The moon has been used by man for signs and seasons since the beginning of time. Even with all of today’s technology, we do not fully understand all of the correlations. Some anglers use moon cycles to aid in fishing, while others disregard them as ancient folklore.

What are the phases of the moon?

The moon has 8 phases that we can see on earth.

As for fishing, we are only really concerned about the new and full moon phases and the location of the moon.

How does the moon phase affect bass?

The moon affects gravitational pull on the earth, which can be sensed by living creatures, and changes aquatic environments due to tides. Since most areas that are fished for bass are non-tidal waters, tides do not have any significant impact.

The moon phases play a role in when bass spawn, although there are more contributing factors as to the exact time.

When the waters warm up in the spring, bass will start to move up into the flats to feed on the shad spawn. Bass will tend to spawn during the first full moon of spring if the conditions are right.

The position of the moon correlates with major and minor times. During these times bass tend to be more active.

A major period happens when the moon is directly above or below the body of water you are fishing. The minor period happens when the moon is 90 degrees either side of the location.

Using other factors along with major and minor times such as weather, time of day, and season will help locate bass while on the water

Conclusion

As far as I know, there has not been any real scientific data to prove or disprove the success of fishing the moon cycles.

We do know that the moon has an effect on bass spawning, and the major and minor periods throughout the day.

Whether you are a tournament angler or just someone taking the kids out on a weekend fishing trip, arming yourself with every piece of information you can will help you locate and net big bass.