Do Lunar Cycles Matter to Fish?

Last Tuesday evening, I was fortunate enough to take my middle school fly fishing club on their first outing of the year.  I've done this for a few years now and I have come to realize that the first trip is full of high expectations, optimism, and knots...lots of knots!  Luckily, we were able to get into some fish and I am proud to say that EVERYONE caught at least one fish.  Some students caught their first fish of their lives, some caught their first on a fly rod, and others put up some gaudy numbers.  I was ecstatic on the way home because we don't always have success like that.  The science part of my brain also started to kick in and I started to dissect why we had enjoyed so much success.  Most of me subscribed to the idea that a cold front was approaching and that it worked in our favor.  However, that front was also hours away and might not have been a determining factor.  After arriving home after dark, I parked my truck and walked down the driveway to check the mailbox.  That's when another factor got my attention like a broken shoelace...an almost full moon.

This moment took me back to a fact that I heard back in the early days of my fishing career.  I can't remember where I heard it (possibly a credible source) but I remember distinctively hearing from a TV show host that 75% of the state record fish caught in America have been caught within two days before a full moon, the day of a full moon, or within two days after a full moon.  75% GUYS!  WOW!  That's a pretty big percent...if it is indeed true.  Think about what that means!  Out of the 30 or so days in a month, 5 of them could be the best!  However, like the last cast at the end of the day, let's reel this puppy in a little bit.

I DO NOT plan my fishing outings around solar or lunar tables!  I fish when I can and that means that sometimes are less that favorable.  However, with that in mind, I gotta say that I DO pay attention to moon phases and full moons bring me a sense of optimism.  For this very reason, I decided to offer up some research on the topic for you to ponder and consider.  I'm not sure if it matters or not, but I can honestly tell you that the fish were biting last Tuesday...even for the newbies.

Link: http://www.ospreylakelodge.com/does-the-moon-affect-fishing/