Good MOON or Bad MOON? - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

GetANet · #1 05-23-2013, 12:37 AM

What is your opinion on the MOON and it's affects on fishing for you? I personally don't like it. Always seem to have poorer results with the full moon. They say three days before and three after I think it's a bunch of crap! Hard to get herring , hard to catch fish I know several of the places I fish Full Moon=Stay Home Especially the Valley! Even tonight the bite should have been on and not so.... How do walleyes and Hybrids react to the full moon? I know it brings the herring up do they follow as well or turn off? Few more days to deal with it then game on......

Lard Almighty · #2 05-23-2013, 01:10 AM

In freshwater the moon phase seems to have more of an effect on spawning behavior than anything else. Outside of that, water temperature and weather play a much bigger role in determining fish activity. At night the moon phase may be a more prominent factor simply because of the amount of light it gives off. As a general rule, the darker the night the more active the fish will be; however, every body of water is different.

Bergen Angler · #3 05-23-2013, 07:47 AM

I don't fish at night. But in my experience, as lard said, water temp, wind, sun/cloudy plays much more influence than the Moon phase.

liveitup1.75liter · #4 05-23-2013, 08:22 AM

Its proven that more arrest and hospital check ins happen on full moons. For whateva reason ppl go crazy!! y wouldn't it do the same to fish.. An old timer always told me u don't fish the full moon but early the next morning and he said it brings the big ones out..Also Moon rise and set I think has almost the same impact as sun up n down.. When I killed browns in round valley n blew trew 2 dozen shinners in a lil over an hr. it correlated with the moon rise.. it explained to me y the school of browns moved in an 1 1/2 hr b4 dusk..

baetis · #5 05-23-2013, 09:58 AM

I've noticed more of a correlation with the moon and fishing in the salt than fresh, and it's also been species dependent. It 100% does trigger spawning and movement. In the salt, I've had my worst striper trips on full moons. Fluke trips haven't had any effect. Blackfish makes the current a bit stronger.

In freshwater I've noticed a change in the herring on full moons. If someone said to me you have a choice of 1 day - the day of the full moon, or a few days after, I'd always take the few days after.

Skunk City · #6 05-23-2013, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baetis

I've noticed more of a correlation with the moon and fishing in the salt than fresh, and it's also been species dependent. It 100% does trigger spawning and movement. In the salt, I've had my worst striper trips on full moons. Fluke trips haven't had any effect. Blackfish makes the current a bit stronger.

In freshwater I've noticed a change in the herring on full moons. If someone said to me you have a choice of 1 day - the day of the full moon, or a few days after, I'd always take the few days after.

x2. I've done pretty well a few days before and after the full moon.

catfishonthelake · #7 05-23-2013, 10:54 AM

I have found both full moons and new moons to produce better musky fishing. Also, daily moon phases such as majors and minors are worth paying attention to. There have been more than a few times I have seen dick for 9 hours and then get a bunch of follows and a fish 30 minutes before the moonrise or right at the major. That being said, local weather patterns will trump moon phases every time, so unless you're heading out onto the water in the next 15 minutes, I wouldn't count on the full moon producing any lights-out fishing this weekend once the cold front passes.

jimmythegreek · #8 05-23-2013, 02:29 PM

I think the moon helps for nite bites. good thing is u can see much better, and the more light the better the fish can look up and see ur lures background shadow and/or even some flash. I like bright moon nites

NJ219bands · #9 05-23-2013, 02:32 PM

Carp bite best during the full and new moons. I caught 6 that weighed 83 lbs yesterday.

flatcreek · #10 05-23-2013, 10:43 PM

I go fishing when the mood strikes me and the time is available and the moon has little or no effect on my fishing. Now my catching is a hole nother thing. Last evening got an 18 inch brown over by the dam at Spruce run, that's strange so maybe it does make strange things happen. Your guess is as good as mine as to what affect it is going to have ,so I'll stick to my routine (mood strikes-time available).