# surf fishing best on the new moon or full moon



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

making plans for next year and have it narrowed down to two weeks ... ones a new moon and the other is a full moon ... which one is best ?


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## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

im not sure if it really makes a huge difference. From all i know, the moon is what causes tides. A full moon is supposedly when its further away from the sun in respects to the earth. But i don't think the moon comes any closer or further. Just the same circular pattern, like i said. furthest from the sun...

I think it just depends on the timing of the high tide. and not really whether its full or new.

But the full moon is still light. maybe the brightness make the fish more active than on normal nights? idk if it makes a difference to fish though... Maybe at night, lures based off color will not work because its too dark underwater. But in a full moon, it might work. Maybe fish like it better darker? who knows...

I wouldn't worry to much. i would rather fish during the full moon, just to enjoy how nice it looks. And to just fish in a lovely mood. I would rather pay closer attention to the high tide timing and thats about it for me. 

yea, call me a woman. I made a woman move right there. TO create a conclusion or make a decision based off how "pretty" instead of any functional, reasonable, logical, factual statements. 

call me a fairy. But id rather chill in the frosty night, with the sound of the waves breaking and crashing the shore, with the fresh salty air coming off the ocean, and its pitch dark but the full moon and the stars are bright as ever, listen to the crickets and night birds in the back drop, and just soak bait and think about life as you look up into the moon. Once u get so deep in thought. The bell always jingles  ... well i use bells... so i don't have to crane my neck up, or really pay much attention LOL. circle hooks anyways....

to be honest. i don't think i like fishing for the action like you "sporty" types. But its my favorite vacation.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

I think it depends on the longitude. Where are you going?


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

Are you going to fish at night?


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## Chris_Worthington (Jul 13, 2012)

I have always heard that the 3 days before and after are not as good of the rest of days...

With that said, I don't know why that it is, but I tend to agree with it.


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## dawgfsh (Mar 1, 2005)

My favorite time to fish is the 3 days leading up to the full moon. 
It creates higher and lower tides and those tides are around sunrise and sunset. 
Caught lots of big Drum around the full moon


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

Peixaria said:


> I think it depends on the longitude. Where are you going?


Frisco NC ... the only place


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

both the new moon and full moon has the high tide right at dark ... mostly we will be day fishing but an evening or two it would be nice to be out at dark on a high tide ... it will be my cousins first trip to a real Beach


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## CarolinaChuck (Jan 11, 2011)

New moon and full moon phases produce "spring" tides, and durring the quarter moon phases a "neap" tide is had. Spring tides produce higher high, and lower low tides because the sun, earth and moon are in aline. This web site has a niffty calendar view of tides in NC, maybe it will help you out with making your plans: http://www.fishing-nc.com/nc-tides.php

Chuck


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

It depends on your area. I prefer full moon.


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## Chris_Worthington (Jul 13, 2012)

Now this to me anyways makes sense "It creates higher and lower tides and those tides are around sunrise and sunset. " (yet to fact check this)

Sunset/sunrise aka a dramatic and fast change in light level during a period(s) of a non moving tide in or out.

I have always caught more fish on a moving tide as opposed to a slack tide. Perhaps this is the reason behind the old wife's tale that I have been told?

Edited: and there to me anyways seems to be more "active" fish at these times of light level changes....


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Chunker, If Frisco is the destination then you have the best of both worlds within easy reach. I fished Ocock exclusively for 9 years and swear that the New Moon is the best,and not just at night, although lots of big fish are caught under Full. Now in Buxton and it looks like Full is hottest. You choose.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

For surf fishing I prefer the LAST QUARTER up to the NEW MOON. Sea mullet and drum seem to favor this period for some reason......I have different reasons for preferring the dark moon being that night fishing is more productive for me under the dark moon. If I encounter a trip with high pressure and clear bright skies and the fish don't seem to want to feed actively many times they hit at night and the NEW MOON will often times bring the fish in up to your feet.

I have been keeping a log book for years now where I record EVERYTHING and while I have caught fish on every moon under pretty much every condition I have had the MOST SUCCESS between the last quarter and new moon. If you have to plan your trip ahead of time like I do you can only control but so much so I prefer to plan around my most productive moon phases. Next year looks to be promising with several new moon phases occuring on or around the weekends of some of my most productive months


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## Lickinfrogs (Mar 12, 2006)

I think it depends on what you're fishing for. Fish that like current like the full moon. Fish that don't like the new moon.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Moons used to be a good help but*

With the lack of real-estate on the beach all they do lately is block you from where you are goin or trap you where you are. Way too many narrow spots on the beach to play the Moon Game... Put any Wind on a Full Moon Hi Tide and she is to the dunes.... 

JAM


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

NEW MOON puts high tides around dusk and dawn which is good. NEW MOON doesn't "normally" bring high tides to the dunes like JAM mentioned which is a good thing. I disagree 100% about the current......you can find current during any moon and too much current isn't a good thing IMO.

And again I reiterate the fact that a dark moon at night has meant much better surf fishing than a full moon. Atleast for me it has.......The type of fishing I do means fishing right in front of my feet most of the time and the dark moon brings them literally right up to the beach.


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

It is a fact that the current will be stronger at a Peak full moon and peak New moon. These two moon cycles increase and decrease the tides subsequently. It is only a simple equation that more water filling the same slough is going to mean more current. Put a bit of wind behind it and you got unfishable or 12z. Both DTS and JAM are right. But the probability of your rig washing down the beach at full moon is more likely statisticly speaking.

