9781422273166

for their next meal. Chumming and chunking will make them more likely to take your bait. Tides also change throughout the month. The fluctuations in the appearance of the moon that we call “phases” were once used to keep track of the passing days, months, and years. Early calendars were based on the moon. Now the phases of the moon also tell us what to expect from fishing. Moon Phases New moon: When the earth, sun, and moon are almost in a straight line. With the moon between the earth and the sun, we can only see the dark side of the moon. The tides are lower, and many flat fish stay in deeper water. First quarter: About a week after the new moon, we begin to see the waxing crescent moon. The right side of the moon is illuminated and the left side of the moon is dark. A neap tide comes with very little water movement and less feeding activity by fish. A neap tide occurs when the difference between high and low tide is the least, and they happen twice a month when the sun and moon are at right angles to the earth. Full moon : In the middle of the lunar month, we see the full moon. The full moon brings the biggest tides. The largest fish can then swim close to the shore, and the bright sunlight reflected off the moon may increase feeding activity. This is a controversial topic for fishermen; they are split 50/50 on whether a full moon influences fish to feed more. Second quarter: A week after the full moon, we once again see the moon from its side. But now the left side of the moon

Get to Know Your Fish

11