How the moon effects fishing

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    Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:23am
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I know the moon effects the tide and fishing,but don't really understand it-I also know that a new moon makes for small tides, (not so good for fishing,) and the opposite for full moon. But I've also been told that a full moon is also not good. We fish out on the firth of Thames-any tips guys??
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote o Neill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:41am
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Three to four days either side of the new moon and full moon Ive found successful, less so on the actual day of the new moon or full moon, Im thinking that with greater tide movement more food is exposed on the sand encouraging more feeding after the full moon, while a new moon at night means the fish are more likely to feed in darker conditions. I know from the shore once the full moon comes up its like turning off a switch especially with smaller fish. Some believe that when the moon is fully overhead the magnetic pull makes fish hungry also.
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Pretty certain the moon has a huge effect on fishing,but other factors such as barometric pressure -rising or falling ,cloud cover,change of light  all influence what the fish do. Find bright still days hard in shallow water--usually
Consistently find for example the day before full moon great.

Tides ,influenced by the moon are a big factor. Have found that the hour or two  before and after high or low tide is usually  better than the run of the tide especially in shallow water such as firth or H.g.

There are also days you just have to take one look and see it may not be a good day. These are those days when not even a bird is flying or active. Often find fish are likewise inactive on those days.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Lethal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 2:55pm
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3hrs before the moon sets is a good time to expect the fish to start coming on the bite,

and 3hrs before the moon starts to rise is another,

or you can go here, drag the anchour to your fishing spot and its done for you...

http://www.fishing.net.nz/bitetimes/

will look something like this...

Thu 31 Jul

Major Bite:
14:16 - 16:16
01:55 - 03:55
Minor Bite:
06:10 - 09:10
18:28 - 21:28
Sun:
Rise: 07:18:29
Set: 17:31:30

Moon:
11%
Rise: 09:10:11
Set: 21:28:34
 

Fri 01 Aug

Major Bite:
14:59 - 16:59
02:37 - 04:37
Minor Bite:
06:40 - 09:40
19:24 - 22:24
Sun:
Rise: 07:17:35
Set: 17:32:17

Moon:
18%
Rise: 09:40:39
Set: 22:24:13
 

Sat 02 Aug

Major Bite:
15:43 - 17:43
03:21 - 05:21
Minor Bite:
07:12 - 10:12
20:21 - 23:21
Sun:
Rise: 07:16:40
Set: 17:33:05

Moon:
26%
Rise: 10:12:11
Set: 23:21:01
 

Sun 03 Aug

Major Bite:
16:29 - 18:29
04:06 - 06:06
Minor Bite:
07:45 - 10:45
--:-- - --:--
Sun:
Rise: 07:15:43
Set: 17:33:53

Moon:
35%
Rise: 10:45:53
Set: --:--:--
 

Mon 04 Aug

Major Bite:
17:18 - 19:18
04:53 - 06:53
Minor Bite:
08:23 - 11:23
21:19 - 00:19
Sun:
Rise: 07:14:45
Set: 17:34:42

Moon:
44%
Rise: 11:23:00
Set: 00:19:16
Tides:
Thames - Rocky Point
03:42 - 0.7m
09:56 - 3.6m
15:52 - 0.7m
22:10 - 3.8m
 
Tides:
Thames - Rocky Point
04:20 - 0.7m
10:34 - 3.6m
16:32 - 0.7m
22:49 - 3.6m
 
Tides:
Thames - Rocky Point
05:00 - 0.8m
11:14 - 3.5m
17:13 - 0.8m
23:30 - 3.6m
 
Tides:
Thames - Rocky Point
05:41 - 0.8m
11:56 - 3.5m
17:59 - 1.0m
 
Tides:
Thames - Rocky Point
00:14 - 3.6m
06:26 - 0.8m
12:44 - 3.4m
18:50 - 1.0m

Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing
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I find the best time to go fishing is when ever I get the chance. My success rate greatly improves when I get a line in the water.
I'm sure the moon does make a difference but I fear if we all wait for all the stars to align we wouldn't do too much fishing.
Some days are harder then others but even the really hard days are better then being stuck ashore working!!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Lethal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 4:05pm
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there are at least 3 bite times in a day 2 Meke,
some better than others, more so when they coincide with morning or afternoon
it is just another part of fishing which can turn it into a successful trip,
having a line in the water at the start of those bite times will certainly improve your fishing,
but yeah your right got to have a line in first or nothing is ever going to be caught...

look at it like this,
our ancestors new more about the effects of the moon than we ever have...
gardening/fishing/sex/weather all played a part of their daily lives, no internet possibly is the reason....
  
Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Fletch Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 4:21pm
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That's revolutionary.......can you please indicate the best sex times over the bite times. This will give me much more fishing time, and also avoid nasty accidents whilst faunicating.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Lethal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 5:20pm
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nah, sex being when to get pregnant by the moon LOL....
Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing
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Originally posted by Fletch Fletch wrote:

That's revolutionary.......can you please indicate the best sex times over the bite times. This will give me much more fishing time, and also avoid nasty accidents whilst faunicating.

Did you buy a gin palace Fletch?LOL
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Originally posted by Uncle Uncle wrote:

Originally posted by Fletch Fletch wrote:

That's revolutionary.......can you please indicate the best sex times over the bite times. This will give me much more fishing time, and also avoid nasty accidents whilst faunicating.

Did you buy a gin palace Fletch?LOL
 

Did you buy a Goat name Travis, Fletch the Fulcha? LOL


"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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Originally posted by rodholder rodholder wrote:

I know the moon effects the tide and fishing,but don't really understand it-I also know that a new moon makes for small tides, (not so good for fishing,) and the opposite for full moon. But I've also been told that a full moon is also not good. We fish out on the firth of Thames-any tips guys??
 

Both New and Full Moons produce the larger spring tides, in between is the neaps with the first and last quarter, waxing waning ... another nautical expression... and then there is a Perigee and Apogee when Moon is closest and furtherest when closest it can and generally does create King tides if coinciding with new or full and sometimes bring the worst weather.
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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Originally posted by 2 Meke 2 Meke wrote:

I find the best time to go fishing is when ever I get the chance. My success rate greatly improves when I get a line in the water.
I'm sure the moon does make a difference but I fear if we all wait for all the stars to align we wouldn't do too much fishing.
Some days are harder then others but even the really hard days are better then being stuck ashore working!!
Yep...
I got tied up in the  moon bite times etc....but the biggest influnce was a weather window and no other commitments at the time, was the most essentual issue in being able to get out and catch fish....
If just went on bite time moon whatever ....we would very rarely get out.
Even thu fishing is at best patchy, at worse hard, in over 18 months we have never come home without  a feed for each of the families represented on the boat.

If u want to catch fish, plan your trips days beforehand.. wind tide, location to suit.. and maybe THEN consult bite time moon etc because it may influence what time u get out of bed that morning or head home.
I think the biggest time when the fish go off the bite is across slack tide... thats when take a break, have a bite to eat, maybe stock up on livies or put the long line down or retrieve it
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Originally posted by 2 Meke 2 Meke wrote:

I find the best time to go fishing is when ever I get the chance. My success rate greatly improves when I get a line in the water.
I'm sure the moon does make a difference but I fear if we all wait for all the stars to align we wouldn't do too much fishing.
Some days are harder then others but even the really hard days are better then being stuck ashore working!!


You are so right.......used to work with a guy who wouldn't go out unless the moon phase and tide and such was perfect. he went fishing a handful of times a year while I went out sometimes several times a week and pretty much always caught fish.
I fished mainly the firth for 18 months and kept records of all the appropriate stats, like wind, tide, sea conditions, time of day, moon, depth etc etc. After all that time the only discernable pattern was that out the west coast outfished the firth. But the weather windows for that were limited.
Just a matter of getting to know the area by fishing it a lot.
Also worth mentioning that most of my trips were quick and successful. Always tried to fish first light  (on spot in the dark, not leaving the ramp at 9.00am) or else fishing the dusk after work.
Good to plan properly to enhance your chances but just get out there.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Lethal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 7:46pm
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when i first started writing down what when and where, i never thought much about the moon,
current and wind was my main concern,
have places to fish on any given wind and tide ended up being my biggest worry,
after 40odd years i had plenty of places to fish but which one was going to produce the monsters,
40/50 snapper over 20lb and you start to think why haven't i land another lately,
when you get to this point of your life you start to look for other nature type secrets,
it was not till i looked back over my notes that the moon either nearing full or new had and influence,
big tides produce better fish, but only at certain places,
normally had something to do with reef structures,
on top of that i could scoot from one spot across to another and continue the bite even further,
very interesting learning curve of fishing that changed my out come more than anything else...
   

Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Grunta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 8:02pm
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Thanks for your insights Eric - someone who's caught a heap of big snaps and who's really looked at how solunar theory influences what we all love and enjoy (I'm talking fishing here) and applied some of your own knowledge and experience. Love your work!
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