High and Low pressure systems with a different moon phases!

[Fishbeastmike]

It's a secret subject and I know a few of guys have found a pattern that works best for them! When is your time to favorite time to get out on the water to pursue the giants?

[bassbass]

I can only fish when I am not working but I like 3 days before and 3 after a new or full moon, and hopefully before a front.

[colbypearson]

Matt Allen made a night fishing video saying 3 days prior and following a full moon or new moon are high percentage periods. I've personally found that full-moons were high number periods overall not as many big fish especially in clear water. I have found the best moon-phase day or night for big fish to be a Waning-Gibbous. Big is relative, but on a percentile basis of size:state record , for me, thats the phase.

 

Example, I might catch 30 at night on a full moon best being 4lbs, and I might catch 5 on a Waning Gibbous but have a 25lb limit, its kindof a funky thing but I've proven it to myself dozens of times over two years and I night fish a lot 12 months a year, more so in the Summer but a lot in the late Spring & Fall last year.

 

I personally think that light levels are about as important as the "moon-phase" honestly, there's periods of each night where I'll catch bigger fish and usually its the darkest just before the dawn, early AM. That being said I think that those periods are similar to daytime shade line fishing on some lakes, or targeting specific stretches of bank with high sun during the day or wind, similar principles.

 

These are all still kindof generalized ideas in my head, I'd like to think that moon-phase, light levels, and seasons will position fish at night just like they do in the day but in different ways. I've spooked some large fish that were positioned right on the bank at night facing the shore at a 90 degree angle around open shore fishing spots, probably waiting for rodents and frogs to enter the water. I catch a lot of fish at night suspended high in lay-downs, near hard structure, directly on the bank or suspended above weeds all specifically positioned to feed at night. Fish that I believe suspend most of the day, move to nearby feeding areas at certain times of the night, I'll purposely avoid big fish areas all night until I feel like the timing is right many of those spots get pounded by people who typically get nothing, maybe there's something to that?

So I guess since I fish as much as I can whenever I can I try not to think about whats best, but more so how to approach whats on my plate.

 

As far as weather systems go I prefer to smallmouth fish on your typical sunny day, wind can be favorable and in my opinion helps a swimbait bite, just depends on the conditions and time of year. I have caught some big smallies during storms, but haven't done all that great in the extremely nasty stuff the stuff I seek to target largemouth, as far as choosing for productivity I would much rather fish for largemouth or spots in true nasty weather, smallmouth in stable and sunny weather or light storms with wind, but I've noticed that smallmouth can have feeding periods prior to nasty storms as well.

 

Kindof just some ideas, haven't put enough tested thought toward the questions to say anything too definitively.

[Fourxquad1]

Matt Allen made a night fishing video saying 3 days prior and following a full moon or new moon are high percentage periods. I've personally found that full-moons were high number periods overall not as many big fish especially in clear water. I have found the best moon-phase day or night for big fish to be a Waning-Gibbous. Big is relative, but on a percentile basis of size:state record , for me, thats the phase.

 

Example, I might catch 30 at night on a full moon best being 4lbs, and I might catch 5 on a Waning Gibbous but have a 25lb limit, its kindof a funky thing but I've proven it to myself dozens of times over two years and I night fish a lot 12 months a year, more so in the Summer but a lot in the late Spring & Fall last year.

 

I personally think that light levels are about as important as the "moon-phase" honestly, there's periods of each night where I'll catch bigger fish and usually its the darkest just before the dawn, early AM. That being said I think that those periods are similar to daytime shade line fishing on some lakes, or targeting specific stretches of bank with high sun during the day or wind, similar principles.

 

These are all still kindof generalized ideas in my head, I'd like to think that moon-phase, light levels, and seasons will position fish at night just like they do in the day but in different ways. I've spooked some large fish that were positioned right on the bank at night facing the shore at a 90 degree angle around open shore fishing spots, probably waiting for rodents and frogs to enter the water. I catch a lot of fish at night suspended high in lay-downs, near hard structure, directly on the bank or suspended above weeds all specifically positioned to feed at night. Fish that I believe suspend most of the day, move to nearby feeding areas at certain times of the night, I'll purposely avoid big fish areas all night until I feel like the timing is right many of those spots get pounded by people who typically get nothing, maybe there's something to that?

So I guess since I fish as much as I can whenever I can I try not to think about whats best, but more so how to approach whats on my plate.

 

As far as weather systems go I prefer to smallmouth fish on your typical sunny day, wind can be favorable and in my opinion helps a swimbait bite, just depends on the conditions and time of year. I have caught some big smallies during storms, but haven't done all that great in the extremely nasty stuff the stuff I seek to target largemouth, as far as choosing for productivity I would much rather fish for largemouth or spots in true nasty weather, smallmouth in stable and sunny weather or light storms with wind, but I've noticed that smallmouth can have feeding periods prior to nasty storms as well.

 

Kindof just some ideas, haven't put enough tested thought toward the questions to say anything too definitively.

 

Great info thanks for sharing that..

[3ills]

Nice feed back Colby.This is why I throw a monthly MOONBITE SWIMBAIT SHOOTOUT out here in Cali. I'll message U later bro thanks for sharing!

3ills

[evilcatfish]

The moon phase subject came up before, and I'll say the same thing I said then: While I do believe moon phase can have an influence on fishing, it isn't really something I pay attention to as I'm gonna fish any time my hectic schedule/weather permits

[idbass]

If you get a chance, read Bill Murphy's chapter on moon phases. It's very similar to what Colby said.

[colbypearson]

If you get a chance, read Bill Murphy's chapter on moon phases. It's very similar to what Colby said.

When I read that chapter the first time it practically gave me goosebumps, I started keeping logs in 2012, caught enough good fish to notice real patterns (about 50), I'll construct my logs for 2013 soon not as good of numbers but still should help, and update you guys if things become more solid after looking at them!

[Lucas]

If you get a chance, read Bill Murphy's chapter on moon phases. It's very similar to what Colby said.

When I read that chapter the first time it practically gave me goosebumps, I started keeping logs in 2012, caught enough good fish to notice real patterns (about 50), I'll construct my logs for 2013 soon not as good of numbers but still should help, and update you guys if things become more solid after looking at them!

 

Doesn't Bill Murphy name the waxing gibbous as his #1 big fish moon phase? I'm trying to picture the graphic in my head, but don't recall it 100%.

 

That being said, I prefer the new moon over the full - day or night. Give me a new moon phase with a low pressure system, SW winds, before a front and it's on like Donkey Kong.