lunarcycles

With regard to the weather and its effects on sport I shall not dwell too much on the topic as vast volumes already exist on this, but mainly because we can do very little about it. Personally I base my chances of catching more on how the atmosphere feels, and where the moon is, rather than how good the weather may be or how good the water appears. The phase and position of the moon are the only parameters that we can do anything with, it is possible to detect possible hot times, days, months even years in advance because moon times have a distinct pattern. I say possible hot times because it has been stated on other websites that I have said," turn up when the moons right and you are guaranteed to catch" nowhere have I ever said such a thing, only that fishing at predetermined peak times which are governed by the phase and position of the moon will maximise ones chances of catching. Obviously the weather has a bearing on the equation, but fish always have and always will be taken, in contradictory weather situations, we have all caught fish when the "textbook" says we should not. More on weather HERE. and below.

THE MORAL OF THAT STORY IS THEY NEW, AND ACCEPTED BACK THEN, THAT DURING DEAD SPELLS THERE IS NOT MUCH ONE CAN DO TO AROUSE THE FISH, BAR WAIT. AND THAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE WEATHER TO SUIT YOUR FISHING!

The moon follows the same pattern: New moon, First Quarter, Full moon and Last Quarter. The peak days are the 3 - 5 around these. NM, FQ, FM, LQ. The +1, -2, etc pertains to days before and after these. It does not necessarily follow that if NM+2 in June is a good day, that NM+2 in July will be good even in the same conditions. The good and bad days will first depend on tidal forces(the combined gravitational pull from the moon and sun). One moon cycle i.e. rise to rise takes on average 24hrs 50 minutes, this is why feeding periods will creep forward approximately 50 minutes each day, this is an average time. If you catch a decent fish "out of the blue" at say 13.00hrs and think, therefore, that the following day 13.00 will be a crunch time, it more than likely will not be. Try looking about 50 minutes later at 13.50, fish are not governed by "our" 24 hour clock! (see write up of 11.3 barbel in photo album 1, and write up of the capture of my 7lb 60z Chub which is a new river wye record) for a couple of examples.

Therein lies the basis of a simple experiment that anyone can perform, firstly one needs access to some water where fish can be observed, preferably a river and barbel. Get the fish going on particles of your choice and take note when activity ceases in the bigger fish, perform the same task the following day and note the time again that activity ceases, aim to carry this out from the first of the peak days. The same experiment can be carried out in reverse by noting when activity starts. Try baiting a couple of swims, the feeding period WILL be that bit later each day. Funny isn't it that the same people on a certain barbel orientated website who seem to fish most days, profess to not seeing that, and can't see pick ups in wind at moon set and fish triggering, though this happens virtually EVERY day. On this site they line up like lemmings (commiting intellectual suicide) to knock something that in its basic form, is easy to see how it applies. I would question thier motives, most of them are involved in bait/tackle/ticket sales etc, or have close friends that are, by a miracle the site now sells bait, and plugs guiding services. In case they had not noticed this site is free (entries on my quotes page, say it all).

Feeding periods occur at moon rise and moon set, at best for 3 hours. Again at the upper and lower transit times, approximately halfway between rise and set, and set and rise. These are referred to as H.P, highest point. And L.O, lowest orbit (SEE DIAGRAM). At these points, the moon is nearest to us and its energies most intense, at best these periods can last 4 hours. During these four periods the gravitationl effect from the sun also comes into play (approx 2 fifths that of the moon) the forces are joining with the moon to give us a double whammy. The effect is the same whether the sun and moon are in conjuntion or opposition. This is not occuring in dead spells. To optimise ones chances, one wants to be fishing 90 minutes before a rise or set, and 2 hours before the transit times. Big fish are most apt to be active at the start and end of feeding periods, or very close to the rise, set, or transit times, knowing these is pretty useful. Again I must emphasise the importance that you see in any of those 4 main times (RISE, SET AND TRANSITS) do not pack in just prior, many big fish INCLUDING SEVERAL RECORDS FALL ON OR NEAR THEM, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN, GIVE IT A GO. (A DETAILED MOONPHASE PROGRAM CAN BE DOWNLOADED BY CLICKING ON THE MOON DIAGRAM) THE LETTERS A, B, C, D IN THE DIAGRAM ARE FOR FISH DOCUMENTATION PURPOSES, THESE ARE HALFWAY BETWEEN THE OTHER POINTS. A LIST OF YEARLY RISE AND SET TIMES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE CALCULATOR ON THE MOONTIMES PAGE.

