Every fisherman dreams of a bigger catch! Is it possible to know beforehand when you should plan a trip to enjoy some fishing, catch more than usual, and come home feeling 100% satisfied? Based on my own personal research around the best fishing times, I think it is.

When I first started fishing, the best fishing time for me was whatever time happened to suit me. I tried different lures, baits and techniques until I’d spent a small fortune in my quest to improve my fishing catch. When I finally heard about the “Solunar Theory”–or fishing by moon phase–like most anglers, I was skeptical.

What I’d read sounded too complicated. All sorts of factors needed to be checked and the determined angler needed to be at the water’s edge at exactly the right time, TO THE MINUTE, in order to improve on his average catch. Was I really willing to take my hobby that seriously? Let’s just say that curiosity got the better of me.

To help me determine whether there was any truth in the moon’s effect on the best fishing times, I kept a record of every trip I made over a period of 18 months. All information related to the moon’s phases, the weather conditions and the catches I made were carefully logged. What I discovered convinced me that moon phase fishing works. BUT, I also found that it isn’t anywhere near as complicated as many would have us believe.

How Does Fishing By Moon Phase Work?

Every fisherman knows that the best fishing times are when the fish are feeding. This tends to be during dawn and dusk, but what often goes unnoticed are the two periods elsewhere in the day–moonrise and moonset. Because the moon has an effect on a variety of factors surrounding the fish–including the live fodder they hunt–these periods, combined with the moon’s phase, are what trigger feeding.

By understanding this, and choosing times when sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset coincide with new or full moon phases, you’ll increase you chance of a good fishing catch. Assuming there are fish in the area, of course.

Choosing The Best Fishing Times

There really is nothing complicated about this at all; it’s just a matter of knowing ahead of time exactly when the sun and moon will rise and set. Fish are most active during 90-minute windows surrounding each of these four daily events; that’s 45 minutes before and after these four daily points.

Fishing during these four periods will help increase your fishing catch, but if you plan wisely so as to ensure you’re at the water’s edge on the days of new or full moon, you can use these ‘windows’ to reel in a catch like you’ve never done before. If you have to choose between sunrise/set and moonrise/set, always go with the moon as the moon is the stronger influence.

Hunters have always known that fish and game are most active at dawn and dusk–sunrise and sunset–but their activity surrounding moonrise and moonset is less noticeable because these events are likely to occur without e­ffecting any change in the perceived light. The rise and set of a new moon is invisible anyway, and overcast weather often hides the moon. Without prior knowledge of setting and rising times, two of the best fishing times will be missed every day!

Other Considerations

When planning your fishing by moon phase, there are certain other factors that should also be considered.

Weather - Severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. When a storm’s brewing, or just after one has passed, is a good time. If this happens while you’re in place, you’ll be in for a treat! However, if there’s a cold front approaching, the fish are likely to move deeper into the water and become inactive.

Season - Most fish are more likely to bite willingly during seasonal transitions with the transition from winter to spring and summer to fall being the two best fishing times.

Now that you know that moon phase fishing really works, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t utilize this knowledge to increase your own fishing catch by being at the ready with your rod during the best fishing times available. It’s easy and it works!

Good luck!

David Rose is an outdoor enthusiast and the creator of QuickPhase Pro, a popular moon phase software program. Visit http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases to discover the fun and easy way to view the phases of the moon and increase your fishing catch.

Port Renfrew is a small Canadian town with a major fishing problem. The problem is the sport fishing is great and only a few people know that.

We arrive in Port Renfrew in late afternoon. Port Captain Quigley greets us at the entrance to Osprey Cabins. Quigley and his family provide these comfortable cabins in a beautiful rural setting - and there’s an outdoor hot tub to boot! Their place is one of the most popular accommodations in Port Renfrew ,and their rates are very reasonable.

Captain Quigley is one of the most skilled and knowledgeable guides we’ve ever met. We’ve been out with the affable “Capt’n Quig” before, at his other fishing operation in Sooke, ,B.C. (45 minutes west of Victoria), so we know we’re in good hands!

The alarm shatters our solid sleep at 5 a.m. We’re on the water by 6:00. The sun is just coming up behind us as we speed westward, heading towards the mouth of the Port San Juan Inlet. Quigley’s boat is fast and powerful. We hang on to our seats as we bounce over the big waves!

We stop just off Camper’s Beach , where the West Coast Trail from Port Renfrew meets the “Pacific Ocean” for the first time. The shoreline cliffs were spectacular and carved into numerous huge dark caves.

Captain Quigley points over the port side towards the open Pacific. “Next stop Hawaii, and that-away Japan!” The water is as calm as it ever gets out here, but the rolling swells are huge. The sun is shining brightly now, but cool dark fog is already rising from the water, cloaking the cliffs. It looks like the trees are suspended in the air far above us.

