Whats the deal with the BLUE MOON? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Hookedagain · 08-30-2012, 07:04 PM

I have never fished this Blue Moon everyone seems to be talking about. Is this the holy grail of moons? Should I get my a$$ up and pack my gear and head out? Is anyone heading out for this epic moon?
I don't want to miss out if its that good, but I am exhausted.

Higgie · 08-30-2012, 07:13 PM

I was wondering the same thing
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chaz · 08-30-2012, 07:22 PM

just go fishing ,going to get my gear and head out after work starting to look like a all nighter,fall is upon us cooler temps means long boring days in the winter months

Jackbass · 08-30-2012, 07:50 PM

It is an extra set of spring tides in a month at the end of August! That is exactly the kind of thing that gets me excited
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Mike P · 08-30-2012, 08:20 PM

Nothing special about a "blue moon". All it means is that it's the second full moon in a calendar month. They happen more often than you'd think, from all the hubbub about it.

WESTPORTMAFIA · 08-31-2012, 02:36 AM

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WESTPORTMAFIA · 08-31-2012, 02:37 AM

That means blue moons suck.
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Jackbass · 08-31-2012, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WESTPORTMAFIA

That means blue moons suck.
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Speak for yourself I caught the smallest fish of the year for me today(hopefully)
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macojoe · 08-31-2012, 08:00 AM

There are Smurf's born on a Blue Moon!

mikey99 · 08-31-2012, 10:12 AM

Is the moon actually going to be blue

mikey99 · 08-31-2012, 10:12 AM

Or just sad

Saltheart · 08-31-2012, 11:39 AM

Lets bracket "peak" striper time as May to Sept. Yes I know you can catch them march to Dec in New England (or all year long if you fish rivers , etc) (For me it was always St Patricks Day to Monday after Thanksgiving). May to Sept has 153 days. If you want , call it 184 by including October or also include April and November and add the appropriate days. Its up to you.

Now we can argue about New Moons and Full Moons but the fact is that the tides go with the moon and that means about every 28 days there is a complete cycle and in that cycle we have high water and strong currents every 14 days along with low water and slower currents (or maybe faster in some areas at some times) every 14 days.

So now make up 2 scales (rulers or yard sticks). Make one with marks every 14 days and one with marks every month (30 days for June , 31 for August , etc). .

Now place the scales one above the other and slide them back and forth relative to one another. You will see that at some relative locations of the scales , you will get an extra big moon event occuring during your chosen peak season and at other relative scale locations you will lose one.. Under the right circumstances of Moon dates you may even gain a second extra tide during your defined peak season..

So depending on the timing of the first moon event relative to the first day of your defined season , you get an extra chance or two at good moon tides.

To get more in depth , add a vertical scale to your scales showing high and low tide times on your 14 day scale and time of day on the calendar scale. Now if you like you could add a wave on your scale that goes up and down with the high/low tide times. Now when you move the scales relative to each other , you will see when the tide events throughout the season correspond to the times of day you like to fish. You could add more event markers to you calendar scale to indicate say fridays or Saturdays , etc. Another good event to add to your scalkes would be sunrise and sunset.

So lets say you slide the scales up and down relative to each other and you notice certain must fish days. For me that would be when new moon tides correspond to sunset on a Friday night!

So anyway , all the excitement of a blue moon is just that idea (not nescessarily reality) that you get an extra day of good tides during some predetermined time frame. In the case of Blue Moons the time frame is a month but I think "peak" fishing times is more important.

Conclusions. There are times when fishing is predicted to be better. Strong tides, do to moon phases, is one , thus the excitement of a Blue Moon. Sunrise and sunsets are another , time of day of the high and low tides relative to when you like to fish are another. Days you can go (like Friday nights) are another.

To be honest , I would get a lot more excited when a higher than normal tide happens to coincide with the sunset on a friday night than I would about a Blue Moon but if that extra moon tide is what makes that peculiarly good friday night possible than Oh yeah , we love the Blue Moon (or the new moon two weeks before or after!

Yes when there is an extra moon in the month , the moon is actually Blue in color and if you make a wish when you see that blue colored moon rise , your wish will come true.

FishermanTim · 08-31-2012, 11:40 AM

Nah, he's just a little down in the dumps.

piemma · 08-31-2012, 11:54 AM

No complaints from me.

