|
|
Member
Posts: 22
Location: Bay City, MI | Simple question here. How much attention do you guys pay to the lunar cycle in picking your fishing days and times? I'm sure just about everybody here has one of those poor/good/best fishing calendars hanging on the wall somewhere, and most handheld GPS units will tell you which times are best. Just wondering.
- Bill
Edited by frozenbeer 2/19/2004 11:10 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | I believe in the lunar tables (some are better than others). They have saved many a trip for me. When I was able to do week long vacations (prior to guiding and tournament fishing) I would ALWAYS check for best week on the tables prior to securing a cabin. |
|
| |
|
|
There was a time where I felt it was very important and made decisions based on it. But now I just go fishing whenever the time will allow.
And oh yeah, really do think it drives the fish to be more active in their feeding! |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 67
Location: Sth/side Chicago | I seem to have some of my best luck either around the Full or New moons. So if I am planning a trip up north for fishing I try and schedule it so one of those moon phases is happening during the trip. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 714
| I've felt for most of my life that the moon's gravitational pull influenced fishing. I first was told this when I was very young and living on the ocean in the South Carolina low country. Watching the difference in the tides on the full moon was a great example of it's effects.
I sometimes credit the moon phases for some of my success when fishing during times the weather would make you think it was better to stay home. Like during a cold front. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 378
Location: Omro,Wi. | <P>I was a skeptic for a few years,listening to friends talking about what time to go fishing,or hunting,so I kept a LOG of times I got into Fish or Deer..and checked it against the tables....Quess what? The Lunar Tables confirmed that it is indead a fact.They really do give us a Idea of when to be outdoors.Or it could just be that we know at that time we will catch, a fish,and pay more attention,to what we are doing.</P> |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 874
Location: Neenah, WI | When I was a young, footloose and fancy free type of guy I used to pick up girls using the solunar tables. Worked every time. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 22
Location: Bay City, MI | So Dale, what you're telling me then is when the moon's just right, change my target fish from walleye to snapper? Should I use a whole minnow or half for bait? (Forgive me fellas, I just couldn't resist).  All kidding aside, thanks to everyone for offering their opinion and experiences. I just thought it was kind of strange the parking lot of the local bait shop is jammed packed some mornings on the way in to work. I noticed these days happened to coincide with the lunar cycle. (I'm sure you guys realize just how hard it is to pass by the bait shop every morning on the way to work.)
Edited by frozenbeer 2/21/2004 10:24 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 158
Location: Upper Sandusky Ohio | I must confess I've never paid attention to the Lunar phases, and how they relate to my success. I do know that it does play some factor in the fish activity, but I feel they are more driven by fronts/stable weather patterns. I pay more attention to lunar phases during hunting season though. It will absolutely change Deer patterns. Deer hate a full moon. They stick out like sore thumbs on moonlit nights. Deer will feed heavy beginning early afternoon, and bed during the high moon. Should the sky turn overcast though, they will return to their normal nocturnal habits. I imagine it has the same effect on the prey that Walleye feed on. Is that a somewhat accurate guess?? |
|
| |
|
Location: Rhinelander | I have a friend who answers when asked about peak Solunar or weather times:
" The best time to go fishing? When you can!"
"The only 'rule' in catching a big fish? There ARE no rules!"
Most of the time, he's right. There are definitely activity periods, but sometimes my logs show really good fishing when there is no indication it should happen. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 714
| I believe the moon stage has some effect on fish in freshwater, but not nearly as much as it does in saltwater. I would attribute that to the effects on the tides more than anything. While the moons gravitational pull is greater during a full moon, water levels on freshwater fisheries don't fluctuate like the oceans do. There, a full moon can change the tides by as much as 30% or more at times. That I would have to guess would be a key factor in why saltwater fishing is so different during full and new moon phases. |
|
| |
Lunar Cycle