Stillwater Trout & Solunar Influence – Fact or Fiction?

[stenacron]

No anglers in my family until I came along. Not even sure why I wanted so badly to go fishing at an early age, nor why I took to the sport with such passion. I basically got my dad and uncle into the sport as well as my nephews, nieces, and eventually my daughter… meeting like-minded friends along the way to round out my fishing circle. Being a self-taught angler in the pre-internet days meant that you acquired your knowledge from books/magazines and applied this to your situation. My single greatest source of information came from the pages of In’fisherman. Why? Because they took a very scientific approach to the sport and this really appealed to me. Their F+P+L=S formula was pure genius and I am 100% certain that I became a better angler for having studied that magazine for years.

Sorry for the long intro… now to the point… SOLUNAR TABLES were included in every issue of In’fisherman (and other periodicals). Using sun and moon data the best DAYS and, within that, the best TIMES of the day when fish would be feeding were predicted. OK, spoiler alert on the best DAYS… it’s the day of the new and full moon for each month with diminishing returns over the three days before and after. Within every day however there are still forecasted major and minor times for peak fish activity.

As I have documented on NAFFF many times, I am a dedicated keeper of fishing journals. I have logged every trip in great detail since 1988. At one point I went back through my top 50 best trips – “best” defined as very high catch rate, or high numbers of big fish, or both. Almost 35% of those banner days occurred during a full moon phase, and another 32% came during a new moon phase. That got me thinking about the bad trips – low to NO catch rate. Only 16% of those came during a full moon period and another 25% during new moon. While I do believe that local weather and time of year play larger roles, there is no doubt – at least in my mind – that there is something to this solunar table theory.

In 2010 my angling world got flipped upside down when I moved to Utah. My seasonal gig on fly fishing was now a year round focus, and my stream/river experience of angling for coldwater species soon gave way to stillwaters. Now in my 8th year as a Utahn it feels like my transition is complete and I fish lakes for trout almost 100% of the time from ice off to ice up. There is much to love about fishing lakes for trout, most notably; the large average size of the fish, almost zero crowds to contend with, and a real sense of adventure in a new angling frontier (to me) as well as genuine adventure in the alpine lakes of the Rocky Mountain backcountry. Of course with a new approach to angling comes new, and required study materials (old habits die hard). One of the first things I noticed in stillwater trout angling literature was a reoccurring warning to AVOID full moons! WHAT? This went against everything I had learned and believed over the course of my fishing life. I later learned that most stillwater trout anglers believe this to be true. Even the casual anglers out west are tuned into the “avoid full moon” theory. A friend at work the other day – casual angler and ardent backpacker – even told me that he has concerns over their big backcountry trip planned for July because it falls across a full moon!

So why is this the case for stillwater trout? Why are the best days for fishing bass, pike, walleye, etc. be completely opposite for trout… another site-feeding predator? Some of the theories are interesting…

TROUT FEED AT NIGHT – A commonly accepted explanation is that trout feed at night during a full moon period. Understanding that many of the best trout lakes in the Rocky Mountain West are somewhat lower in elevation (5000-6500 feet ASL), it is theorized that over the summer when water temps in the shallows are reaching the uncomfortable (if not critical) levels for trout, they feed intensely at night during bright moon periods to take advantage of the cooler water temps and thus are not active during the day. OK, interesting and I cannot fully dispute that.

PLANKTON SHUTDOWN – Another, deeper theory, is that plankton (and other dark loving low food chain items) shut down during full moon phases. Especially the day of and few days following the full moon (when moonrise follows sunset). The idea here is that the tiny organisms that rely on the cover of darkness go dormant for a few days surrounding full moon and this in turn shuts down the entire food chain. Supposedly this theory has some real teeth and there are studies out there to support this. There is even the silver lining that that 4th and 5th day following a full moon feature intense feeding activity and some of the month’s best fishing opportunities.

There are others as well, but these are two that seem to come up regularly in my search for the answers.

Back to the solunar tables… one story that I came across simply stated that all things being equal (local weather influence aside), fish will actively feed for 90 minutes (to the minute) around the sunrise and sunset times, and the moonrise and moonset times. And when these periods overlap… BOOM.

