Moon Magic Largemouth
Jan 26, 2012; 12:47 PM ET
Abundance, position, and vulnerability of prey are important factors in the eagerness of bass and other predators to attack. With the exception of the spawn, bass strike to obtain food. My observations and diet analyses show that adult bass feed only when hunting conditions are favorable, remaining inactive when opportunities are poor in order to save energy. This behavior apparently has evolved to promote survival.
Even in summer when food is abundant, more than half of adult largemouth bass sampled often have empty stomachs, even more during winter. They bite if opportunity knocks, but preyfish use survival skills to avoid capture.
Bass tend to feed in low-light conditions-dawn, dusk, and when clouds and wind reduce underwater visibility. These are unquestionably prime times to catch bass, outgunning lunar effects. But from ancient times, hunters and fishers have noted the moon's position and brightness seemed to influence success. In the 1920s, John Alden Knight devised the first solunar tables and held a monopoly until his patent ran out. Today, many solunar calendars are available, differing slightly in length and estimated potency of minors and majors, as well as inclusion of other factors. For 20 years, I've relied on versions of Casio's Fish in Time or Pathfinder watches, which are programmed to show these periods.
Many anglers, from weekend warriors to touring pros, place great faith in solunar theory, planning to be on prime spots during major and minor periods. For example, veteran Oklahoma pro Tommy Biffle has consulted tables in planning tournament strategies. He now uses the FishMate app on his iPhone as a source of major and minor feeding times, wherever the BASS Elite Series takes him. "If I have a group of bass pinpointed, I make sure to fish that spot during a major period," he says, noting that this strategy has boosted his earnings at many events. Other anglers don't place much value in this concept, focusing instead on weather, shade, or barometric effects in planning strategies.
The Data Set
My new data set includes all adult bass I and my fishing partners hooked from 1992 through the middle of 2010. We fished a total of 2,500 outings, lasting 10,466 hours. During that time, we logged 8,900 bass of 12 inches or longer, including bass that escaped when close enough to be identified, as the timing of bites was of utmost interest. This total was more than three times larger than in my 1992 analysis. To increase accuracy, I used the Multiyear Interactive Computer Almanac (MICA) provided by the U.S. Naval Observatory to define major and minor periods, as it lists precise lunar transit times.
I separated catches of individual anglers in describing catch rates. I also kept track of bass over 5 pounds or 21 inches for separate analysis, as some theorists have maintained that larger bass may be more influenced by moon effects than small and perhaps less discerning fish. We tallied 371 bass of five pounds or more, including 40 from 8 to 10.8 pounds. I also noted water temperature, wind speed and direction, and sky conditions.
Our efforts included reservoirs and power-plant impoundments as well as ponds. While nearly all effort was in Texas, we also fished in Louisiana and New Mexico. We fished famed Lake Fork frequently from 1998 to 2007, but from 2000 to 2005, the lake suffered the effects of Largemouth Bass Virus, and fishing was far slower than before the disease outbreak or at present.
Click here to read more and view Ralph Manns' data.
Ralph Manns
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