For me though, I'll take a new moon over a full given choice. I have caught fish on all moon cycles, all tide cycles, and all "fishable" wind conditions. That being said, give me a SE-SW wind on a new moon in the spring and I will beg plead, and lie to get my ass on the sand for a couple days. Give me a N-NE wind on a new moon in the fall and I will beg, plead, and lie to get my ass on the sand for a couple days. Give me both scenarios on a full moon and I hope to be there but I aint begging or lieing to make it happen.

Number one factor that outweighs all the above is a week long run of bunker in the surf. If you got that you got fish with em and it don't matter what the moon, tide, current, etc. is. Give me three days under bait and I will bet my gear I will catch fish at least one of those days.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

gilly21 said:


> It is a fact that the current will be stronger at a Peak full moon and peak New moon. These two moon cycles increase and decrease the tides subsequently. It is only a simple equation that more water filling the same slough is going to mean more current. Put a bit of wind behind it and you got unfishable or 12z. Both DTS and JAM are right. But the probability of your rig washing down the beach at full moon is more likely statisticly speaking.
> 
> For me though, I'll take a new moon over a full given choice. I have caught fish on all moon cycles, all tide cycles, and all "fishable" wind conditions. That being said, give me a SE-SW wind on a new moon in the spring and I will beg plead, and lie to get my ass on the sand for a couple days. Give me a N-NE wind on a new moon in the fall and I will beg, plead, and lie to get my ass on the sand for a couple days. Give me both scenarios on a full moon and I hope to be there but I aint begging or lieing to make it happen.
> 
> Number one factor that outweighs all the above is a week long run of bunker in the surf. If you got that you got fish with em and it don't matter what the moon, tide, current, etc. is. Give me three days under bait and I will bet my gear I will catch fish at least one of those days.


Agree 100%........There are certainly instances where you tear them up and it doesn't seem to matter what the moon phase, wind direction and/or water clarity is but if you HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD like I do most of the time I do so around the NEW MOON 1st choice and LAST QUARTER 2nd choice. I have rarely had problems with high water and severe washing on a new moon unless astronomical or storm conditions played a factor. The full moon has been bad business too many times.....

Now you give me a full moon in the Pamlico Sound off of Cedar Island in August and I will have an enormous grin on my face ........As soon as that big moon breaks the surface the big drum action comes alive!......Just don't care for it on the surf.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

lots of good info ... not new to surf fishing Hatteras but it will be my cousins first trip there and wanting to make it the best possible ...


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## razor78016 (Dec 24, 2010)

I always heard, if the moon looks like it could hold water (crescent), it's a good time for fishing. More often than not, I've caught fish.

Ray.


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

Full moon in the fall at night is killer for specks. New moon fishing is better during the day. Nothing beats full moon in November except February or March if we have had some warm weather


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## ReelDeal (May 28, 2011)

I'm planning my trip to Florida in May around the New moon on the 4th. I've had more action on New moon.


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## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

I've not really had much sucess with moon phases, now tide changes have always been huge when targeting fish.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Chris_Worthington said:


> Now this to me anyways makes sense "It creates higher and lower tides and those tides are around sunrise and sunset. " (yet to fact check this)
> 
> Sunset/sunrise aka a dramatic and fast change in light level during a period(s) of a non moving tide in or out.
> 
> ...



You have to remember on thing moving water is called current and tides are height of water levels. I always try to fish the appropriate water currents. I do look to see when there is a tide change and fish the proper moving water current.


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## KB Spot Chaser (Nov 19, 2009)

gilly21 said:


> It is a fact that the current will be stronger at a Peak full moon and peak New moon. These two moon cycles increase and decrease the tides subsequently. It is only a simple equation that more water filling the same slough is going to mean more current. Put a bit of wind behind it and you got unfishable or 12z. Both DTS and JAM are right. But the probability of your rig washing down the beach at full moon is more likely statisticly speaking.
> 
> For me though, I'll take a new moon over a full given choice. I have caught fish on all moon cycles, all tide cycles, and all "fishable" wind conditions. That being said, give me a SE-SW wind on a new moon in the spring and I will beg plead, and lie to get my ass on the sand for a couple days. Give me a N-NE wind on a new moon in the fall and I will beg, plead, and lie to get my ass on the sand for a couple days. Give me both scenarios on a full moon and I hope to be there but I aint begging or lieing to make it happen.
> 
> Number one factor that outweighs all the above is a week long run of bunker in the surf. If you got that you got fish with em and it don't matter what the moon, tide, current, etc. is. Give me three days under bait and I will bet my gear I will catch fish at least one of those days.


New moon you know it bro I'll be a lying too, goota make it happen no matter what before or after or the day of. The fall new moon's bring the biggest tides whereas the spring full moon's bring the biggest.


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

KB Spot Chaser said:


> New moon you know it bro I'll be a lying too, goota make it happen no matter what before or after or the day of. The fall new moon's bring the biggest tides whereas the spring full moon's bring the biggest.



Problem is we are running out of excuses....


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

Ryan Y said:


> Problem is we are running out of excuses....


Time to recycle/re purpose/reuse whatever.


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## castingsfun (May 28, 2010)

Full moon the ebbing and flooding conditions the tide is stronger.
As for the fishing that you'll have to let us know.


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