I one heard Charles Meck say during a presentation that as we get older, we need to fish smarter as opposed to just fishing harder. Makes sense after all… when you’re young you’ve got plenty of time and stamina to be out on the water all day if necessary. As we get older though life gets considerably more complicated and our time on the water becomes more precious. If catching fish is important to you, then it makes sense to fish smarter. If there is a way to crop the downtime out of a fishing trip and plan better, then I am willing to explore that. For example there is a particular lake that I like to visit in the High Uintas with a healthy population of Brook and Tiger Trout. One thing about the weather during the summer out here is that it is consistent. And I have had numerous trips to this lake over the past few seasons where the weather is seemingly identical every time. No kidding, I compare them in my journal and it looks like the only changes made were to the date and results. I have had stellar 20+ fish days there and also had to scratch for 1 to avoid the skunk. The other thing that is the same over these trips… time of day. I get to the trailhead at the crack of dawn, fish to around noon, then head home. So of course it begs the question… did I simply (randomly) hit or miss a peak window of solunar activity? Hmmm…

We just had a couple of weeks of nice steady weather here in northern Utah and a buddy of mine and I have had three straight killer trips to a local reservoir known for its cutthroat trout fishery. Each trip was similar in that; we were on the water for about 5-6 hours, we came away with a nice total of over-sized trout, and about 90% of the fish caught each time came during a flurry (hour-plus) of activity. And comparing those bite windows to my newly acquired solunar app… you guessed it… spot on for all three days!

Coincidence? Maybe, but I am going to start paying a little more attention to these solunar tables and peak feeding periods going forward. I just read an article by a prominent guide on Pyramid Lake that only schedules his client’s to hit on peak bite windows. If true, that’s a strong statement from someone that gets paid whether his Client’s catch fish or not, but no doubt his reputation, client list, and perhaps even his tips are strongly tied to catching fish (in a lake known for huge fish).

I did a search and found a link started by Ard back in 2010, same subject matter, but broader application: https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/general-discussion/13605-do-you-use-solunar-tables.html?highlight=solunar+tables

For this exercise I wanted to focus squarely on trout in lakes. Curious what others think regarding some of these theories or personal experiences to support or dispute.

 

[flav]

I love fishing western stillwaters, but honestly I haven't paid any attention to whether moon phase has ever had any noticeable effect on the fishing.

Like you said, though, as you get older you learn to fish smarter. I like to fish dry flies, so I try and be on the water when the bugs get active and the fish get active. I quickly learned that means I can sleep late when I fish stillwater, the bugs usually start hatching in the late morning or early afternoon, slack off for a while, then the fishing picks up again in the evening. Morning is an absolute waste of time. This is just as true when fishing chironomids, hit the water around 10 a.m. and pack it in around 4 p.m. and go back to camp for a drink and dinner before the evening rise.

 

[ia_trouter]

Good post Joe.

I had a little different start. My father fished a lot, and was far better than most in the family. It usually involved a minnow bucket though. Not complaining, he took me fishing a LOT. Best gift he ever shared was his time and love of the outdoors. I eventually became bored and later discovered In-Fisherman. That was a new awakening and they left other publications in their dust. Most informed multi-species on the planet IMO. I studied that mag cover to cover and watched all the TV and seminars I could that involved the Lindners, Stange etc. Even hired a guide once that I knew fished with Stange, because I knew he would be on the top of his game. This was all pre-fly years but it still applies on stillwater. I don't have enough data on the rivers to form an intelligent opinion.

Back to the subject... I didn't keep records like you do, but nobody will convince me the lunar cycles don't matter. A majority of my banner days coincided with a full moon, and enough on the new moon to convince me it was a factor. I did keep track of that for years, and it was enough to cause me to schedule fishing trips around the dates when I could.

Here's where I will dissent, if you want to call it that. The peak fishing time charts mean VERY little to me. I find them meaningless on much of my best water in MN and IA. Peak time of 2-4PM on a clear lake in mid summer? Nope, other factors will trump the moon most everytime.

 

[mcnerney]

I love fishing western stillwaters, but honestly I haven't paid any attention to whether moon phase has ever had any noticeable effect on the fishing.

Like you said, though, as you get older you learn to fish smarter. I like to fish dry flies, so I try and be on the water when the bugs get active and the fish get active. I quickly learned that means I can sleep late when I fish stillwater, the bugs usually start hatching in the late morning or early afternoon, slack off for a while, then the fishing picks up again in the evening. Morning is an absolute waste of time. This is just as true when fishing chironomids, hit the water around 10 a.m. and pack it in around 4 p.m. and go back to camp for a drink and dinner before the evening rise.

