Fishing Information allfree-contestsandsweepstakes.com    

Understanding the Effects Moonlight on Swordfishing


In order to better understand why swordfish concentrate their feeding habits in certain depths on any given night or why the bite is better during different times of the month requires you to better understand how the effects of moonlight influence swordfish.

Before you can understand how moonlight affects swordfish, you must understand the moon and its phases. The moon revolves around the earth in 27 days. The first phase of the moon at the beginning of its new revolution is what we call the "New Moon". The new moon is when the moons face is in the shadow of the earth causing the moon to reflect no light and look dark to us. A week after the "new moon" the moon will be in its first quarter, meaning that one quarter of the moons total surface is reflecting light back to earth. Since we only see 50% of the moons surface, when the moon is in its first quarter it is actually referred to as a half moon by many of us since one half of the moons face is reflecting light. One week after the first quarter the moon will be full, and the whole face of the moon which is visible to us will be reflecting light. One week after the Full Moon and again the moon will appear as half since it will be in its last quarter. One week after the last quarter the moon will have completed its lunar cycle and be a "New Moon" again.

Now, if we look back to our past swordfish trips and our catch statistics we would see patterns for a few nights when all bites were at depths greater than 200'. And we would also see a pattern for a couple nights when all bites were at depths less than 100'. These changes are a direct effect from the amounts moonlight which was present during these patterns. We know swordfish are predatory species feeding on concentrations of squid and mackerel which are both diurnal species, meaning that during the bright daylight hours they stay in the deeper darker depths of the ocean and as daylight diminishes and night falls they rise to the shallower depths. Now, moonlight plays a role in where the concentrations of the bait will be congregating. For example, during a full moon, since much of the moonlight is shining through the oceans surface, the bright moonlight will cause the bait to stay deeper in the water column. Conversely, during a new moon with virtually no moonlight breaking the oceans surface the bait will congregate in shallower depths closer to the surface.

Of course, we should always have a bait in both the deeper and shallower part of the water column no matter what moon phase we are in, just in case there is swordfish wandering. Although, the brightness of the moon is an extremely good indication of what depth the majority of the swordfish bites we will be. During nights when the moon is full and bright the majority of baits should be fished deeper in the water column.

Tightlines,

Captain Vinnie La Sorsa Swordfishing & OffShore Charters.

http://www.GoodFellasCharters.com


MORE RESOURCES:

CBC.ca

Bush to Protect Three Areas in Pacific
Washington Post, United States - 8 hours ago
The protected areas "will allow for research, free passage, and recreation -- including the possibility of recreational fishing one day," Bush said while ...
Bush to create three marine monuments Los Angeles Times
President Bush makes final controversial environmental push on his ... ESPN
Bush to establish 3 marine monuments in Pacific The Associated Press
Asbury Park Press - Los Angeles Times
all 756 news articles


Ice fishing takes hold near Pelican Rapids
Fergus Falls Daily Journal, MN - 11 hours ago
By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal Travis Grahn of Park Region Cooperative’s sporting goods in Pelican Rapids has been selling lots of fishing ...


Catch Fishing Master World Tour For Wii
Gaming Bits, FL - 5 hours ago
For those who enjoy the spoils of the sea, but just don't like the smell, try your hand at Hudson Entertainment's Fishing Master World Tour for Wii. ...
Fishing Master World Tour 3 (Wii) WorthPlaying.com
Fishing Master World Tour Now Available Gamers Hell
all 8 news articles


Boston Globe

Deaths are a sad reminder of risks that built a city
Boston Globe, United States - 15 hours ago
Peter Parisi (left) and Kevin Farless worked to untangle fishing nets yesterday at the docks in Gloucester. The deaths of Matteo Russo and John Orlando ...
Patriot 'mystery' Coast Guard: No sign of fire in vessel debris Gloucester Daily Times
Fishing boat missing off coast of Gloucester, 1 dead Boston Herald
Two killed in fishing boat accident off of Gloucester Boston Globe
Gloucester Daily Times - Boston Globe
all 209 news articles


NOAA

New Economic Report Finds Commercial and Recreational Fishing ...
NOAA, DC - 13 hours ago
US commercial and recreational fishing generated more than $185 billion in sales and supported more than two million jobs in 2006, according to a new ...


Ice fishing taking off at area lakes
Grand Junction Free Press, CO - 20 hours ago
By Doug Miller Ice fishing has been excellent in all the lower reservoirs with safe ice to be had in the majority of each lake. Perch, crappie and bluegill ...
Extended Fishing Report for January 5 Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Ice on Lake Winnebago is safe for travel, but caution advised Oshkosh Northwestern
DNR: Ice conditions vary throught the state MLive.com
Grand Forks Herald - Norwalk Reflector
all 12 news articles


Milford aims to turn fishing spot into a park
New Haven Register (subscription), CT - 16 hours ago
The Park, Beach and Recreation Commission is scheduled to vote this week on a proposal to make the popular fishing spot along the Housatonic River a city ...


Examiner.com

Five tips to help make your next winter fly fishing excursion a ...
Examiner.com - 3 hours ago
by Michael Miller, Denver Fly Fishing Examiner The author caught this nice South Platte rainbow on a chilly winter afternoon. ...


Post Searchlight

Fishing has been good considering
Post Searchlight, GA - 9 hours ago
For the very first time in two years, I got to go fishen with my friend, Bill Allen. He took me to his best Jack Fish hole and gave me his best Jack Fish ...


Recent Warmer Temperatures Make For Good Fishing
Tampa Tribune, FL - 10 minutes ago
Water temperatures at the end of the year were in the high 60s, and that made for some very good fishing on the flats off South Shore. ...

Fishing - Google News

home | site map
© 2006