View Full Version : Does Moon Phase Matter
I fish smallmouth, walleye and pike in NW Ontario. Have been told the best time is the week of a full moon. Does it really matter??
stewart
04-14-2002, 03:52 PM
There are many factors that combine to make good fishing, and the moon phase, I think, is one of them. How important as compared to say weather is hard to argue.
Does anyone know of an web site that publishes moon phases for certain dates?
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Nope. Tried it and discussed it with other people I've fished with over the years - moon phase is equivalent to reading your horoscope.
Weather stability (or instability) is most important, followed by being in the right place and right time with the right bait/lure.
Aaron
04-15-2002, 12:12 PM
Yes, I do think moon phase matters. I plan my trip to Canada every year around the moon phase. Always try to get there three days prior to the full moon. If you do some research and look at the record smallmouth bass caught, the majority of the bigger fish in the books have been caught three days prior to or after both the new moon and full moon.
NO! NO! NO! NO! and NO! Moon phase is irrelevant!!!!!! How is it possible that this myth continues to crop up in fishing discussions. In-Fisherman did an extensive analysis on moon phase. They looked at data over I think it was a 10 or 20 year period, used very sophisticated statistical techniques to analyze the data and realized that in fact there is no difference in the time of month on either the number of fish you catch or the size.
Look, think of it this way, the human body is predominantly made up of water. If the phases of the moon effected a fish don't you think that humans, which are probably 100,000 times the size of a Walleye and being about 80% water, would also be aware of the effect on their bodies. Now unless you're about to tell me that you can tell by the tinkling in your toes when there is a full moon, I suggest that people start using common sense with respect to moon phases and fishing.
Check out In-Fishermans book 'Critical Concepts: Walleye Fundamentals'. It's book 1 of a 5 part series. They have a section devoted to moon phases and its suspected effect on Walleye fishing.
IT DON'T MATTER! Just get out there and fish.
O.K. that's my rant for the season!!
Jack,
Your point about the moon taking affect on humans is well taken...
Please explain why there is a significant rise in emergancy room visits during a full moon. (by humans)
I knew someone would bring this up. Listen, this is another myth. So is the idea that Psych wards fill up and Werewolves start to prowl. If any of you have ever wondered how urban myths are created and maintained here is a perfect example.
Irv, tell you what, I've got a mess of documentation at home on various studies that have also disproved the myth that emergency rooms fill up. I'll dig them up tonight and get back tomorrow (or at least this week for sure). I know, I know, everyone knows someone who works in a Psych ward or emergency room and they swear that things heat up during a full moon. It doesn't bear out in the research.
Talk tomorrow (or Wed)
Now get out and fish ##### it!!!
Check out this site and also check out the credentials of the people mentioned on the site.
http://skepdic.com/fullmoon.html
I would add 'catching Walleye and Bass or any other fish' to the list of events that moon phases do not affect.
Luv2sled
04-16-2002, 09:07 AM
Jack....I disagree, in fact the NAFC is currently sending out an In-Fisherman study on the moon phase and their studies concur that moon phase does matter, the record book does in fact indicated that the larger fish were caught three days prior and after the full and new moon......it's a fact, just read it myself.
Aaron
04-16-2002, 09:19 AM
Jack....I have to disagree. I have kept detailed records on my fishing trips to Ontario for the last fifteen years. Given stable weather and all things being equal, I have caught noticably bigger and more fish during a couple days before and after the full moon, I really think the fish just become more active.....I've seen deer react similarly over the years. If I'm not mistaken, the In-Fisherman has a small handbook out on Walley fishing and the last chapter is on the moon phase....and according to that study moon phase does matter.
Hey Aaron,
The In-Fisherman publication I'm refering to is found in 'Critical Concepts 1: Walleye Fundamentals'. In this book they show conclusively that there is NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE in when fish are caught, however, they then go on to CONTRADICT THEIR OWN FINDINGS by stating (and I quote - page 134) 'But after years of experience, we believe that certain aspects of angling lore hold some truth, EVEN IF THEY CAN'T BE PROVEN SCIENTIFICALLY.' Huh???? In other words, they ran an experiment to determine whether there was a lunar effect on Walleye fishing and when the results of a well designed study didn't pan-out the way they wanted they discarded the results.