I'm not very experienced at fishing stillwater's, so I really have no idea whether or not the solunar tables provide much if any help in determining the best times to fish. The interesting thing I noted was that last year it paid to be on the water at first light, the fishing would be excellent until about 11 am and then shut down. At one point I got interested in seeing so many fish coming to the surface so I started counting and rise that I could see, not just the ones within casting distance and I counted 168 rises. I only caught one fish on the surface last year. They didn't seem to be coming up in any kind of pattern, just up once and then gone. This year is just the opposite as far as being on the water early, I rarely have caught a fish early, so I gave up on going out very early.

 

[stenacron]

Interesting comments guys on not needing to get out early. I always get out early, but it has more to do with time that I allocate towards fishing and the fact that there is just something magical about that time of day. Being on the water at Strawberry Reservoir (for example) at first light… the chorus of nature coming to life for the day… a cow Elk and her twins making their way back to the cover of the aspen grove… a Great-horned Owl soars silently across the bay… noses poking through the surface as far as the eye can see… and not another boat/angler/human in sight. Nothing like it.

Now as far as angling success at dawn, I have had my moments… ESPECIALLY on big fish. Regarding Chironomids I totally agree – they keep “gentlemen’s hours” as I have heard Brian Chan say. If you enjoy skulking around the edges with streamers or leech patterns however, it’s the best time of day IMO to dupe large fish. I actually wish I was a more-skilled dry fly angler at dawn. Without fail the local lakes are alive with rising fish from first light until ~2 hours after… and I cannot consistently crack the code on these fish. Not sure if its egg-laying midges from the previous day’s hatch, emerging caddis, other? Whatever it is, it drives me crazy and I now try to completely ignore these fish while pursuing those feeding subsurface. Also, I have noticed that on the day of the full moon, I come out of the gates HOT at first light. The dawn bite is quite intense which is usually followed by a rapid shutdown for the remainder of the morning.

Following up on the subject at hand, YESTERDAY was the first time in my life that I went into a fishing outing with the solunar tables and peak activity times in mind. My buddy and I took a trip to a small alpine lake (~10,000 feet ASL) in the High Uintas range yesterday. In addition to obvious solutions for all of the world’s problems, solunar tables were a big topic of discussion. He’s a very analytical guy so the intrigue was there for the both of us. We had schedules to keep later in the afternoon so our window to fish was early morning to being on the road home by 12:30p. The predicted peak activity yesterday for this location (per my app) was 9:52a-12:52p. After a half hour hike we arrived lakeside a little before 8:00a… fish rising everywhere… we got set up and my buddy went up one side of the lake while I went around the other, fishing straight across from one another. We both started get the “taps” with zero hookups. I may have turned one, he the same, but it was maddening to see fishing so active with nothing but a few slaps to show for it. We’re trading ideas, changing flies, cussing, etc. and I finally hooked a fat Brook Trout and brought it to hand. As I’m working the hook free my friend yells out, “9:39, just sayin.” Honestly, it was on after that… I fished a #12 damsel nymph with a #14 callibaetis nymph on point and proceeded to land another 10 mixed bag of Brookies and Rainbows with one bonus Grayling until we had to bug out at noon. My buddy enjoyed equal success fishing somewhat different flies. On the walk out we’re discussing what just happened and came to the conclusion that the fish activity obviously switched from taps to TAKES right around the predicted peak of activity. We have seen this in the past, so maybe that’s just how the bite goes on these high lakes? Maybe we unknowingly hit the same peak activity on previous trips? Only future observation will tell. So on the way out we hit the homestretch, a quick walk across an earthen dam on a larger lake. We both stop in our tracks to observe a large (large for this lake) Rainbow cruising 5 ft off the dam and sipping morsels off the surface. We look at each other, look at our watches, and decide to do the right thing. Then we see a second fish, equal size (a Tiger this time) in similar pattern. Now my buddy re-rigs, scrambles down the dam face, and facing a stiff breeze in his face proceeds to snap his fly off in the rocks on his backcast! We figured that was a sign and boogied out of there.

For those keeping score at home this would be the 4th trip in a row (all under the same steady weather pattern) where the predicted peak activity nearly matched our catch rates. The experiment continues and I have probably now gone down a rabbit hole with little chance of returning anytime soon.

 

[mcnerney]

Interesting comments guys on not needing to get out early. I always get out early, but it has more to do with time that I allocate towards fishing and the fact that there is just something magical about that time of day. Being on the water at Strawberry Reservoir (for example) at first light… the chorus of nature coming to life for the day… a cow Elk and her twins making their way back to the cover of the aspen grove… a Great-horned Owl soars silently across the bay… noses poking through the surface as far as the eye can see… and not another boat/angler/human in sight. Nothing like it.