I will start with this study. Just a quick paragraph on tidal effect on marine/fish activity. As a rule it is not so much where the tide is but where the moon is which also governs this. A scientist in the states performed an experiment with clams. Removing some from the sea he placed them in tanks with no tide, and in a light controlled at constant room (LABORATORY CONDITIONS) so as light stimulation was also eliminated. For the whole several months of the experiment the clams opened at the same times as clams in the local sea, not only that but, they opened that bit later each day in line with the moon's difference!
He concluded that it must, therefore, be the moons effect on the earths magnetic fields that was the triggering factor.

THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN YOU CATCH A FISH WHICH WILL NOT APPEAR TO FIT WITH THAT WRITTEN ON THIS PAGE, THEY MAY BE HOURS AWAY FROM, RISE,SET,H.P. OR L.O POINTS. YOU MAY THINK, THEREFORE, THAT THE FISH IS NOT MOON TRIGGERED. NOT DOCUMENT THE FISH, AND GIVE UP LOGGING FISH TO MOON POINTS. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ALL FISH CAUGHT ARE MOON TRIGGERED, AND THE POINT WILL COME AROUND AGAIN (GIVEN FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS) OBVIOUSLY IT IS FOR YOUR ANGLING BENEFIT TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE, WHAT KEY POINT EACH FISH TRIGGERS ON, I.E THE START OF SET PERIOD, START OF H.P PERIOD ETC. BUT NOT TOTALLY NECESSARY. YOU COULD LOG IT AS E.G, MARCH LQ-2 POINT "A" at 14.15hrs. THAT WAY THOUGH YOU WILL NOT BE CERTAIN WHERE THE FISH FITS INTO A FEEDING PERIOD.
A RELIABLE POINT "A" IS THE ONE I WROTE IN THE BF MAG ARTICLE AND A.T. AROUND NEW MOON. ESPECIALLY BETWEEN JUNE AND OCTOBER.

WORK OUT POINT "A" FROM THE THIRD NIGHT BEFORE NEW MOON (NM-3). WATCH FOR A PICK UP IN WIND NEAR THAT POINT, AND WATCH THE ROD/RODS! THEN ADVANCE THE POINT BY THE DIFFERENCE OF MOON TIMES EACH NIGHT.

Lets assume it is FQ+2 in mid July and H.P is at 20.00hrs I would expect that possible 4hr period to start at approximately 18.00, so would aim to start at 16-1700hrs, from about 17.30 I would look for a change in wind, as this happened I would aim to have a bait in the river and if I or someone else catches at say 17.50 then that is the peak for the start of the H.P period for FQ+2 in mid July EVERY YEAR. Next year in July the time will have to be adjusted slightly earlier or later, as the same moon may be earlier or later. The next peak of big fish activity I would expect to come around 40 minutes prior to transit at 19.20. again watching for changes in wind as the give away. Then watch around the transit time and again 40 minutes after at 20.40. Finally the end at around 21.50, 4 hours after the start. So in a 4hr transit period there are five main points of big fish activity, when they may throw caution to the wind, excuse the pun. Having caught at say 17.50 the next night I know the periods will advance a bit so the starting point would be around 18.40hrs. These points also apply at new and full moon transit times and LQ's most months. The moon times program you can download has the time of moon rise, H.P and moonset, but not the L.O transit time, for this add 12hrs 20mins to the H.P time (this is approximate). The intensity of activity will depend on how much "other" factors are affecting sport, plus factors enhancing it, minus factors reducing it. I usually aim to fish through two periods, e.g. the H.P and set. Or the L.O and rise. Time of year, conditions and my own comfort will dictate this.

A BIT MORE ON KEY POINTS

Fish most active through the periods are: Barbel, Carp, Pike, Zander, Tench, Roach, Salmon, catfish, Big Dace and big eels. I must point out here that if big Eels/chub are active at key points then barbel will not usually be, if they are, they will usually be scarred up manky looking things!. Fish active in the dead spells are: big Chub, Perch, Trout, Bleak, Minnows, Ruffe, and bootlace eels. In "dodgy" conditions like those outlined in the mist-dew-cold page fish that feed in dead spells will switch to feeding at key points, and fish that otherwise feed at key points will be least active, strange but true, probably natures way of sorting out predation. Also have a look at my PB Chub page for more on that.

