Understanding the Effects Moonlight on Swordfishing

In order to better understand why swordfish concentrate their feeding habits in certain depths on any given night or why the bite is better during different times of the month requires you to better understand how the effects of moonlight influence swordfish.

Before you can understand how moonlight affects swordfish, you must understand the moon and its phases. The moon revolves around the earth in 27 days. The first phase of the moon at the beginning of its new revolution is what we call the "New Moon". The new moon is when the moons face is in the shadow of the earth causing the moon to reflect no light and look dark to us. A week after the "new moon" the moon will be in its first quarter, meaning that one quarter of the moons total surface is reflecting light back to earth. Since we only see 50% of the moons surface, when the moon is in its first quarter it is actually referred to as a half moon by many of us since one half of the moons face is reflecting light. One week after the first quarter the moon will be full, and the whole face of the moon which is visible to us will be reflecting light. One week after the Full Moon and again the moon will appear as half since it will be in its last quarter. One week after the last quarter the moon will have completed its lunar cycle and be a "New Moon" again.

Now, if we look back to our past swordfish trips and our catch statistics we would see patterns for a few nights when all bites were at depths greater than 200'. And we would also see a pattern for a couple nights when all bites were at depths less than 100'. These changes are a direct effect from the amounts moonlight which was present during these patterns. We know swordfish are predatory species feeding on concentrations of squid and mackerel which are both diurnal species, meaning that during the bright daylight hours they stay in the deeper darker depths of the ocean and as daylight diminishes and night falls they rise to the shallower depths. Now, moonlight plays a role in where the concentrations of the bait will be congregating. For example, during a full moon, since much of the moonlight is shining through the oceans surface, the bright moonlight will cause the bait to stay deeper in the water column. Conversely, during a new moon with virtually no moonlight breaking the oceans surface the bait will congregate in shallower depths closer to the surface.

Of course, we should always have a bait in both the deeper and shallower part of the water column no matter what moon phase we are in, just in case there is swordfish wandering. Although, the brightness of the moon is an extremely good indication of what depth the majority of the swordfish bites we will be. During nights when the moon is full and bright the majority of baits should be fished deeper in the water column.

Tightlines,

Captain Vinnie La Sorsa Swordfishing & OffShore Charters.

http://www.GoodFellasCharters.com

---

Challenges of Nymph Fly Fishing

When nymph fly fishing, the angler is imitating the juvenile... Read More

Ever Said: We Should Have Caught Bass By Now?

Have you ever been on a lake and thought to... Read More

Fly Casting - the Overhead Cast

The overhead cast is the most basic fly cast. Learn... Read More

The Advantages of Underwater Fishing Cameras

Want to see what's really going on under the water... Read More

Lake Trout and Their Unique Qualities

Lake trout are a type of fish that are completely... Read More

Do Fish See in Color

Fish do indeed perceive color. Every fly fisher knows that... Read More

Hawaii Sport Fishing

If you're coming to experience Hawaii sport fishing, you have... Read More

Lake Trout On The Fly

The name Lake Trout lends a slight misnomer to the... Read More

Gear Needed for Fishing with Nymphs

Now that we've covered what nymph fly fishing is all... Read More

Surf Fishing The Outer Banks of North Carolina

My first experience surf fishing was with my father on... Read More

The Alaskan Experience

"FISH ON!!"I yelled, as my seven weight fly rod bent... Read More

A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques Part III

Method 2The second method that works really well for me... Read More

Bass Fishing - Recreation or Obsession?

First of all, we need to look at the word... Read More

Get Ready For Bed....Bedding Bass That Is!

It's getting near the time bass will be on their... Read More

Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Mans Sport

More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each... Read More

Reviewing the New Berkley Vanish Transition Fluorocarbon Line

The visibility of the line was good. As we were... Read More

Four Fly Fishing Tips

Good Fly PresentationObviously, the goal when casting a fly is... Read More

Monster Hunt: Ledge Lunker Blues Part I

Originally published in Procats Online MagazineSummertime angling for trophy-sized blue... Read More

Successful Fishing: The Mysterious e Factor.....

Successful Fishing: The mysterious "e" Factor.There has always been a... Read More

The Frugal Fisherman: Part II

For those of you that don't know this, fishermen by... Read More

10 Fishing Gems

Fishing Gem #1 ? When Is Best?If you are in... Read More

Steroids Running Rampant In Fishing World

You knew it would come to this sooner or later....I... Read More

Fishing For Bass In Deep Water

When fishing for bass in deep water try a spinnerbait... Read More

A Big Fish Story

Ketchikan, located in southeast Alaska, is a good place to... Read More

Local Bass Fishing

If you are like me, you love to fish at... Read More