Now as far as angling success at dawn, I have had my moments… ESPECIALLY on big fish. Regarding Chironomids I totally agree – they keep “gentlemen’s hours” as I have heard Brian Chan say. If you enjoy skulking around the edges with streamers or leech patterns however, it’s the best time of day IMO to dupe large fish. I actually wish I was a more-skilled dry fly angler at dawn. Without fail the local lakes are alive with rising fish from first light until ~2 hours after… and I cannot consistently crack the code on these fish. Not sure if its egg-laying midges from the previous day’s hatch, emerging caddis, other? Whatever it is, it drives me crazy and I now try to completely ignore these fish while pursuing those feeding subsurface. Also, I have noticed that on the day of the full moon, I come out of the gates HOT at first light. The dawn bite is quite intense which is usually followed by a rapid shutdown for the remainder of the morning.

Joe, I feel the same way about getting out early, normally your the only one out, the beauty of the lake and the surroundings is what I really enjoy. I have not cracked the code on those early morning rising fish either, at times it gets maddening to see so many fish coming to the surface and you can't seem get buy a fish.

Recently I listened to a podcast put out by the Reno Fly Shop, an episode by Ernie Gulley titled "The Secrets of Crowley Lake, Tactics for Stillwaters Everywhere and the life cycle of Chironomids". The interesting thing that he does is target trout in the shallow shore line water, 1-3 ft deep early in the early morning hours or late afternoons. As the sun comes up, he moves further out so the boat doesn't spook the fish and down sizes his tippet, but if a chop develops on the water due to wind, he will move back in.

Podcast - Reno Fly Shop | Northern Nevada Fly Fishing Outfitters

 

[ia_trouter]

Keep sharing your experiment please. I don't have a lot of still water trout here so no meaningful data to share. I've noticed huge variance in accuracy of peak times from species to species, and water clarity. Weather patterns have a huge influence as well. It really will take a lot of data to reach a conclusion. But you seem to have a good start that data.

 

[Akflyguy]

I've also been down this rabbit hole and have yet to return. When I lived in Alaska the lakes would be on FIRE around the peaks and then would seemingly turn off right on time. It didn't matter if the sun was bright, clear water, windy etc.
I'm back in NC now and have been fishing a local lake almost daily for the better part of 4 years....I've still yet to figure out what other factors have an effect on the bite but some days (specifically around the peak) it's normal to bring 40 fish to hand regardless of how hot it is or any other obvious causes.
We all know that barometric pressure and changing weather can change the behavior but figuring out EXACTLY what the best pattern regarding weather, temperature and water conditions will likely take me many more years of logging all of my trips to get down to a science. Oh well, back to the water I go!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[stenacron]

A little experiment… I sifted through my log book and pulled 15 trips to dissect.

Trips were randomly selected based on having enough details in the notes (or the memory) to nail down the time of activity I experienced. I then went back with the solunar tables app to compare projections against actual results. Select Trips Compared to Solunar Charts per app Fishing & Hunting Solunar Time (v3.0.1).


-1) DATE: 06/24/2018

TIME(S): 0715 – 1115 hrs

LOCATION: Strawberry Reservoir, UT

MOON PHASE: FULL -3

SOLUNAR CHART: Fair (35%), moon zenith 1010 hrs

WEATHER: Clear with a light breeze turning to nasty NW wind kicking up around 1100 hrs

RESULTS: 7 (6 Cutthroats, 1 Rainbow)

COMMENTS: Started out extremely slow. Lots of visible signs of fish feeding (surface) at the start, but no takes at all. 0919 first fish is landed. Action picks up steadily after that landing 6 more and missing/losing 2-3 others. 1100 the wind really started to blow steady and had to kick back to shore. Solunar chart predicted major activity from 0814 – 1114 hrs. Spot on with the level of action I experienced.


-2) DATE: 06/08/2018

TIME(S): 0715 – 1330 hrs

LOCATION: Strawberry Reservoir, UT

MOON PHASE: Last QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Poor (15%), moon zenith 0756 hrs

WEATHER: Clear with a light, westerly breeze.

RESULTS: 18 (12 Cutthroats, 6 Rainbows)

COMMENTS: Despite the overall daily rating of a poor 15%, this is one of my best trips of the season to date in pure numbers (lost/missed 7-8 others) as well as size with all but 2 fish going 18-21 inches. Also, despite the low rating, there was a major time predicted for 0654 – 0954 hrs and a minor period starting around 1400 hrs. I caught 1 fish right off the bat, then a long fishless gap… landed my 2nd at 1045 hrs and it was on after that. Steady fish the rest of the way until I kicked back in around 1330 hrs. Solunar chart completely off here with all of the steady action coming in a predicted trough between major and minor periods not to mention a banner outing on a predicted poor day.