MOON INDUCED CHANGES IN WIND

One thing to watch for at the start/end of periods are changes in wind, wind will often pick up at rise and set or drop off completely at transit times (similar to wind going flat at high tide by the sea). Try not to reel in when this occurs, you could have your bait out of the water at the strongest key point of the day, and miss out! This wind often results in us feeling "positive" and is what I believe lies behind that "uncanny" knowing feeling a lot of us get moments before we catch. The wind is also peculiar in that is more like a rush of charged particles than a true wind.

A team of scientists at Leeds university have recently backed this up by their research relating to moon induced changes in wind, and its effects on humans, finding this to cause "light-headedness", among other things. This is known as the "Transylvania effect". This is probably why there is such a significant escalation in car smashes at Full moon closely followed by the new moon, when moon/sun gravitational pull is most intense as are these winds.

It is also my belief that at these key points as well as "our" minds wandering this also happens to the fish, which is why they become more catchable at these points, you rarely catch when concentrating very hard? You may find that concept hard to accept, but think about it for a while. All fish toy with and test bait, from tench and carp mouthing a piece of breadflake or any other bait, to pike toying with a bait. Some days a pike will toy with baits for hours on end, sometimes all day. It will be on one of the key points that the float buries, if you're using one. Often you can sit willing it to happen, trying this and that, and thinking of all sorts of reasons why it is not happening. You know you are doing things right and that fish are there, you are sure everything is spot on. You start to think deeper and your mind starts to wander, suddenly you are jolted from your thoughts by the screaming reel! Many years ago I saw a link in my mind wandering and a screamer happening, often I tried to deliberately get my mind to wander to induce a take, and guess what? It didn't work! One often is taken by surprise, just when you decide to get up and stretch your legs, or reach for a mug of tea! How often have you got up after a few hours of inactivity walked down to a mate and he is into a fish? Alternatively, he has walked to you and you get a screaming take! Next time you feel that urge to reel in get up and go see how your mate is getting on, try resisting and see how often that results in a fish hooked. The other thing to not do, is when your mate shouts "I'am in" immediately reel in to go see his capture!

Like many of us I used to put these things down to "coincidence" but, these things would happen everytime I fished. If I walk down the road and enough people were to point and tell me I have a tail, eventually I may turn round to have a look!

Possibly the worst thing one can do is to scale down in a dead spell in order to catch, the fact you have done this is NOT going to trigger the fish to feed. You may take a big chub during this, or loose one, but what will probably happen is when big fish become active at the start of the next period you get snapped up!

IN THIS PHOTO THE WAVES REFERRED TO CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN ROLLING UP THE RIVER AT SEVERN STOKE. BARELY A BREEZE, NO BOATS, AND NO FISH CAUGHT. THE RIVER IS CARRYING ABOUT 1.5 METERS OF WATER. THIS IS AT NEW MOON IN SEPTEMBER. IF THE FISH ARE GOING TO SWITCH ON IT WILL BE WHEN THESE CEASE, SO IF YOU ARE ON THE SEVERN AND THESE ARE OCCURING, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE WAIT FOR THE END IT MAY RESULT IN THAT FIRST DOUBLE, OR THE NEXT!

INCLUDED IS THIS EXTRACT FROM THE 1860 BOOK THE ROD AND THE GUN BY WILSON AND OAKLEIGH. IT SUMS UP FISHING AND WEATHER FOR ME, AND DEMONSTRATES HOW FISH SWITCH OFF AND ON, AND HOW ONE CANNOT DO MUCH ABOUT IT BAR WAIT! IT IS ENTITLED "FISHES AFFECTED BY ELECTRICITY."

The great secret in fly fishing, after a person has acquired the art of throwing a long and light line, is perseverance, that is, constant and continuous exertion. Fish are whimsical creatures, even when the angler with all appliances and means to boot, is placed apparently under the most favourable circumstances. Let him, however, commence his operations with flies, with which, upon general principles, he knows to be good. It may frequently happen that for an hour or even two hours, he will kill nothing! But then it will as often happen that for another couple of hours he will put them ashore with most frequent celerity. AWAKE BUT ONE, AND LO, WHAT MYRIADS RISE!