Jackbass · 08-31-2012, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piemma

No complaints from me.

Hmm I should have taken the day off I see
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Liv2Fish · 08-31-2012, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey99

Is the moon actually going to be blue

We go down to the beach to watch the moon rise over the ocean and when it came up orange and turned white, my two year old was absolutely pissed that it wasn't blue. She said I told her a fib and I should be in time out.

Rockfish9 · 08-31-2012, 01:07 PM

silly people fish dont eat on a full moon.. especialy a blue moon... they stick their heads in the sand and wait until the new moon.. so everyone should stay home and play with their computers...

Jackbass · 08-31-2012, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

silly people fish dont eat on a full moon.. especialy a blue moon... they stick their heads in the sand and wait until the new moon.. so everyone should stay home and play with their computers...

Thanks for the heads up I'll never make that mistake again ;-)
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Rockfish9 · 08-31-2012, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackbass

Thanks for the heads up I'll never make that mistake again ;-)
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damn right you wont

me either

Hookedagain · 08-31-2012, 04:49 PM

Westportmafia......it sucked because you were fishing for "Bait".......

All kidding aside, it really did suck!! But we'll get them next time. So much for plan B..

PRBuzz · 08-31-2012, 04:55 PM

Just now received this from a friend, located well east of Boston, the moon coming over the horizon!

numbskull · 08-31-2012, 05:24 PM

Fish laugh at me and my plugs when the moon is full.
I curse the damn thing and pray for clouds.
Just sayin.

iamskippy · 08-31-2012, 10:15 PM

Well the bluemoon = a spud sighting, how you been man!
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Hookedagain · 09-01-2012, 10:05 AM

Skip.....I've been well. Busy as usual but much slower now. In a few weeks I will be completely caught up with everything. I have to call you...got some goodies for you.

Zeal · 09-01-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

Fish laugh at me and my plugs when the moon is full.
I curse the damn thing and pray for clouds.
Just sayin.

Thank GOD I'm not alone!

Night Shift · 09-01-2012, 04:56 PM

Hmmm, last week almost every fish that was brought boatside had 3 or 4 friends following, all visable in the moonlight in only 2.5 - 4 feet of water. The fish were VERY hungry and the moon was VERY bright.

Just curious, have eighther of you two tried an eel skinned needle under these conditions, or used a lighter leader? I haven't tried plugs much this year (the fish have been too fat and picky), but I seriously doubt these fish would have refused one.

WESTPORTMAFIA · 09-01-2012, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookedagain

Westportmafia......it sucked because you were fishing for "Bait".......

All kidding aside, it really did suck!! But we'll get them next time. So much for plan B..

Lol. Yeah plan b sucked but I think a would have too. That wind in the wrong direction was totally honking. Still had a good time though.
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chefchris401 · 09-01-2012, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night Shift

Hmmm, last week almost every fish that was brought boatside had 3 or 4 friends following, all visable in the moonlight in only 2.5 - 4 feet of water. The fish were VERY hungry and the moon was VERY bright.

Just curious, have eighther of you two tried an eel skinned needle under these conditions, or used a lighter leader? I haven't tried plugs much this year (the fish have been too fat and picky), but I seriously doubt these fish would have refused one.

eelskin plugs slay in the moon light, if the fish are there they will hit the eelskin no doubt.

had a slow pick of smaller fish last full moon, switched to the eelskin ah jr and the size went up, as did the hits. biggest fish was 24lbs on the skin plug but compared to 15lb fish on a non skin plug.

OLD GOAT · 09-02-2012, 10:15 AM

Next blue moon July 2015

numbskull · 09-02-2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night Shift

Just curious, have eighther of you two tried an eel skinned needle under these conditions, or used a lighter leader? .

Yup and yup (but #40 fluoro is as light as I dare go where I fish)

Skin plugs help a little ( no where near as much as clouds) but are far from a sure thing when the moon is up. Finding deep water and fishing deep is the better trick, which is why boat fishing (or the canal) is often good with a big moon. Also, during spring and fall migrations fish are less fussy so sometimes I've done well, but more often not.

Consistently catching quality fish on plugs from shore under a bright summer moon is not something I have been able to master.....or understand. It eats at me since a big moon now kills my confidence, and confidence is key to catching fish on plugs.