-3) DATE: 05/06/2018

TIME(S): 0630 – 1030 hrs

LOCATION: Little Dell Reservoir, UT

MOON PHASE: Last QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Fair (23%), moon zenith 0532 hrs

WEATHER: Hazy, calm conditions with occasional light breeze.

RESULTS: 20 (19 Cutthroats, 1 Rainbow)

COMMENTS: Steady action overall… hot start, then still picking them off here and there, and a 2nd burst of activity over the last hour. Solunar table predicted a major period from 0430-0730 hrs followed quickly by a 2nd minor period from 0930 – 1130 hrs. The trend lines pretty much match exactly the level of bite activity. Also the overall average size was quite good with most of the fish exceeding 17 inches (topping out just short of 21 inches). Another hit for the solunar tables.


-4) DATE: 08/30/2017

TIME(S): 0730 - 0815 hrs, 1030 - 1330 hrs, 1730 - 1900 hrs

LOCATION: East & Gunnison Rivers, CO

MOON PHASE: First QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Poor (18%), moon zenith 1918 hrs

WEATHER: Partly cloudy, breezy

RESULTS: 34 (25 Browns, 7 Rainbows, 2 Cuttbows)

COMMENTS: At first glance this looks ridiculous… daily solunar rating of poor (18%) yet landed 34 fish; however, if you trust the solunar charts, I actually hit all three predicted activity periods by total accident. Caught the back end of the first major period from 0523-0823 hrs. Swinging big streamers in the morning on the East River put 5 fish between 18-22 inches in the net (plus 4 others). Hit 13 more on the Gunnison nymphing during the afternoon stint where a minor period was predicted from 1311-1511 hrs. Ended the evening bite swinging soft hackles on the East River and I recall hooking fish on nearly every cast up until dark. This would come during the 2nd major period of predicted activity from 1748-2048 hrs.


-5) DATE: 08/29/2017

TIME(S): 1030 – 1330 hrs, 1700 – 1900 hrs

LOCATION: East & Gunnison Rivers, CO

MOON PHASE: First QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Good (64%), moon zenith 1831 hrs

WEATHER: Partly cloudy, breezy

RESULTS: 17 (16 Browns, 1 Rainbow)

COMMENTS: My notes from this trip speak of poor fishing while nymphing on the Gunnison late morning into early afternoon. I scraped together 10 with a burst of activity surrounding a Baetis hatch at 1230 hrs. The evening we were on the East and it was same… kind of sluggish bite with strong activity from 1800 – 1900 hrs and some really nice fish hitting the net. Solunar table predicted mild activity in the afternoon with a minor spike period from 1219-1419 hrs… then back to neutral with a major period from 1700-2000 hrs. This one is a push. Arguments can be made either way on the chart predictions here.


-6) DATE: 08/28/2017

TIME(S): 1030 – 1330 hrs, 1630 – 1900 hrs

LOCATION: East & Gunnison Rivers, CO

MOON PHASE: First QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Average (59%), moon zenith 175 hrs

WEATHER: Sunny and breezy

RESULTS: 27 (21 Browns, 4 Kokanee Salmon, 2 Rainbows)

COMMENTS: My notes say a sluggish bite on the Gunnison late morning (nymphing), then 1245 it all broke loose and I landed 12 from 1245-1330 hrs. Ate a quick lunch and hit the East trying for Salmon. Bite was strong as soon as I hit the water and closed out working back downstream swinging soft hackles and picking of trout at a steady clip until dark. Strong solunar correlation here showing a minor period of activity 1124-1324 hrs, then activity staying steadily above normal, with a major period from 1615-1915 hrs… although the fish total for the day reads a little better than “average” rating predicted.


-7) DATE: 08/27/2017

TIME(S): 1430 – 1730 hrs

LOCATION: East River, CO

MOON PHASE: First QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Poor (16%), moon zenith 1700 hrs

WEATHER: Mostly sunny and calm

RESULTS: 15 (10 Browns, 4 Rainbows, 1 Kokanee Salmon)

COMMENTS: Poor rating for this day per the charts, but a major activity period predicted from 1630-1830 hrs. As I recall we all got off to a sluggish start when we hit the water, but an hour in it started to pick up. A burst of PMD activity around 1530 seemed to ignite the fish and had a solid hour of catching after that. So on a poor rated day, I would certainly agree that landing 15 fish in a small window in mid-afternoon matches perfectly the predicted major period of activity.