Next comes a pause of another hour or more, during which nothing is obtained. We believe that the motions and appetites of the finny tribes are regulated and directed by certain (to us) almost imperceptable changes in the state of the atmosphere, with which, as they do not proceed from any determinate or ascertained principles of meteorological science, it is not easy for the angler to become acquainted; and therefore the only method to remedy the disagreement thus arising, is to fish without ceasing so long as he remains by the pure element of waters.

A variable state of the atmosphere is not good for angling; but neither is a uniformly dull gloomy day favourable. It is scarcely possible to lay down any general rules to this branch of the subject, and this is of less consequence, seeing that although we may tax the elements with unkindness, we can no more gladden a gloomy or subdue a glaring day, then when desirous to cross a ford, we can add a cubit to our stature. But if the river is not too low, we always prefer what in ordinary language might be called a bright cheerful day, particulary if there is a fresh breeze.

LUNAR CYCLES AND WEATHER TO FISH

My earlier studies in this field showed that the use of a barometer to aid ones fishing times was useless, and a further year of, more intense study enhance that. And have thrown up some interesting points surrounding barometric trends which are themselves goverened by the position of the moon. I would emphasize that this study is a first, and that official meteorologists take no account of moon phase (which is why they can't get it right!). One does not need thousands of pounds worth of scientific instruments or need to be a rocket scientist to perform a similar study. One doesn't even need a barometer!

Ceefax page 404 and moon times is all one needs! This page shows hourly barometric readings from 30 cities countrywide. It shows the pressure reading and whether this is steady, rising or falling. Here are my findings after noting this data several times a day for over two years.

Pressure is very rarely "steady" if it is, it will be in a small area for a short time. It is, therefore, virtually always rising or falling. Around the moon transit times it will nearly ALWAYS be either rising or falling at ALL of the 30 locations (sometimes barring a couple in scotland). Around the rising and setting of the moon the pressure goes all over the place at many of the 30 locations, rising and setting at random. This finding does not surprise me, but how come meteorologists do not know this? The position of the moon is directly affecting barometric pressure. Therefore, it has a major impact on our weather! Being that the position of the moon is having such a major impact, it then follows that its actual phase is also important, as is the direction it rises and sets (the type of atmosphere that it attracts and drags). If one wants to go further one also needs to study the declination, apogee and perigee cycles of the moon.

While browsing this site you will see several instances where I have put these findings to good use, in actual weather forecasting. Some of you may be aware that Keith Arthur gives out my fishing forecast on his Fishermans Blues Radio show. In September (2002)I e-mailed Keith the weeks (fishing) forecast, with a P.S that the rivers should remain warm enough for barbel to feed until xmas, bar a slight dip for a couple of days the week before. This happened. To my knowledge this is the first year this has occured! The other thing I forecast was SNOW on or near the 1st and 9th of January (2003), we had the most snow across the country on the 4th and 8th! Incase you are wondering this year (2003)has a good chance of snow between the 21st and 26th of December, with the best chances between the 21st and 24th! It snowed on the 21st and 22nd dec! PIC AT FOOT OF PAGE

It would appear that the winds caused by pressure change around moon rise and moon set, are the same changes in wind that I write of at all key points. But I must say I am not totally convinced as other triggering winds occur without differing bands of atmospheric pressure, confused? so am I! What Iam trying to say is that triggerng winds are caused more by gravitational change, than by atmospheric pressure change . Reading about winds in some weather books tells us that the two main causes of wind are differing areas of pressure, the wind falling from the high to the low, and gravity. It then tells us that our gravity is vertical so has no effect on our wind! A question for meteorologists: what about the gravitational pull from the moon/sun?   Another thing I would like to point out again is the fact that countrywide rain virtually always moves in on the start of the peak moon fishing days (when it rains), again this is not rocket science and is easilly observed. Therefore, we have more low pressure systems on the key fishing days and high pressure on the grim days, this is not a "coincidence" and can be explained scientifically by Atmospheric Tides: Key fishing days are worked out (by me anyway) by the combined gravitational pull from the moon and sun, the more alignment between them the greater the pull, and the better our fishing prospects. As well as shifting the oceans (and water weights 10lb a gallon) this force can also raise the earths crust by up to 15inches! It also causes the atmosphere to rise and fall (by up to 60km) becoming dense and less dense (this action has an adverse affect on the nbroadcsting of short wave radio signals and was first noted back in the thirties) So the greater the pull (key fishing days) the lower the pressure may be. We know that high pressure generally leads to clear skies with cold nights during summer, and frosts during the winter. This is most possibly why one pike ace has found pike most active when a cold front is approaching (up to 72 hours away). Because he is in fact fishing the key moon days with wind and low pressure, rather than struggling on grim days with still air and high atmospheric pressure! Pike and other fish are reacting to the present situation not some cold front 3 days away. That is not saying that pike are never active on grim moon days of course they are, just significantly less than on peak days, of his details of over 300 20lb+ I have looked at 85 percent are on key days, as are virtually ALL multiple catches (I have removed the link and name of the person as they no longer run a pike fishing website).

