Have you ever been told that the phases of the moon affect fishing? Do you follow lunar calendars to see which days are best to hit the water?

Chances are a good deal of you answered yes to one or both of these questions, but the real question is does any of it matter?

I cannot remember if the moon phases were a part of learning to fish. My dad taught me to fish and would take my brother and me fishing whenever the opportunity arose. I don’t remember anything being a consideration other than wanting to and having the time.

However when I started saltwater fishing, the moon was an essential part of planning a trip. A significant portion of saltwater angling is centered around the tide and the moon phase has a direct influence on the tide. A full moon can cause substantial changes in an area’s tide, which can also impact how baitfish are moving. This, of course, has a significant on when gamefish are feeding and if an area is even fishable.

But is the same true for freshwater?

The tide does not directly impact most freshwater areas. However there is still a strong belief that the moon phases, especially a full moon, correlate with improved fishing conditions. Some anglers swear by it, and many fishing calendars rely on lunar data to predict fishing success.

After diving deeper into the science, the answer contradicts the belief.

Without the tidal influence, freshwater fishing success depends on several factors. The wind, temperature, cloud cover and time of day all contribute to determining whether the fish will be biting, and each appears to have a greater impact than the moon phase. Although a bright moonlit night may increase nocturnal activity for some species, scientists are aware that it is nominal. Any full moon success you experience is more likely related to your ability to see better, cast to the ideal spot better, and be more comfortable on the water than anything the fish are doing.

So why are so many freshwater anglers, and even plenty of experts, convinced otherwise? Because that is what they were taught, and any success or failure they do have is spun to reinforce that belief.

Have a bad day? It would have been better during a full moon phase. Have a bad day during a full moon? Other factors were at play, and the full moon saved it from being even worse.

Even scientific studies have yielded mixed results.

Several research programs that coincided with the full moon showed increased activity but were unable to isolate this factor. Several other studies showed little or no impact from the moon phase. The only studies that repeatedly showed increased activity during a full moon involved walleye, and even then, it was less than a 5% better catch rate.

But again, does it matter? If you believe that a full moon makes for better fishing, you are probably going to continue to do so, especially if you have a personal best to prove it.

If not, no harm, no foul.