Does the new moon affect the bite?

It is a generally accepted fact that environmental conditions influence the behavior of any living organism. Many beginners return after night fishing without a single bite. Aquatic inhabitants, according to ichthyologists, are more susceptible to the influence of the moon. Let's look at how the moon works, and whether it's really worth sticking to the lunar calendar.

Lunar cycle

The Moon is a satellite that orbits the Earth. It affects gravity and magnetic fields. The full cycle during which the moon circles the Earth is 29.5 days and is called a lunar month. In turn, the lunar month is divided into eight phases.

1, new moon - a state when the Moon is not visible; 2, new moon ; 3, first quarter ; 4, waxing moon ; 5, full moon - a state when the entire Moon is illuminated; 6, waning moon ; 7, last quarter ; 8, old moon

Predator reactions to different lunar phases

Every angler knows that large predatory individuals are especially well caught in the spring, since during this period they begin to eat. However, often a person comes back empty-handed after a night of fishing, even though it would seem that there were optimal conditions for biting.

In order not to waste your time and catch the long-awaited predator, you must follow these rules:

1. No matter how good the weather and environmental conditions are, it is better not to go fishing on the day of the full moon. The Moon being in this phase negatively affects the behavior of fish, even such large and powerful ones as catfish and pike. On such a night there will be an increased likelihood that the fish will be overly passive and will not even look at the offered bait.
2. New moon. If more than half of the celestial body is visible, the reservoir will be well lit, which will also create favorable conditions for biting. On such nights, the predator will rely not only on a developed sense of smell, but also on visibility in the water, the chance of seeing potential prey will be twice as high. Various experiments have confirmed that during a new moon in almost all countries of the world, predatory fish bite much better, and the catch is more significant.

No matter how surprising it may be, any haircut is also ideally done when the moon is waxing, in this case the girl will have thick and long hair. But during the full moon in ancient times, any haircut was contraindicated. It was believed that after such trimming a person's hair would stop growing.

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It is impossible to say in what period and at what time it is better to go fishing. Success largely depends on the reservoir in which the fishing will take place and how well-fed the fish are in it. But in any case, to increase the chances of success, it is necessary to take into account not only weather conditions, but also the phase of the moon.

Theories of the influence of the Moon on fish

Various fishermen and scientists studied the influence of the Moon on aquatic inhabitants. The most famous of them are John Alden Knight and ichthyologist G.V. Nikolsky.

“Solunar theory” (the name Solunar comes from the Latin roots Sol - sun and Lun - moon), was proposed by the American John Alden Knight back in 1926.

According to his theory, the main factors that greatly influence the fish bite are the Sun, the Moon and the tides associated with their influence. Knight studied more than 200 fishing reports and found that 90% of the fish were caught during the new moon and at night .

Ichthyologist G.V. Nikolsky devoted a lot of time to this issue and was able to prove the theory of the mutual connection between the lunar cycle and the behavior of fish.

He made the following conclusions:

• During high tides a lot of food rises to the surface , causing large areas to be flooded with water. During this period, both peaceful and predatory fish are active.
• The amount of reflected sunlight depends on the weather (cloudiness) and the phase of the moon. The more light, the better the fishing .

Winter fishing

Is the position of the moon really an influencing factor for fishing? Experienced fishermen assure that there is still a certain relationship between fishing and the position of the night luminary.

If you plan to fish in winter, in order not to miscalculate, you need to take into account the following points:

• If the full moon is approaching, it is better not to fish. During this period it will be guaranteed to be low, so the fisherman will simply waste his time;
• During the new moon in winter, the fish's appetite noticeably weakens (but in summer such changes are not observed), even the predator will not actively respond to the offered treats.

It’s worth noting right away that choosing optimal weather conditions for winter fishing is quite problematic, however, in order to increase the chances of a good catch, it is necessary to take into account all the factors that can affect the behavior of fish.

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Many anglers are interested in what the term “Moon in Pisces” means and whether it affects the bite. This phrase refers to horoscopes; if the stars align in this way, it will not affect the behavior of fish in any way.

