Fishing the Full Moon and Crappie

S-dog and myself for years have had poor results fishing on the full moon. This weekend was just another example of full moon misery. We found the fish and the bite was just as sporatic as it could be. We fished hard for four days, Thursday - Sunday and never established a pattern. We may have caught fourty fish collectively between the three boats. The only thing I can think of is that possibly the extra light (Full Moon) allows them to feed all night and they are still digesting from thier nocturnal feast. Does anyone have any thoughts or theories on this subject? :(

For example, it seems that activity increases as the full moon nears, and some anglers find that the best crappie fishing can take place in twilight or at night about four to five days prior to the full moon. However, they seem to become sluggish as the full moon hits, so this is perhaps the least productive day of the month in which to go fishing for crappie.
Why Fish for Crappie?

I'm going to keep a watch on this one for replies. I have always had similar experiences with my primary targets, which are inshore trout and redfish. Having recently taken up the freshwater experience, I keep hearing that for three days leading up to the full moon it is tops, and for three days leading up to the new moon, it is also a close second choice. Maybe you are onto something with the twilight aspect of it.

PW and I have discussed this for years. Growing-up, My Father and Uncle were die-hard crappie guys and good at it. They simply would not fish on a fullmoon and their theory was "just wasting time." Over the years, I've tested this theory and "FOR ME" I've found this to be true. I have caught fish on a full moon but based on %'s over the years, most of the time I haven't. So, this should be a interested thread.:)

dont know if this means a lot to anyone else.i put a lot of stock into oldtimers advise.this wasnt the advise by all oldtimers ive talked to but acouple firmly believed 3 days before and three days after just had to catch it just right so that gives you a seven day span.

I do a lot of night fishing and I don't fish the full moon. Have caught crappie on a full moon at night but they are a lot deeper and most the time they are holding on a drop off in deep water. Not worth the time for the number of fish.

I don't do as well on the full moon either except early morning and late evenings, and that is if the moon is not up. Same way at night. They seem to do OK until the moon gets up and then they get lockjaw. I seem to do my best fishing 7-10 days before the full moon.

I went looking for info on the net, This one kinda discribes what happened during last years spawn. The fronts kept comming in pushing the fish off of the bed. The larger females were just busting with row. Below is a photo of some row that had the color and consistancy of apple sause. SorryDog and I caught several females with this condition. We concluded that the females had missed the opportunity to spawn and were absorbing the row (or) that the row was in some stage of a fishes version of a miscarrage. This may need to be on a diffrent thread, but, Has anyone ever seen this before?

Somewhere, sometime, an old wives tale was told often enough that it became common knowledge for almost everyone who is not a biologist. That myth was that spawning occurred on the full moon. Spawning does occur on full moon if the water temperature is right. It also occurs on dark moon - if the water temperature is right. There are two spawning triggers for bass and crappie and other members of the centrarchid family. The first is an increase in water temperature into the 60 degree. The second is photoperiod (day length). So as soon as the days are long enough bass and crappie can spawn. Then a storm front moves in and cools water temperature causing the nest to be abandonded. As soon as it warms again the fish renest and bring off another brood. This can be repeated 4-6 times each spawning season which lasts about 6 weeks. The concept of the storm front inhibiting spawning is corrrect. Fronts cool the water so no spawning occurs until it warms again -regardless of moon phase. Its all about water temperature and has nothing to do with moon beams.

we caught these guys in middle May 08 ish. my next wife will know how tho fish and set the date on a camera...........pww

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Originally Posted by pwrighta1

we caught these guys in middle May 08 ish. my next wife will know how tho fish and set the date on a camera...........pww

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I pray to God, that your "CURRENT" wife don't see your post! Because we could starve to death on some of our trips!:D

Tend to agree that water temp is the controlling factor, have sat in the pads on a February full moon night when no front was involved and had a great time yanking in the large specks, have also saw everything dry up on the arrival of a front and have seen the 'applesauce' egg sacs off and on when the weather stays nasty.--shu