-8) DATE: 06/29/2017

TIME(S): 0745 – 1245 hrs

LOCATION: Shadow & Tail Lakes (High Uintas), UT

MOON PHASE: First QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Fair (24%), moon zenith 1744 hrs

WEATHER: Clear and cool, breezy with periodical gusts.

RESULTS: 21 (14 Rainbows, 3 Brook, 3 Tiger, 1 Grayling)

COMMENTS: This one is interesting… the “dummies guide” for fishing the High Uintas Range is that there are a lot of lakes… if the fish aren’t hitting at one, don’t be afraid to head on down the trail and try another… eventually you will find cooperative fish! This trip I started out on Shadow Lake at 0745 and fished to 0915 with only 1 small Brookie to show for it. Frustrated, I backtracked to Tail Lake and started fishing around 0945… changed flies and finally hit on a combo that landed a fish. Then another. Soon things broke open and I was hammering them landing 20 more before calling it quits at 1245. The solunar chart predicts a complete flat line in activity starting at 0800… then a minor period, but serious spike in activity from 1014-1214 hrs. So does the basic advice to “just move around” hold up, or does it simply work out that way because eventually you will hit a solunar cycle and the fish will be active regardless of what lake you stop at? It certainly worked out that way in this particular case.


-9) DATE: 05/07/2017

TIME(S): 0745 – 1020 hrs

LOCATION: Little Dell Reservoir, UT

MOON PHASE: FULL -3

SOLUNAR CHART: Average (5%), moon zenith 2033 hrs

WEATHER: mild, calm, partly cloudy

RESULTS: 13 (Cutthroat)

COMMENTS: This trip stands out because I recall getting off to a terrible start landing 1 or 2 the first hour or so… then it’s flat calm, sunny, normally a bad combination for good numbers, I decided to stick with it and try a deep edge on the way out… BOOM, landed 11 or 12 starting a little before 0900 until 1020 when I had to bail. Hated to leave that day because I never experienced that kind of action under those conditions at this ultra-clear lake. The solunar tables predict a major activity period from 0837-1137 hrs. Spot on.


-10) DATE: 11/03/2016

TIME(S): 0930 – 1200 hrs

LOCATION: Little Dell Reservoir, UT

MOON PHASE: NEW +3

SOLUNAR CHART: Poor (18%), moon zenith 1523 hrs

WEATHER: clear, sunny, NE wind w/ gusts

RESULTS: 4 (Cutthroat)

COMMENTS: A poorly overall rated day with a small (minor) period activity predicted from 0920-1120 hrs. I wrote in my log that things started out well landing 2 fish quickly. Then things faded fast, and not a single tap over the last 30-45 minutes… like the fish punched out and the next shift never showed up. The minor window shows a complete flat line in activity after 1120 hrs. Despite the poor rating, a major spike in activity was predicted from 1353-1653 hrs in the afternoon. With this lake only 25 minutes from home, you can bet that I would have scrambled back up there in the midafternoon to test this process out further had I been tracking the solunar influence back then.


-11) DATE: 10/02/2016

TIME(S): 0800 – 1130 hrs

LOCATION: Little Dell Reservoir, UT

MOON PHASE: NEW +1

SOLUNAR CHART: Excellent (80%), moon zenith 1340 hrs

WEATHER: mostly cloudy, light NE breeze, then switching to SW

RESULTS: 11 (Cutthroat)

COMMENTS: My notes say that fish were snapping hard right out of the gate. Hit fish steady having only to reposition myself as the wind came on around 0900. Landed 11 and missed/lost 5-6 others until things came to a grinding halt around 1000… not another tap until packing it in at 1130 hrs. Solunar chart predicted a minor period from 0653-0853, followed by a major period from 1210-1510 hrs. So I appear to have hit the ground running as predicted during the last half of the minor period, but the bite window I experienced last a full hour after the charts predicted a shutdown. This one is kind of a miss, but it would have been nice (in hindsight) to stick it out to see if the bite would have returned after lunch as projected.


-12) DATE: 09/27/2016

TIME(S): 0930 – 1330 hrs

LOCATION: Strawberry Reservoir

MOON PHASE: NEW -3

SOLUNAR CHART: Average (42%), moon zenith 0955 hrs

WEATHER: After morning fog burned off, clear and dead calm

RESULTS: 0 – skunked!

