How the moon affects bite times

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How the moon affects bite times

Written by markt

Monday, 08 November 2010 11:59

Recently there was a very well written article in the New Zealand Herald's Fishing section about Best Bite Times or prime fishing times. The author Geoff Thomas explains in a very clear way how the Moon can influence the best times to go fishing.

He explains how Solunar Tables and the Maori Fishing Calendar function and also how tides are influenced by the moon. The bite times that you can find at fishingreminder are calculated after the outlined priciples in this article.

Interestingly towards the end of his article he also mentions how wind can influence fishing and that fish will not feed actively during easterly winds. I have heard this before somewhere: Winds from the east - fish feed the least, winds from the west - fishing at its best. From my experience there seems to be some truth in this.

Follow the link below to read the full article:

read the article

Comments (13)

Thanks for the article mark.I've always known nearer the end/beginning of the month was always best fishing.When i read about the wind direction affecting fishing it clicked.
Living on the east coast(hawkes bay) i have noticed fishing with a warm breeze at my back was better fishing wise.Not to mention more comfortable as opposed to a onshore sea breeze(brrrr).Anyway conicideing light change and tides is the trifecta.Adding a nice westerly would be the cherry on the top!
Heading into summer these should be some great tips...cheers

I have nothing to ask now, everything that's on my mind are cleared and answered. Thank you very much for this much informative post Mark. Got to read on your other posts. It's really worth reading.

Cheers!
Kenneth

When the wind is comming in from the ease it means there is a low pressure area in control. When the barometer is falling the fish feel like the are going to drowned for lack of water and head to deeper water. Fish normaly on the flats will be in the channel, fish in the channel will go deep in the ocean, etc..

I fish in Halifax river, Ponce Inlet, FL. The best time is went barometric pressure is over 30.5 Mb., and up, and the water course moving fast. Try and let me know

I fish CA, particularly southern cal, and an easterly wind means coming from the east. An East wind is from the east, a west wind from the west. As to east winds being shutdown winds, not always my experience. A moderate offshore wind, which would be an East wind or S.East wind, lays down the swell which is usually from the west making getting to the offshore islands easier for boaters. They are also associated with high pressure systems. Fish bite best in high pressure and less so in low pressure. The only prized fish I know that bites well in low pressure is white seabass, our giant croaker. It has a long swim bladder, and with low pressure it tends to feed closer to surface, even in relatively shallow water - 60-90' - probably because they don't want to inflate the bladder to stay down, which takes some energy and they are fairly lazy feeders and also feed best on slack tides. But I have noted bites shutdowns in very strong east and S.E winds

Ever heard of the old fisherman's saying,

"When the wind comes from the East, the fish bite the least.
When the wind comes from the West, the fish bite the best."

I think that pretty much sums it up right there!

I have tried few days now, to fish on the major times..only got one.. but when i fished in minor time i got 5 fish.. i live in norway..

I need some tips about fishing, i fish from a pier and right into saltwater, not very deep, its not very big fish here, but anyone got some tips private message me please!

I have fished ALOT offshore and inshore and I will tell you that you will not catch as many fish with a East wind. The harder it blows, the fewer the fish.

Hi BradlyFair

Easterly wind means it blows from the east to the west.

Cheers
Mark

Just wondering. You said that "Easterly" winds are not the best time for fish to feed. Then you said that winds from the east are not. Just a little confused. Are winds blowing toward the western seaboard the best time or is the best time when winds are blowing toward the eastern seaboard. Sorry if I seem a little slow on this but I thought that easterly wind meant that the wind was blowing TO the east and not FROM the east. Anxious to have this clarified because I live in one of the winiest areas of California and if its true, it could really help me. Thanks

Hi John

Thanks for the comment. My site will work for any place in the world. The fishing times are calculated based on your latitude and longitude. So keep on checking the times and let us know how you go.

Cheers and tight lines

This looks to be an excellent web site, and I would register immediately but for the fact that I live in Wales,UK therefore much of what is there is not greatly relevant to me. But keep up the good work. If I ever get to visit your beautiful country I shall register at once. I hope you don't mind if I pay the occassional visit.

just got back from fishing bout 2km off hawkes bay beach fairly stiff easterly blowing and landed a nice 10kg snapper on the change of light in the evening tide was high