[jim]

OK OK I probably shouldn't open this can of worms again but this week end I had an interesting conversation with a long time Santee guide while we were fishing at night.He absolutely refuses to take a party out during the 3 days of the full moon.At night anyway.He says he will fish during the daytime but not those three nights.We were 4 days from the full moon and he wasn't at all happy with the illumination we had and we didn't catch much.It wasn't from lack of trying as he moved us from place tp place and reset the lines many times and refreshed the bait continously.We did catch some fish but nothing big.I think a good project for us BOCsters would be to keep records for the next 12 months and report in all our findings to a folder or something on this new fully capable site.Anyone that fishes during the 6 days of the full moon, 3 on each side would report their success or lack there of.That way we would have some hard data ,from many various regions and we would be able to substantiate or repudiate some of the moon claims. Just a thought but now I am really curious.I like most say fish when you can but I would like to see if there is some definitive effect,good or bad of the full moon.

 

[slimepig]

before the change, there was a free database program in the library for just that purpose. i havent looked to see if its still there now er not. I cant figure out how to do a query with it after you get some records in it. Can a brother maybe paost some helpful instructions?

 

[hammerhead]

The information you are searching for was in the library. Which is in the process of being moved to this site. I am not sure when it will be up and running again, it should be soon.

 

[Dreadnaught]

Yes, Jim I agree with your assesment of the fishing problems this week. For some strange reason the fish are holding in large groups in deep water and not hitting anything you throw at them!!! Maybe after this moon phase clears we might be back in buisness. The moon and barametric pressure both play big parts in the way fish feed,IMO.

 

[jim]

The one thing that was biting was Gar although even they weren't as numerous.I don't know whats up but when someone that has to fish to make a living ,won't take parties out during the full moon at night something is up.This man is a very intelligent student of the catfish game.

 

[Albert]

Jim,
Below is a link to an article written by a guy that kept records for a period of years.It is not specifically about cats but it made good sense to me.I thought you might like to view it.
http://www.fishingchronicle.com/Articles/MoonScoop.html

thanks,Albert

 

[loanwizard]

We just fished Wednesday night ( almost a full moon, needed no light) had live Bluegill, Bullhead, fresh Shad, rotten Liver, and night crawlers. Total bites, Zero.

 

[jim]

Thanks ALBERT,very interesting and kind of bears out what I have always felt.I long ago gave up on the SOLUNAR tables but keyed around the 6 days of the moon periods.Interesting to see some corelation to the rise and set of the sun and moon and that pretty much was the story the other night on Santee.All the fish we caught were before the moon got high in the sky,virtually all before 10pm.Thanks asain very good article.

 

[Catbird]

Hope this helps...I fished a lake I usually don't catch much at last night. I did catch a 3# channel and a 8# flattie. I didn't start fishing till about 1:AM and caught these around 3:AM, full moon shining. The size and amount of fish is normal for me at this lake.

 

[Desperado]

I don't really understand the moon phases, but I have found it is hit and miss for fishing.

 

[blackwaterkatz]

I haven't done a lot of catfishing at night in several years, and never really kept a record, but I always seemed to do better on the darker nights, for several hours after sundown. A moon rising on the horizon wasn't bad, but when it gets bright, I didn't seem to do as well. Not scientific, just my opinionated opinion. It's gonna be interesting to see what others say.
The article linked earlier is good reading. I will print it out and go over it again.
Great Thread!

 

[turtle1173]

Jim,

That's some interesting information. I have done very little night fishing. Slimcat and I went out about a month ago and spent the night on the Mississippi river Flathead fishing. It was miserably slow. Got a few gar bites but that was it. We had a smorgasboard of bait and didn't get anything. I did notice that the moon was very bright. In fact, we moved at midnight and it was actually easier to navigate by turning our spotlights off and using the light from the moon.

I just went back to check on the specific date of our trip and the moon phase. It was the night of July 22nd. According to a moon phase website I found, this was 1.8 days after the full moon. So that goes right along with your post.

 

[Catbird]

I went out fishing last night, full moon up and the sky was clear. You could see to get around with no lights on the lake. This is at a different state lake than the last post. I caught 4 channels the largest being 11#. I was using frozen cut shad.

 

[jim]

It seems the bright overhead moon might turn things off.I have always had better luck going deeper when the moon is high because I think all that light makes the fish wary of going shallow which is what we expect them to do on dark nights.Thanks to those that have contributed to the thread and I hope others will follow suit at least those of you that are out there after dark.Next thing we will have to correlate is the dark phase so keep those cards and letters coming.

 

[centralcalcat]

I deffinately notice the difference in my home waters> full moon=poor fishing.
Normally on full moon we go skunked or just small fish until the moon sets for the night.

 

[Coloman]

We went yesterday morning. We where on the water by 5 a.m. The fishing was slow untill about 6:30 am, and only picked up a little. Between the 2 of use we only caught 6 fish. 2 where in the 2 lb range, the rest where fiddlers.

 

[lunkerman]

It seems to me that it doesn't matter if it is full or new, but if it is the high side of the moon or low side.

 

[jim]

lunker,what do you mean high side or low?

 

[Jamey]

Waxing moon vs. waning moon?

 

[Catbird]

Jim, I've had a thought in my head the past couple of days (now that's a potion for disaster...) that maybe, the fish move to other spots during a full moon. After re-reading your above post about catfish going deep we may be on the same idea. My concernis this, if people just post that they didn't have any luck when the moon was full, we wouldnt learn anything from this thread. This is in no way stepping on anyones toes that posted that. I think more would be learned as to finding out the spots that members catch fish and what the moon is doing at that time. My reasoning for this is, I have had countless fishing trips that I have got skunked on all phases of the moon and I didn't learn a thing from not catching fish except I stunk as a fisherman on those nights...lol