Full Moon Fishing?

[BigFish]

What are your thoughts on how productive the fishing is or can be on a night with a full moon? I am going out tonight to fish the flood high under the bright bulb I think! Be curious to hear your thoughts and experiences!

[Flaptail]

Play the shadow line.

[BigFish]

Always do.

[Gunpowder]

got my biggest bass two days after the full moon at near high tide... i hear all the time that with the full moon, the light keeps the fish from coming in close... my motto has always been, if i want to fish, i fish. if i don't, well, hell i still go out and fish. a full moon creates currents and extreme tides that i would not miss a day to fish during... long answer short larry, i love them.


mike

[Flaptail]

Plug wise on a full moon I prefer yellow especially on the outer beaches.

[BigFish]

I have done quite well with my "Bunker" pattern under the lights! Yellow over white is always a great choice!

[Back Beach]

Try a horsecock eel.

[Sea Flat]

Zeno Hromin prefers the new moon over the full moon in his book I am reading now. I would think the exception would be if there is a full moon and it is overcast. Just as good as new moon.

[fcap60]

Typically, I'm not a fan of surf fishing under a bright moon and given the choice, I plan around them. Having said that, there are always exceptions and I've had many nights when the bass feed aggressively under the lights.

My choices for success under the lights would be:
1. Live eels,
2. black sluggos (yes, BLACK on bright nights), and
3. yellow plugs,


good luck

[FishermanTim]

If you're fishing around structure (like a bridge or pier) then fish the shadow line. As for lure colors, bring variety because even though there are general rules, the exceptions tend to be the norm.

One possible benefit will be the likleyhood that any miscreants/thiefs will be more visible under a full moon, and less likely to venture out.

[BigFish]

I am looking to hear your experiences folks fishing the full moon! Do you like a full moon? Do you stay home when its full? What is YOUR experience? I have my best nights between the half and full moon.....no clouds. I never do well under a new moon and Lawd knows I have tried!! Favorite moon phase is a quarter moon!

[afterhours]

hate it...

[FishermanTim]

I may adjust my tactics or lure color/selection, but if the fish are there during new moon conditions, they will be there during full moon as well. They may adapt a different feeding routine, but they'll be there.

I will fish around structure (if tide is right) but I have had good outings down at the canal on full moon nights. What's funny is that I had to remind myself that even though typical theory has it that you use light colors on bright nights and dark colors on dark nights.
In those outings where I was getting fish, I had gone against the typical theory and used black Slug-gos on moonlit nights and nailed 40"+ fish. As I stated earlier, bring a variety of lures and colors so that you are pigeon-holed into a limited selection.

Best of all, bring a friend so that if the fish don't bite, you have someone to blame.

[DZ]

Recently wrote an article for The Fisherman mag about the moon. Not sure what issue it will be in but it covers multiple scenarios. I'm not a fan of a bright moon but I do employ special tactics when I fish it.

DZ

[Clogston29]

generally I don't like the full moon but i've had some decent nights under it. deep, moving water and eels seem to be the key to what full moon success I've had. Cloud cover obviously changes everything and a full moon with cloud cover is among my favorite conditions. last year I decided to take a few nights off around the full moon in september and later found out that the fishing was great.

[Back Beach]

Typically avoid it if its clear. I had some big nights last fall under the full. Yellow, white, or clear for artificials. Sometimes tie direct with low diameter line. When I used mono, it was usually 14# trilene xl.
Another thing to note is when I fished from the boat a lot I would score well just out of the surf guys casting range. When surf fishing now, I will try to employ tactics to gain more distance. If eel fishing, I will try deep spots with the wind at my back. Also, cutting the last 4" off the tail of an eel and fishing with a cigar butt will net you considerable distance, which is sometimes all that's needed. If all else fails, simply go home.

[keeperreaper]

Also if you can fish the shadow lines the dunes cast sometimes they produce well.

[Nebe]

full moon for me is all about the eel. Plugs never work for me unless I am lucky enough find an 'event' going on where the bass are on the feed. A lone bass in the moon on a plug.... forget about it, unless there is a lot of surf or current to make the bass act as soon as it sees it.

[Skitterpop]

if you can find them feeding good luck out there BF

[DZ]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Typically avoid it if its clear. I had some big nights last fall under the full. Yellow, white, or clear for artificials. Sometimes tie direct with low diameter line. When I used mono, it was usually 14# trilene xl.
Another thing to note is when I fished from the boat a lot I would score well just out of the surf guys casting range. When surf fishing now, I will try to employ tactics to gain more distance. If eel fishing, I will try deep spots with the wind at my back. Also, cutting the last 4" off the tail of an eel and fishing with a cigar butt will net you considerable distance, which is sometimes all that's needed. If all else fails, simply go home.

Back Beach,
Very good advice!

DZ

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Nebe

full moon for me is:

Fixed it for you.

[LeCounts1099]

Ditto my post in DZ's thread here!

[Tagger]

I hate a full moon ,, but did have an every cast hook up local one night that made me question the other 100 times I got skunked ..

[Slingah]

Originally Posted by Tagger

I hate a full moon ,, but did have an every cast hook up local one night that made me question the other 100 times I got skunked ..

....I hear ya...
ya NEVER know....it's June anything can happen.

[Diggin Jiggin]

The only tides I like better than the peak of a full moon tide is a new moon tide. I like the faster water and bigger then normal rips and eddies that you get with the extreme tides.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Try a horsecock eel.

Horescock, thats a term I haven't heard in years referring to eels. Somehow "horsecock" became "sled dog" the last ten years in respect to large eels.

Your post on enjoying the bigger fish we have in another thread was right on btw.

[Surf Zombie]

Biggest blitz I have ever been in was on a full moon in May of 1992, but it was in the day time. Started at dead high and lasted till our arms practically fell off! Never seen anything like it since. Good luck!

[FormerUser]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Play the shadow line.

What Flap said.

After reading his article here I did just that.I hit this east facing spot late night and I always do well there.

That article completely changed the way I fish around the full moon.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...ad.php?t=18274

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Horescock, thats a term I haven't heard in years referring to eels. Somehow "horsecock" became "sled dog" the last ten years in respect to large eels.

Your post on enjoying the bigger fish we have in another thread was right on btw.

I always preferred 'Ewing' or 'Holmes' when referring to eels.

[code207]

full moon is the best fishing hands down go in the marsh like 1-4am and your golden