COMMENTS: My notes show that I stung 4 fish early on fishing Mud Creek Bay, but lost all of them shortly after hooking them. Not a single tap over the last 2+ hours. Frustrating trip punctuated by the sounds of a couple other anglers out in tubes apparently hammering the fish as I was packing up the Xterra around 1400. Solunar charts predicted a major period from 0825-1125 hrs, followed by a minor period from 1541-1741 hrs. The 4 hook-ups certainly came during the early (major) period and the shutdown I experienced matched the end of the major period. The burst of activity those other anglers experienced was well ahead of the next (predicted) minor period however… so this one is a push.


-13) DATE: 07/24/2016

TIME(S): 0800 - 1200 hrs

LOCATION: Lake Marjorie, UT

MOON PHASE: Last QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Poor (15%), moon zenith 0411 hrs

WEATHER: Bright, sunny, SW breeze

RESULTS: 14 (13 Grayling, 1 Brookie)

COMMENTS: First hour was decent action on wet fly combo, then it died. I recall putting the rod and walking the shoreline while grabbing a snack. Suddenly started seeing fish cruising the edges and by 1030 there were Callibaetis hatching and the bite turned on. Non-stop action on Sparkle Duns after that until it tapered off and by noon I was hiking back out. The solunar charts projected a flat line on activity when I arrived, but a spike in minor activity from 0945-1145 hrs. The Callibaetis hatch which got the fish moving came right in line with the predicted minor period.


-14) DATE: 07/17/2016

TIME(S): 0650 - 1010 hrs

LOCATION: Wall Lake, UT

MOON PHASE: FULL -2

SOLUNAR CHART: Good (71%), moon zenith 2301 hrs

WEATHER: Clear and calm at start, then a steady SSE breeze

RESULTS: 1 (Brook)

COMMENTS: I remember this being an awful outing. 1 fish and I was lucky to get that. Had one other fish (another Brookie) chasing a scud pattern in as I was picking up to change locations. Frustrating because I was here last week, same time, same weather, and clobbered the fish. Two periods of daylight activity predicted were a major from 0905-1205 hrs and a second (minor) from 1658-1858 hrs. The 1 fish that I did get (and the chaser that followed) came just in time to save me from the skunk as I recall. In hind sight I wish I would have stuck it out for another hour or so.


-15) DATE: 07/10/2016

TIME(S): 0630 - 1030 hrs

LOCATION: Wall Lake, UT

MOON PHASE: First QTR

SOLUNAR CHART: Fair (24%), moon zenith 1741 hrs

WEATHER: Clear and calm at start, then a steady SSE breeze

RESULTS: 14 (12 Brook, 2 Tiger)

COMMENTS: First hour was frustrating casting to risers. Finally fooled a single Brookie. Went to an indie rig and 2 nymphs and clobbered them until a complete shutdown around 0930. Solunar charts projected a major period ending around 0646 hrs and a second minor period from 1030-1230 hrs. My flurry of activity came right in the middle of a projected trough. Complete miss for the solunar charts here.


The final score on this sampling of trips was 9 direct hits for the solunar tables, 4 misses, and 2 pushes (50/50). While far from decisive, it has got me thinking more than ever that there is something to this. Safe to say that I will be checking the projected solunar activity periods ahead of all trips going forward and will be monitoring closely while on the water.

The experiment continues.

 

[Ard]

Hey Joe,

Good post with plenty of effort put into it, like Larry I'm not much of a still water guy. I have however seen correlations between the tables and my results here on one day I clearly remember. Years ago I parked my boat at the mouth of a remote creek that dumps into a large glacial river. That day beginning around 5 PM until almost 6:30 I caught a bunch of King salmon and saw activity from many more than I had hooked up with. When I got back to the cabin I was curious because I knew my old Garmin eTrex Vista had the Solunar Tables loaded into it so I checked for the next day.

The tables said that the next day the action would start in a major way at 3:30 PM so I was parked right back on the sane sandbar by 2:39 the following. Results? Nothing, nada, didn't even see a fish swirl. Weird they were right on one day and dead wrong the next but then these are salmon not trout.

 

[JoJer]

I read somewhere that Blue gill spawn every full moon when the water temps get above 55 degrees. If you have an over populated pond, fishing when they're on their reds - a bare hook pulled thru a nest will always get an attack. When you start seeing bigger fish move in for the eggs, switch to egg baits or wounded baitfish lures.
Don't forget to log your biorhythms, too.

 

[ia_trouter]

Joe

Is there any particular reason you narrowed the thread to stillwater trout? Do you have moving water data, or multi-species data?