Captain Quigley tells us we’re sure to catch some big ones today. Swiftsure Bank, where Juan de Fuca Strait drops off into the deep blue Pacific, is where halibut and salmon are most plentiful. It’s hard to believe we’re fishing on the edge of the open Pacific Ocean.

The first one I catch is a screamer! They call it that because it grabs the bait and takes off. The line literally ’screams’ as the fish runs. Quigley knows what to do. He puts the boat in gear and chases the fish. My eyes
almost pop when I look down at the reel and there are only about 3 wraps of line left! In seconds, the fish had run almost 300 yards of line. I reel as fast as I can until the line’s tight again and the fight’s back
on

Non-stop excitement, boats all around us are getting strike after strike. On Quigley’s radio, we can hear the guides sharing information about their catches - “Double strike, 40 feet down!” They all share their success so everyone else can succeed too. Even when there’s a lull, and the fish aren’t biting, Captain Quigley is entertaining us. He teaches us his latest fish-luring chant and the accompanying dance: “Chinook, Chinook - Bite on my hook, my hook!” There is never a dull moment on board.

And when the fish are biting, Quigley is a very patient teacher: “Let him run! That’s it… He’s got the whole boat to play with. Let him tire himself out…”

Later, Quigley tells us a story about the biggest fish ever landed on his boat. He had taken an elderly couple on an expedition, and it was turning out to be a disappointingly uneventful day - not one bite, until they decided to turn back! Then, all of a sudden, they got a nibble. It was a huge struggle, but with Quigley’s help, they reeled it in - a 52-pounder! Now that’s a really big salmon.

It went on to win several categories in the fishing derby. We catch our limit long before the charter’s over, each fish is in the twenty-pound range. We had about 100lbs of fish on board, enough to feed us all winter! (We were fishing for spring salmon as the Coho and Sockeye fisheries were temporarily closed.)

When I made dinner that night, back in Victoria, one fillet filled the grill on my barbeque! Five people dug in and there
was2/3 left over! We’re talking serious salmon here, folks!

Small town, big fishing problem - right? Now you know.

Ron Kirstein is the owner of a Canadian Travel & Tourism Web site (since 1995). Ron has traveled the length and breadth of Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada in search of adventures. For exciting additional information and color pictures of Ron’s Island Fishing Adventure visit his Travel Magazine.

Fly fishing is very different than fishing with a lure or worm type baits. The fly fisherman uses a artificial fly consisting of bites of feathers, foam, hide, fur, yarn, and other materials to be tried on to a hook that make it appealing to the type of fish you are catching.

Every fly fisherman has his own type of flies he like to use some purchase them and then some of us like to tie our own. Fly tying is more of an art with basic training which most people can learn over a short period of time.

Dry fly fishing is the best classic form of fishing. The artificial fly is cast so that it floats on the surface of the water. As the fly passes over the fish it will rise to the surface and strike or take the fly.

With the fly rod you will attempt to stop the fish from spitting out the fly and get it tired enough so you can land it in your net. With fly fishing you will see all the action as you cast the fly and play the fish for a strike. The fly is very visible on the surface to the fish. You will see the fish take the fly on the surface however trout and other fish tend to feed under water so if you see the fish rising to the surface it is time to use a dry fly.

Wet flies will sink under the surface of the water an may be passed in front of the fish there bye causing the fish too strike at the fly,

Nymph fishing is very popular after the flies lay eggs on lakes or in streams and they hatch out as nymphs. As the nymphs make their way to the surface the fish will take them. When they get to the surface they will hatch into a flies.

When nymph fishing the imitation nymphs you us will be weighted to stay below the surface of the water. This will be far more of a challenge for you as the action all take place under the surface of the water and you will not be able to see if a fish is about to strike.

Most fish can be caught on a fly but the most common are trout, salmon, chars, and most game fish. In most areas the trout are the most popular and you will find them feeding mostly on small insects in shallow water. If you live on the coast you find salmon fishing with a fly rod a very rewarding challenge. Hooking a 30 or 40 pound salmon on a fly rod will give you a work out running up and down the beach trying to play the fish out to land it .

The fly fishing sport has gained ever increasing popularity over the years. Most will agree it just not about catching the fish but in the delivery of the fly and the skill and knowledge in the pursuit.

Some fly fisherman regard fly fishing as the holy grail of fishing. It is more relaxing and some say a better past time than golf. The sport of fly fishing see people from all walks of life. Some say it is more environmentally friends than the other type of fishing because it does less harm to the fish then other styles of fishing.

The art of fly fishing will get in to your blood and you will peruse the quite of the streams or the solitude of the ocean beaches to capture you prey. Most anglers will catch and release if they are fly fishing.

Sammy Salmon has been having fun fishing for years and wants to share all his knowledge with you so be sure to visit him at Fishing-For-Fun