Moon Phases and Bass Fishing
It is a proven fact that our moon has
an influence on fish. We know that the gravitational pull from the moon
is the greatest influence on tidal activity found in the oceans. It is
a natural observation that because the depth of the water fluxuates daily,
saltwater fish will be influenced by the tides. We know from science that
the bigger the body of water, the bigger the tidal influence. But what
about fish in smaller bodies of water? What about largemouth bass in our
home lakes and reservoirs? Is there enough tidal influence in our lakes
to affect bass feeding and spawning behavior in freshwater lakes?
Many reputable outdoor publications include some sort of table that lists
"peak times" according to the moon phases. Writers of these
tables claim that wildlife activity is at a higher potential during these
peak times. Is there any truth to these table? Could we improve our fishing
by going when the fishing should be best?
These are some of the questions I have wrestled with in my fishing career.
I always try to approach bass fishing with a scientific analysis. With
my background in database programming and now guiding full time, it is
becoming more feasible for me to gather data for statistics. I find myself
constantly tracking more and more information in my database - always
wishing I would have taken the time to record more in times past.
In this series of articles on moon phases, I plan to share with you what
I have learned about moon phases. In the next article, I discuss moon
phases from the earth's perspective. There, I discuss what you would notice
if you observed the moon every night without distraction. It differs from
the article on "understanding moons" which explains what is
really happening (while the earth is turning). I also include a whole
page on terminology and eventually get around to discuss my findings.
I hope you can learn something.