Zander and pike although feeding on the same moon triggers, will favour different conditions. Big pike do not like long periods of high pressure, whereas big zander are not troubled by such conditions. I have yet to see a 20lb+ pike and a 10lb+ zander caught on the same day by an angler reported in the angling press, maybe this presssure preference is the reason. The lower severn has plenty of both with many of anglers targetting them throughout the winter. There's a challenge! I know from midlands predator ace Pete Hiscox who has taken several river 30lb+ pike, with lots of 20's, and zander to 17lb 6oz that in all the years he has fished the lower severn for these species only once has he been near this "double up". Catching a 12lb+ Z on a high pressure misty morning, then the afternoon saw a low move in and it tipped down, he dropped a 20lb+ pike. Some anglers advocate using "deads" for pike during low pressure and "lives" during high presure, going for zander during high pressure may be a better option!

Apart from the changes in wind which are evident at key points, another thing to keep an eye out for are waves backing up the river and the river rising, see photo below, obviously the extent of this will depend on location and moon phase. One will however, struggle to catch during these as they mostly coincide with the dead spells! This phenomenom can be difficult to miss around new and full moons on the lower/middle severn. The closer to south east to north west a waterway lies the more evident is the effect. It also does not matter how small the waves are, they will still kill sport. When the waves cease the river will actually speed up as the river runs off, this can also be linked to falling air pressure allowing water levels to rise. Being that I fish with a critically balanced bobbing on the line I notice that at times it will start rising and I need to add more weight to stabalise it. A couple of years ago I was fishing the lower severn, approaching L.O the river level was a couple of inches below the fishing platform, as L.O neared the level had come a couple of inches over the boards and I retreated up the bank. The bailiff arrived and asked if I'd caught, telling him I had not. He retorted that the river had risen and "it must be bad water coming from the dams that was killing sport". Christ! It must be "very, very bad water" killing sport dead a hundred and forty odd miles down river. First this was put down to cold water from the bottom of the dams, now its bad water that "de-oxygenates the river"! So why haven't the EA that are supposed to be sorting it, found what it is, if it's that "bad" it would be a doddle? Because it's a MYTH that started when I went public with the moon stuff! The EA section responsible for looking into this have blanked me, no surprise there. When the level started to run off and virtually right on L.O I had a barbel of 10.1(somewhere in the photo-albums) so much for "bad water". The moral of that is it is not only more water going in that raises river levels.

When the periods are CORRECT one can detect strong undertows on stillwaters, again the amount of tow will depend on moon phase and size of venue, the bigger body of water the more pronounced it will be. This can at times be barely enough to cause the surface scum to drift, even with no wind! John Bailey in his book the Fishing Detective writes on undertows(though not linking them to moon phase)"When fishing for Roach at Ardleigh Reservoir, sometimes the tow would bounce a 1oz weight along the bottom, if I found an undertow I would catch roach, once the tow had subsided I caught no more fish". When I think back to fishing the lea navigation above stonebridge lock in north london it was during undertows that I caught roach and crucians with float fished breadpaste. This was in the late sixties-early 70s, I bet you could not catch a crucian there today!

A couple of years ago I had a chat with my father about waves backing up rivers, he recalled that when he used to wade out and trot a float on the Royalty in the early and mid 60s, there could be times when the river would rise a couple of inches and threaten to go over his waders, this was when the fish would switch on! He would sometimes wade out and stick a couple of big banksticks into a mid river run, these would trap the streamer weed being cut upstream, he would then lay on and draw fish into the slack thus created!
Another thing he did about that time was to one night sit for hours on end sanding down the last couple of feet from the top section of a solid glass rod. This he spliced into the top of a glass rod and attached rings to it, thus a QUIVERTIP was born. This met with some derision on the Royalty back then, now look! He wishes he'd have patented the thing......

I PREDICTED SNOW ON DEC 21ST 2003

NEARLY ONE YEAR PRIOR!