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Weather Supersedes Moon Phases

Contributed Photo

Torpedo grass treatment areas that will be conducted this month. Approximately 200 acres will be targeted for treatment within the areas identified in white.

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DAVE DOUGLASS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2008

On Friday, the first-quarter moon phase occurs at 9:26 p.m., and this means a new early-morning bite starts to build in intensity and duration.

Although, due to the abnormally cold month of November and the current cold front dropping water temperatures into the low 50s, fish will not be feeding noticeably in large numbers. Remember, weather conditions always supersede moon phases in terms of migratory affects on aquatic life.

Nevertheless, the best hopes of having a successful fishing trip starts with factoring the moon phase influence, then adding the weather condition's negatives or positives in order to arrive at the most affective strategy.

For the next four days the early-morning bite will increasingly become more pronounced; as fish will still be moving into feeding patterns where water temperatures and oxygen levels are most suitable for their metabolisms.

The early-morning bite starts at 4 a.m. and ends around 8 a.m. in the warmer area along shorelines which are not beaten up by wave action and the strong currents causing increased turbidity. Fish move toward the direction the wind is coming from because this is where the food chain will be best for feeding.

The secondary feeding migration occurs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and could possibly be the best time of the day for fish to feed because the highest water temperatures will also take place at the same time. The natural tendency for this evening bite to diminish might be halted due to the weather conditions. This all depends on the characteristics of the lake you choose.

Deeper lakes don't change how the feeding migration develops as much as shallow lake do. Fish in deep lakes are already used to traveling at deeper water depths where turbidity and wave action influences are great reduced or not noticed at all, while shallow lakes force fish to travel from one area to another no matter how far away suitable areas are. Because the entire water column is constantly changing due to weather conditions and their subsequent adverse influences on the amount of bait fish present.

Fishing Facts

Wind conditions can totally stop fish from feeding in areas they would otherwise actively feed in. Wind speeds of 10 to 20 mph on a shallow lake will force fish to relocate to more protected uninfluenced areas, whereas in deep water lakes fish will just move to a holding location well below the affects of the strong wind.

The angler must determine the feeding migration for the particular lake in all weather conditions. Contrary to what many anglers believe, each lake type produces different feeding migration characteristics. A shallow lake causes fish to adjust much differently to wind conditions than fish in a deep lake. Therefore, angling methods will be totally different for a lake of four- to six-foot depths as opposed to a lake with depths of 20- to 40-foot depths.

Fishing Formula

When fishing with high winds and low temperatures anglers need to learn how fish adapt within those conditions on that particular lake.

For lakes with deep areas close to shorelines, try Carolina-rigs and drop-shot methods in the transition areas closest to shallow cover. For shallow lakes, try using light weights and small baits with a very slow retrieve - allowing the bait to move through the shallow cover slowly with frequent pauses for up to three or four minutes.

Fish will be scattered in random sporadic patterns with no distinguishable pattern apparent to follow. As the weather pattern becomes "constant," a migration pattern will begin to be noticeable again making fish easier to locate.

Fishing Fiction

"All fish, regardless of the type of lake, feed at different times of the day."

This is not true: Fish feed in all lakes at about the same time of day as dictated by moon phase and weather conditions, however the areas of each lake where fish feed will be vastly different depending on the lake's characteristics.

The fish in Lake June will be feed at the same time of day as they do in Lake Istokpoga, but the depth and type of location will be vastly different - even opposite in most cases.

Fishing Flash

Lake Istokopoga is scheduled for FWC and county weed management treatments this week.

FWC will be targeting torpedo grass in the north, northeast, and northwest shorelines and the county floating vegetation along all shorelines. Hydrilla treatments by helicopter and airboat are complete. If no treatment area maps are provided at the boat ramp you use, one easy way to determine if a hydrilla area has been treated is if there seems to be less "topped-out" area visible, it's a sure bet that a chemical is actively killing off the weed. Move up-wind until you locate clearer water, this is where the fish will move to.

Fishing Tournaments

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is Dec. 3 on Crooked Lake. Time: 7:30 a.m. to noon. Pay at ramp - entry fee $30.00 per boat. One person may fish alone if you do not have a partner. For information, contact Paul Tardiff at 863-385-8007 (home) or 863-446-1310 (cell), email bassbutchie60@aol.com or call Dwight Ameling at -863-471-3305.

Dave Douglass is a bass-fishing guide and bass tournament angler and CEO of S.O.S.-Florida Lakes, Inc. He can be reached at 863-381-8474, or e-mail him at davedouglass@sos-floridalakes.org.

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