure it.  Even a partially cloudy condition is often enough to do the trick.    

  Clearly, some full moon nights are almost like day time.  You may not even need a light of any kind, it’s so bright.  These times are definitely easier to get around in, cast and fish in.  I say cast because there may have been an occasion or two where a lure was launched across two or three docks or even 50 feet or so straight into the woods.  If the waters you fish have color & / or limited visibility, you could be golden & be able to hammer fish while having the benefits of the moons brilliant glow.   

A-Jay

@A-Jay I tend to fish "shallow" water during the full moon because I can see stumps, brush, laydowns ect easier.

 

I tend to fish deeper offshore structure during the new moon because I don't need to visually see what I throwing at.

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

@A-Jay I tend to fish "shallow" water during the full moon because I can see stumps, brush, laydowns ect easier.

 

I tend to fish deeper offshore structure during the new moon because I don't need to visually see what I throwing at.

Makes sense.

I didn't add that moon & wind is better for me than moon & flat calm.

A-Jay

Fishing an 8pm to 8am tournament tomorrow night. First night tournament. We will see. 

19 hours ago, Team9nine said:

It affects them however you want it to. If you kill them under a full moon, credit the light. If you don’t, blame the light. It works the same way with barometric pressure, the sun and the clouds, the wind, and most other variables. That’s the great thing about fishing - there’s always a reason (or an excuse) 

You mean to tell me that a wild creature is unpredictable????? The dickens you say. The fish are supposed to do exactly what I think they should do 

 

 

I know that two nights ago it was like the lights were on in my bedroom but it was moonlight 

On 8/12/2022 at 3:58 PM, A-Jay said:

However, some my best nights have been Full Moon events BUT there was sufficient cloud cover to obscure it.  Even a partially cloudy condition is often enough to do the trick.    

 

There's more to night fishing than just the moon phase.

 

Is the sky overcast?

Partly cloudy?

Bluebird?

 

Is it prefrontal, frontal, or post frontal?

 

What time of year?

 

Water temperatures 

 

Sounds kinda like fishing in the daylight!

 

5 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

There's more to night fishing than just the moon phase.

 

Is the sky overcast?

Partly cloudy?

Bluebird?

 

Is it prefrontal, frontal, or post frontal?

 

What time of year?

 

Water temperatures 

 

Sounds kinda like fishing in the daylight!

 

Except I can’t see and the bugs can ? 

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

Except I can’t see and the bugs can 

 

That the beauty of Toledo Bend, I can get far enough offshore there's no bugs!

Didn’t know you are in Texas Catt. We’re headed to the night tourney on Texoma now. 

1 minute ago, Cbump said:

Didn’t know you are in Texas Catt. We’re headed to the night tourney on Texoma now. 

 

Last name Thibodeaux 

 

Louisiana Coonass, 2 hrs south of Toledo Bend. 

I need to get down there with my boat. Wife has family near Rayburn. Would like to hit north lakes. 

On 8/12/2022 at 5:15 PM, Cbump said:

Fishing an 8pm to 8am tournament tomorrow night. First night tournament. We will see. 

Turns out, I hate night fishing. First and last night tourney.