Under which Moon does fish bite better?

Now there are several different versions of the influence of the phases of the moon on fish biting. Let's look at the main ones:

1. According to the first version, it is believed that 90% of catches in a lifetime will occur during the full moon and new moon phases . The idea behind moon phase fishing is that the higher the tide, the more active the fish. The strongest tides occur twice a month: during the new moon and full moon . This version is most relevant for places where the tides are most pronounced, for example on the ocean coasts.

2. The second version says that it is on the days of the new moon and full moon that the lowest fish activity is observed and, accordingly, its bite. An excellent time for fishing is considered to be the days of the new moon, which begin 3 days after the new moon and several days a week before the new moon.

Dependence of moon phases and bite

The figure above shows 28 states of the Moon, despite the fact that the lunar month consists of 29.5 days. The fact is that the new moon and full moon last a little more than 1 day.

3. There is also a statement that fishing should only be done on a full moon at night . The theory here is that the moon's light allows the fish to see better. After all, how nice it is to stand on the shore with a spinning rod on a clear, warm and moonlit night and fish without the help of an annoying flashlight! You can try to catch the predator using surface baits, guiding them along the lunar path. The effect of the splash of an attacking fish is guaranteed to delight!

What lunar phases exist

Every day the Moon changes its position in the sky relative to the Earth. We have known this fact since our school astronomy lessons. Depending on this situation, natural processes also change. When the Moon is located between the Sun and the Earth, its illuminated part is not visible, so the night luminary is not visible. At some time, you can see a month, a semicircle or three quarters of the moon in the sky. This suggests that the visible part is illuminated by the Sun.

Science knows four phases of the moon:

1. New Moon - the satellite is not visible during this period.
2. First quarter - the Moon appears in the form of a semicircle on the right side and continues to wax.
3. Full moon - the lunar disk is visible in full size and well illuminated. After this, the Moon begins to wane.
4. The last quarter - the semicircle of the satellite is visible on the left, continues to decrease.

Each new phase of the Moon lasts approximately 2-3 days, gradually replacing the previous one over the course of a month. It should be remembered that the above-described behavior of the Moon relative to the Sun and Earth is typical for the Northern Hemisphere of the planet. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, everything will be the other way around.

Full moon is one of the lunar phases

The influence of the moon phase on fish bite is just one parameter. The quality and quantity of the catch also depends on the time of year, day, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, etc.

Moon phases: sea and ocean fishing

It's a completely different matter when it comes to sea or ocean fishing. After all, it is the moon that is “to blame” for such phenomena as the ebb and flow of the tides. But she's not the only one. The sun also influences this amazing natural phenomenon. The highest tides, the so-called syzygies, occur during the new moon or full moon, when the position of the Sun, Earth and Moon relative to each other is on the same line, and both celestial bodies act synchronously in relation to our planet. When the Moon is behind the Earth, relative to the Sun, there is a full moon, and when in front, then, accordingly, there is a new moon.

In the first and last quarter of the Moon's phases, when half of its visible part is illuminated, the tides are least pronounced. But it is during this period that the fish bite during high tide is most intense .

Perhaps only because of this, the statement that the bite is weak during the new moon and full moon was automatically transferred to freshwater bodies of water.

In fact, our inland lakes, reservoirs and ponds also experience tidal cycles. But they are microscopically small due to the disparate volume of water.

Pike biting by moon phases

Let's look at how the phase of the moon affects the pike's bite.

Fishermen note that pike are most active during the new moon. She is undemanding when it comes to wiring and greedily grabs the offered bait. At this time, the chance of catching large trophies .

When satellite is in the first quarter , the pike's bite weakens , but the fish continues to feed.

Its activity is at an average level - the first quarter cannot be classified as favorable or unfavorable periods for fishing.

During the full moon worst to the bait offered . It happens that even when the weather is favorable for biting, you have to torture it for a long time, trying different wiring techniques.

Important. The exception is night fishing, which may be more successful during the full moon. This is due to the fact that the reservoirs are better illuminated, therefore, the fish remain more active in the dark. Good results during the full moon can be achieved by fishing in shallow waters.

