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 fluctuates 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.