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Monday, April 14, 2008
What’s your take on wildlife feeding charts?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My father always knew when the best fishing day was, and he never once used one of those moon phase charts to tell him so.
“Saturday,” the career factory worker would say, “because that’s when I can go.”
He was right. The wildlife activity charts that are based on moon and/or sun positioning might say next Wednesday is the best day to go fishing. But if you’ve got to work it really doesn’t matter, does it? Dad figured the best fishing day was one that was dry, not too cold or hot, and with little breeze. He knew he’d catch fish anyway, so why be uncomfortable doing it?
Dad didn’t pay attention to those wildlife activity forecasts, but many outdoors people do. Ever since Pennsylvania banker John Alden Knight published the first solunar table in 1936, hunters and anglers have used them to predict when wildlife is most active. The argument is that if you can pinpoint when game is most active, your chances of success are increased.
Such tables are found everywhere — in magazines, on the Web and even on the nightly news. WSB-TV Channel 2 shows a Datasport Fish and Game forecast graph to end each night’s 11 p.m. newscast that local anglers swear works. The AJC publishes a lunar chart every Sunday in the Sports section that suggests the top times for fishing. A variety of these are for sale, too.
There’s no question that celestial positioning has an affect on wildlife. Many fish species, for instance, spawn around the full moon. Saltwater fish are atune to the rising and falling tides caused by gravitational pull of the sun and moon in their search for food.
I keep an eye on the so-called “feeding charts,” but I’m not sure if my results have been anything more than anecdotal. I’ve been skunked on peak days, and had success during down cycles.
However, last week on a short fishing trip on vacation. I caught two bass in the morning and did not get another bite until mid-afternoon. After that, I caught three (one a 4-pounder) and had at least three other good bites (let’s not talk about why I missed them). The peak time for the day was 2:30 p.m.; it was after that time when the activity picked up.
The question is, do these wildlife activity charts work or are they just a bunch of stinkbait?
