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FULL MOON QUESTION
I've read a lot about moon phases, the spawn, night fishing, etc.
But I have a different question about wintertime fishing in daylight hours.
Does the full moon affect crappie at all?
And if so, does it affect shallow crappie and deep crappie as well?
Reason I ask, I watch Shane Jones (Crappiekast) and he's a good crappie fisherman. He says in the river system, fish in 12-15 fow are not affected much by cold fronts, rain, wind or pressure changes like shallow fish. I kinda feel the same way about the weather part.
But sometimes that big fat yellow moon in the morning skunks me.
So, what do you say?
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I was taught that deeper fish are less affected by change in barometric pressure . So anytime the bite is tough I go deeper till I get bit .
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This is what AI says...........................
Yeah — they can, but not in a magic-on/off way. Think of the moon as a modifier, not the main driver.
Here’s how moon phases usually play into crappie behavior
What the moon actually affects
Light levels at night
Full moon = brighter nights → crappie may feed more after dark
New moon = darker nights → more daytime feeding
If they eat all night under a bright moon, they might be a little lazier during the day.
General phase tendencies (not hard rules)
New moon
Often solid daytime bites, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Waxing / waning quarters
Pretty consistent fishing; often underrated.
Full moon
Can be great at night, but daytime bite may be tougher unless conditions are right.
What matters more than the moon
These usually outweigh moon phase by a lot:
Water temperature
Season (pre-spawn, spawn, post-spawn)
Weather fronts
Water clarity
Depth and cover
If the water temp and structure are right, crappie will bite regardless of the moon.
Practical takeaway
Use moon phase as a tie-breaker, not a deciding factor
During a full moon, try:
Fishing deeper during the day
Dawn/dusk windows
Night fishing around lights if legal
During a new moon, lean into normal daytime patterns
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Bingo! Thanks, that helps a lot. I think we kinda know from experience, but that really defines whats happening.
I don't ever remember Richard Gene discussing if he goes by the moon or not. He does mention cold fronts sometimes. To me he's a shallow water fisherman. It looks like he fishes that same old creek area now most of the time unless he hits docks or bridges.
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If it’s near a spawn , the full moon night gig will likely be all that on the bite …
The rest of the time it seems highly variable to me ….
Just saying
I do know sunshine daytime winter deep water midday bite is sometimes good stuff ….probably something to do with light penetration