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In the last quarter, pike activity begins to increase , returning to average levels. This phase can be called neutral .

conclusions

From all of the above, the following conclusions should be drawn:

• In large bodies of water (during sea or ocean fishing), the fish bite increases significantly during high tide . This is explained by the fact that the water floods the shore , where there is a large variety of food and the fish know about it, and accordingly, at this time they tend to the shore.
• In its different cycles, the Moon gives different amounts of light and, accordingly, the illumination of the reservoir changes. And along with the degree of illumination, the behavior of the fish also changes. The light of the Moon allows fish to see better, and therefore to hunt better.
• But you shouldn’t blindly rely only on the Moon; if the weather is inclement, then you need to focus on it first.

And yet, not a single scientist can give an exact answer as to whether the Moon affects fish biting or not. Each fisherman must rely, first of all, on his knowledge, observations, experience, but whether or not he is guided by the fisherman’s calendar, lunar phases and everything else is a personal matter for everyone.

Lunar calendars

Based on the prediction of changing phases, lunar biting calendars are created. Of course, they contain important data on the activity of fish, but, unfortunately, there is no exact answer as to how significant this influence is.

Still, the bite forecast should also contain data on changes in the weather. In our opinion, its influence on fish is more important and significant than the influence of the heavenly body. But everyone is free to choose their own point of view. Let us repeat that precise measurements of the influence of moon phases on fish biting have not been carried out, and such studies are quite large-scale and financially expensive. It is unlikely that there will be a sponsor willing to pay for work of this scale.

So, when going fishing, you need to trust your intuition, the weather forecast, and maybe even the lunar calendar! And it will definitely bite...

How does the moon affect fish bite?

4 minutes Author: Konstantin Pavlov 26944

As the famous saying goes: “It bites yesterday and tomorrow, and from the opposite bank.” Fishermen tend to blame everything around for their failures, but if the influence of weather and atmospheric pressure on processes in water bodies is more or less clear, then how to explain the influence of the Moon on the fish bite?

The dependence of the bite on the celestial body can be considered in two contexts: the tidal influence of the Moon and its light influence, in other words, the night illumination of a reservoir.

The theory of the influence of the Moon on fishing has both supporters and opponents. Which of them is right has not yet been fully clarified, because comprehensive studies have not been conducted on this matter. We will tell the story from the point of view of the first debaters; decide for yourself whether to take their words on faith or not.

Moon phases and fish bite

An assessment of the influence of the lunar cycle on fish bite is given depending on the feeding behavior of aquatic inhabitants, i.e., on how actively predators and peaceful fish obtain food for themselves. The rating is given on a scale of 4 points. The lower the score, the lower the probability of a good catch. Promising days in terms of excellent bite and unsuccessful ones:

1. New moon. The prey is passive and weakly responds to bait. 1 point.
2. Post-moon. The satellite can be seen better, and activity may increase. 2 points.
3. Young. The effect is insignificant, the fish behaves naturally. Good time, 3 points.
4. First quarter. The satellite takes the shape of a month. The lighting is better, predators are more active. The influence is not strong. Great time, 4 points.
5. Pre-full moon, 1st quarter. Activity decreases slightly, influence increases. 3 points.
6. Early full moon. Only the predator bites well. 2 points.
7. Full moon. Mining is inactive. 1 point.
8. Descending, 1st quarter. The influence is strong, there is enough light. 2 points.
9. Descending, 2nd quarter. The impact of magnetic vibrations is weaker. There is an increase in gluttony. Good time, 3 points.
10. Descending, 3rd quarter. Peak of activity, highest zhor. 4 points.
11. Waning, 4th quarter, month. Decline in the activity of aquatic inhabitants. 3 points.
12. Old. A stressful period is approaching, the new moon. 2 points.

The duration of one lunar phase is 1-3 days. A lunar month, or cycle, lasts 29 days. All observations of which Moon is best for fishing are suitable only for the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, everything will be the other way around.