How the Moon Phase Impacts Inshore Fishing

The late spring and early summer months are a time of the year when the inshore goes thru a transition period. It’s when the fish come out of their winter habitats and start looking for food and start their spawning. Many times a total change in their environment takes place thanks to the changing water temps and the important moon phases. This is when fishing suddenly improves and the season begins.

For me, I look at the time of the moon phases as a means of knowing when the fish will likely be moving or not. With the high lunar times, fish like the Redfish will use this time to come out of the deeper holes where they’ve held up for most of the winter and use the deeper water of the moon phase to seek good feeding grounds like grassy areas. Also, the moving water carries bait that the Reds seek after a long winter. Many returned to the tidal flats that had been their home and feeding ground the previous year and will come from significant distances to make the return.

The moon phases have become a far greater factor in inshore fishing in recent years and is a key factor that most of the new generation of anglers depend on. Just like me, many inshore fishermen schedule their fishing time around the moon and its phases. These changes impact not only water depth and movement but also the activity of food supply the fish will experience. While the full moon creates increased water movement and depth, the brightness of the moon also allows the fish to feed at night, resulting in a slower bite during the early part of the day. Because of this, your fishing may need to be delayed until later in the morning to give them a chance to want to feed again.

Checking the moon phase is a part of my planning both long-term as well as short-term. There are a number of sources for getting this information. I simply look it up on my computer. It’s easy and effective.