Moon Phases

Something which I do agree must effect fish activity due to the moon pull on water (tides) .
There does seem to be a certain amount of information on the web regarding this, however I have found thet some sites info conflicts with others, for example information given on www.moonstrike.co.uk (very informative site) doesnt seem to tie in with Heuristic researches fishbyte 4 program (http://www.HeuristicResearch.com).
Generally the theory is that at certain times of the moons cycle, (new moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter) and at certain times within these cycles a couple of days before, during and after aforesaid phases ie moonrise, highest point, moonset, lowest point (a couple of hours each side of these times) Then predatory fish especially (including carp) are more actively feeding.
I have played at it a bit taking notes of times when decent catches are made between myself and others and there does seem to be something in it.
The moonstrike site has a study of barbel catches in particular and does seem to come to some satisfactory conclusions regarding this theory.
Has anyone else ever dabbled (with the theory I mean.. calm down monk.) and if so what are yor thoughts.

Just an afterthought, obviously many other factors do effect fish behaviour, but moon phases, thermoclines? wind direction and pressure together must make for one hell of a session.

I came across the Moonstrike website and took at least 3 weeks before i understood it. During that time I corresponded with Chris Lyons who runs the site and found him very helpful. He gave me some "peak times" to try, which luckily coincided with my rest days. I`ve since had at least 4 good sessions that fitted in with the times he gave me. My son had his pb barbel on one day. On the next, even though there was a match on my stretch with some top anglers, the guy pegged in my area didnt have a bite. I fished after the match in "peak time" and had 6 barbel to 8lb in 3 hours of torrential rain.. I`m sure that Chris is on to something. He sells his charts for ?4:50 for a year if anyone is interested. Look at his website....WWW.MOONSTRIKE.CO.UK..(I dont know how to do links or I would have.)

"I fished after the match in "peak time" and had 6 barbel to 8lb in 3 hours of torrential rain"

plenty of bankside noise during a match, then the bait goes in at the end of the match, everything goes quiet, barbel move in. Its a well tried scenario Steve.

I'm glad you posted this one Tim, saved me the trouble, a very interesting area and one which the eels lads have studied in some depth. At one time the National Anguilla Club had a move to re-publish back dates of their Bulletin, if they so did it would provide some very interesting information, I'll watch this thread with interest!

The moon has a gravitational pull which attracts invertibrate fauna to the surface levels, these in turn are followed by fish, its not as straightforward as that though, I just cant remember the specifics at the moment< (senality I'm afraid Tim)

It has something to do with magnetoriception, we contain metalic particulate matter which is attracted by magnetic North, metals from the asthenasphere are spewed out of the sea bed in Riffs (through tectonic plate action, some form magnetic positives others negatives and thus create a polar, the moon has an effect on the metalic trace elements (suggested through experimentation), I'll try and find it?

Riffs mate?
I thought that was guitar music to go with the Morroccan Woodbines?

I also have the opinion that the moon phases have a weird effect on women. I`m sure I read once that a womans brain contains more water than a mans so obviously the force will be greater, hence why the majority of women are mad, and why my ex spent so much time howling at the moon.....

There's probably more to that than you may think Steve.
A womans menstrual cycle is the same duration as the moons cycle.
(the new moon cycle, not the moons menstrual cycle)

Dave, I can see your point, but the fact remains that through the moon tables etc, Chris had forecast that they would struggle in the (very sparsely pegged) match, and that I would be in with a good shout at the times stated. The angler in my area had 100 yds to himself, which was the hot spot on the stretch. The day was perfect, overcast with rain, the river was steady. Over 5 hours he fed approx 8 pints of maggot, caster and hemp. On the lower Wye through a feeder that goes nowhere. I cannot believe that a good match angler would blank on the hot peg when at the draw they all expected him to romp it unless there was more to it. And then for me to come behind him and put 6 fish on the bank within 3 hours and from15 yds above at a peak time. I tell you theres something in this moon phase stuff.

We apparently have moon people, people who are effected by moon phases, the women thing has some merit, probably more than we realise.

Sorry Twainy its a geology thing as in Riff Valley, a separation in the plates as in the mid atlantic ridge (I think)? or is this a destructive plate, forgot? Did you get my return email mate?

Interesting this though I can't help feeling that there are a lot of other variables such as atmospheric pressure, water temperature, water clarity, minor pollutants, changes in all the above, etc,etc, which will affect the fishing as well.

Here's a puzzle from the weekend.

A small group of us fished the Warwickshire Avon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On each day we were the only people on the stretch we fished. The first person arrived at about 9.00 am on Friday and up to 11.30 am he had 3 barbel and a couple of chub. The second person arrived at about 11.30 and set up not far away in another good swim. hearing the news of his mate's catch and sseeing the condition of the river he expected a red letter day. The problem was that after 11.30 not another fish was caught. Saturday came and another three of us turned up, again we saw the river and expected to catch. Only one barbel was caught all day and (Ithink) only 3 chub. Interestingly the barbel was hooked very lightly and the hook fell out in the net. On Sunday two of us fished another stretch. At 11.30 am I hooked a barbel and pulled out of it almost straight away. Half an hour later my mate hooked another barbel and again pulled out of it after about 30 seconds. No other bites until about 3.00 pm and then my mate hooked another barbel. He landed this one, but again the hook fell out in the net.

Questions: what caused the barbel to stop feeding at lunch time on Friday? Why were all the other fish caught, including the chub by the way, only very lightly hooked? Was it the deep low pressure system? The strong winds? The moon phase?

we'll probably never get to the real answer, but it will be fun trying.

Rik,
Does the moon go insane for a week in every month too?

Yes, can't you see it crying when you make even the slightest suggestion about going fishing.

According to information Ive managed to gleen from Heuristic redsearch, the moon set at around quater to eleven and the lowest point was just before 5:00 (Taking into account that the clocks went back into account).
The favourable times are supposed to be around these two points give or take an hour.
Now Sunday was supposed to be the best day of the three being around the last quarter.
Maybe this takes into account th lowest point at just before 5:00?

Interestingly the catches on all three days seem to be roughly clustered around the two times you gave. How accurate ids the corelation supposed to be? I've heard people say expect a run at, for example, 11.31 am.

Last winter (and maybe this...) 3pm give or take 3 minutes was absolutely prime time. It got so I could turn up at 2, cast out and leave by 3.30. Virtually no takes outside of 2.55 - 3.15, and 12am-3pm. Come march, it reverted to the 10.30pm till 12.00, and 2am till 6am.
Only thing i can think is that the water would maybe be at its warmest at 3 - sun on it all day, and only just starting to set.