Look you can't have it both ways. It's not difficult to design a study to see if there are lunar effects - see the web site I mention above - its been done over and over and over again. The OVERRIDING result is that there is NO evidence that the moon has an effect on human or animal behaviour relative to other times of the month.
You have to realize that In-Fisherman has a vested interest in perpetuating this myth because it helps to sell magazines. In the same book they also state that they publish Doug Hannon's best fishing times (basically a moon phase chart). They mention that they discontinued publishing the chart for a few months and were overwhelmed by readers writing in and demanding that they put Hannon's moon phase chart back in. Well, what do you think they did -you bet they put it back in because magazine publication is a tough business.
Aaron I'm not ranting here simply to dismiss your experience. We all hold our biases (mine should be pretty clear from my statements above - Ha!) However, individual observations are notoriously unreliable. Listen, take some time and read the articles on the site I mentioned above - do your own research and if after you've taken a good look at the existing evidence you still feel that there is an effect well all the power to you.
Bottom line - get out and fish whenever you can. Its a great experience.
Cheers
Well there goes my credibility - Ha!!!! Where can we get a copy of the study?
Hey Luv2sled,
What is the NAFC? And where can we get a copy of the study?
Aaron
04-16-2002, 11:13 AM
Jack....to each his own I guess. Just posting personal results. I wish I new which In-Fisherman booklet it was that I read about the moon phases...it's been a few months and I can't remember. There was a table within the article that showed which dates the record fish were caught and how that related to the moon phases. There was clearly a relationship between the two. To answer you question to Luv2sled, the NAFC is the "North American Fishing Club". I really can't explain my findings any other way. My Father lives up on a lake in NW Ontario from May until October and also swears by the full moon results that I have also experianced.
WALLEYECHIEFTAIN
04-16-2002, 11:46 AM
try rolling a cartful of raw meat past a pack of hungry dogs and see if they ignore it when the moon isnt full! if the food is there so are the fish. but does it matter? sure.....you can see better!
Hawgeye
04-16-2002, 01:17 PM
Well, all this talk about werewolves and emergency rooms etc...are really not the point at all. There is one unique and mysterious thing that a full moon causes...MORE LIGHT!!!
Walleyes feed by vision more than most other freshwater fish and naturally if there is more light they would likely see things better! I have caught all of my biggest fish within 3 days on either side of the full moon cycle and if you ask my 8 year old whether or not a full moon makes a difference fishing, he will just laugh at you! He caught 7 walleyes that exceeded 6 lbs with the biggest being 10 one warm July FULL MOON night. We fished the rest of the month and then the next full moon phase caught 3 more again over 4. None in between except for the occasional 16-17"er.
Yes, it does matter...not because of gravitational pull or supernatural activities... mainly for MORE LIGHT!
Just my opinion...
Well you're right about there being more light during the night, but the moon phasers claim that the fishing is better during the day before and after a full moon. It makes no sense to me.
Hey Hawgeye, you're 8 year old makes perfect sense - he's obviously using his head. The problem is that those who make the claim for the moon phase effect claim that the fishing is better during the day as well. It makes no sense.
I just did some checking w/ a friend and it seems that more woman go into labor as well, during the full moon.
All of these people can't be wrong!
Jack, live life, don't just read about it from a book.
I'm trying but the water's too hard. See what happens when you don't ice fish and you have to wait 6 and a half months to get back on the water.
Everyone have a great season.
(Hey we got people thinking about it anyway.)
Since I started this I should explain my question. 4 years ago we did an outpost in NW Ontario that just happened to fall the week of a full moon. We loved the full moon at night on the lake but gave it no further thought. The fishing was excellent. The following year we returned but had poor (by outpost standards) fishing - it was a week of no moon. The next year we had a full moon week and excellent luck. Last year I picked the week of the full moon on purpose (we always go in July) and had excellnt fishing. This coming July, due to schedules, we are going July 3-10, which is the week of a new (no) moon. I am hoping there is no pattern here.
Even if there is no impact on the fishing, given the choice, I love to be on a wilderness lake with a big, full moon rising over the spruce and pine! But if the fishing is not up to par this year..........