The last quarter moon phase will arrive Wednesday, but instead of the usual affect –– a terrific late afternoon bite –– we'll see the start of an exceptional early morning bite because the distance from the moon from the earth is greater than in recent months. Expect the afternoon bite to diminish quickly each day and be non-existent by Wednesday, replaced by the rapid improvement of the early morning bite. To take full advantage, be on the water by 6 a.m., working areas of proven migration. Remember, the vegetation uses oxygen at night during the summer months which means the larger fish will be on the outside edges and covering more distance in their search for food. As the water heats up during the day, be expecting to move into the vegetation, as these areas start to produce oxygen and shade resulting in the food chain moving into the area. ...more

May 25, 2008

Today, the last quarter moon happens at 5:03 a.m., which causes the major fish migration to take place very early in the morning. A secondary migration takes place in the middle- to late afternoon, which in this particular case really isn't secondary but nearly equal to the primary migration in duration and intensity. The weather conditions will determine which of the two periods produces more fish in the favorite holes on the lake. You might have heard it said that a Junebug-colored bait works in most cases here in Florida. It's a good color to start out with when you're unsure of which color to use. Now, each bait company offers a slight variation of the "Junebug" color. Some are predominately green, and some purple — it's best to use both, and switch if you find that your hook sets are in the corners of the fish's mouth. ...more

January 30, 2008

With the last-quarter moon happening on Wednesday at 5:03 p.m., the afternoon bite will steadily increase in duration and intensity to the end of the month. The best time to head out to the lake is mid-morning when the feeding migration starts and the bass are on bed, or preparing to go on bed, feed and guard their territory. The bedding bass looks to locate a protected area with adequate fresh, clean water which means the angler should be looking in the southwest sections of lake structures, such as sandbars, islands, weed beds, hydrilla, rocks, and ledges or steep inclines. ...more

January 27, 2008

The last quarter moon occurs tomorrow at 7:51 a.m. and this means that dominate late night feeding migration comes to an end — or at least reduces half in duration and intensity — and the beginning of a midday bite feeding migration. The best time to be on the water for the next three days is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. However, if you have been "on fish" already during the early morning, there is a chance that you might hook into a larger bass between 6-7 a.m., but the chances lessen each day for this to happen. ...more

December 30, 2007

For the next three days, you can forget about getting out on the lake early. Instead, spend time preparing for a mid- to late-afternoon bite. This is the week where you get out of bed early to set up the boat, rig up your gear and jump in the tow vehicle when you get out of work and be on the lake just as the bite starts. Since the last quarter moon on last Saturday, the early morning bite steadily decreased and the beginnings of a late afternoon bite formed. Now, with the recent semi-cold front that came into our area Monday night, the already formed late-day feeding migration will increase in duration and intensity. The National Weather Service is also predicting a steady increase of 10 degrees over the next three to four days, and this will also help make conditions perfect for the afternoon angler. ...more

December 5, 2007

I'm sure we've all heard or read somewhere that fishing is best three days before a full or new moon and three days after. What most people don't realize is about half the yearly moon events occur at night when most of us don't plan to fish. Such is the case again in December. The new moon happens on the Dec. 9 at 5:40 p.m. and the full moon on the 24th at 1:16 a.m. So is there any good news to deduce from this fact? The answer is yes. ...more

November 28, 2007

Since the Full Moon was a week ago and today marks the last quarter moon phase, which occurs at 10:06 a.m., the "Very Early Morning Bite" is "On" in a huge way. The sooner you get out on the lake the sooner you'll be landing your favorite fish. However, because the oxygen levels are still somewhat low in much of the lake areas, your presentation needs to be experimented with until you determine which action the fish prefer. ...more

October 3, 2007