A rainy morning musky. Photo by Nick Pionessa I have long recognized that the moon phases have a significant impact on the movement of fish and game. Even as kids we recognized the importance of the solunar tables to help time our fishing outings. From a musky fishing standpoint the overall moon phase plays an important roll in determining the best time of the month to plan an outing. While local weather and water conditions are typically the most important factors determining day to day success, the extremes of the moon phase can also weigh heavily into musky activity patterns. I have consistently experienced increased musky activity around the new moon period. And while the full moon can cause a degree of inconsistency in musky behavior, the three or fours days after a full moon has consistently resulted in encounters with big fish. Maybe more important than the moon phase is the daily moon set and rise. My records indicate that the half hour to forty-five minutes on either side of a moon set or rise typically produces an increase in musky feeding activity. It is such a key factor that I now try to time my outings around the moon set and rise and attempt to be at my best spots in those periods.
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