 

[stenacron]

Joe

Is there any particular reason you narrowed the thread to stillwater trout? Do you have moving water data, or multi-species data?

Yes, it started out with a curiosity on the (apparently) common belief that if you fish trout on stillwaters, you should try to avoid full moon as the fishing will be poor. And this seems to be a common theme from the Rockies to West Coast and on up into BC... experts and casual anglers alike. So exploring the full moon phenomenon lead to the solunar tables and researching on line lead to some interesting theories as to "why", so I was just curious if others on NAFFF had experienced this as well. Most of the anglers fearful of full moons on lakes choose to fish rivers/streams on that full+3 day span as it is believed that the negative effects aren't as strong in moving water. Since I'm a lake guy 9 months out of the year... that was the reason for the focus and why I posted it in the Stillwater Forum.

As to your 2nd question... yes, I have data on moving waters as well and 4 of the sample trips listed were on rivers in neighboring Colorado. I haven't looked back into my warmwater lakes and river days, but I do have 1157 trips logged (as of today) covering all kinds of lakes, rivers, streams from sea level to 10,500 feet... 45 species of fish caught... 88 different bodies of water... but who's counting.

In fact it's my warmwater lake experience that has me all twisted in a knot over this trout/lake issue. Crawfish molt every full moon and the bass go on a "soft-shelled crab" feeding frenzy. Best time to land large bucketmouths is jigging outside weed edges with a black 'n' blue jig & trailer. Maybe trout switch to a similar diet? God knows there are enough crawfish in these trout lakes in Utah. Hmmm...

 

[ia_trouter]

I'm glad I asked because I had no idea there is a full moon bad juju belief regarding stillwater trout. The minimal stillwater we have here is a 100% stocked fishery, with a short life expectancy.

Back on topic (well the best that I can do anyway) .....

I always thought the increased activity of the food source has to be a primary cause. And the fact that species that aren't overly nocturnal suddenly have a low light window that is good enough to capture prey after normal feeding hours. LM and SM bass come to mind, and the walleye bite can really explode on a full moon night. I never noticed a difference for pike living in the same water, and I targeted them for decades.

So carry on. I think I'll start paying a little closer attention to the peak times and give it another chance. As I said earlier I need some convincing on mid day peak time predictions for most species. Perhaps it is far more reliable for still water trout as your experience seems to suggest. Interesting in any event. Maybe even better than a high end NAFFF drama thread lol.

 

[flav]

I've never heard the full moon / bad juju thing about stillwater trout either. I've heard the full moon can make for bad fishing on some rivers because trout will feed at night, but I've never let it stop me from fishing or worried about it effecting my fishing.

I've always thought the solunar tables were the fisherman's version of astrology. I'm sure the pull of the moon and sun may have some small effect on fish, but thinking someone can predict it seems far fetched to me.

 

[stenacron]

I've always thought the solunar tables were the fisherman's version of astrology. I'm sure the pull of the moon and sun may have some small effect on fish, but thinking someone can predict it seems far fetched to me.

Believe me, a little over a week ago I was a complete doubter. Starting digging into it though based on belief's by others... and the deeper I dug, the more I was surprised by what I found. Count me as a former skeptic-turned-open mind on the subject (not yet a believer... but working on it).

Regarding JUST the subject of full moon and stillwater trout, I do not believe that it totally kills the fishing. In fact I have had some very good outings during full moon cycles. I do believe however that it changes the bite and maybe even compresses the activity into smaller windows... and I have seen this in bass fishing as well. So perhaps the urban legend of bad mojo on full moons stems from anglers simply not adjusting to a displaced bite window?

 

[Matt4.0]

Sorry if I missed it somewhere, but which app do you use? And, thanks for the thread. You’ve obviously put a lot of time into it and makes for interesting reading, for myself at least.

 

[stenacron]

Sorry if I missed it somewhere, but which app do you use? And, thanks for the thread. You’ve obviously put a lot of time into it and makes for interesting reading, for myself at least.

Its called Fishing and Hunting Solunar Time version 3.0.1 for iOS and Android: Fishing & Hunting Solunar Time 3.0.1 apk download for Android • com.antonnikitin.solunarforecast #15788

Its been an eye-opening experiment so far.

 

[fishgolf]

My experience is that it does affect fishing. I've spent many, many hours fishing WA Basin Lakes and both barometric changes and solunar conditions changes how fish feed. YMMV.

 

[deceiverbob]

In my area the tide trumps the solunar tables at least for fishing.