Moon phases, tides and bonefish?

[Guy]

Hi Dick, Just thought of more questions if you don't mind. Obviously tides play a major in bonefishing. I was just wondering if you had any general obvservations regarding the effects of the various moon phases on bonefish behavior. For example, many anglers and guides claim that bonefish often feed at night during the full moon intimating they are less likley to feed as much during the day. Many also claim we see more "bibbling" and/or spawning bonefish during the full moon. What's your experience around the full moon?

Of course the spring tides of the new and full moons mean higher highs and lower lows than the neap tides of the quarter moons. Generally would you prefer the greater tidal flow of the spring tides to fish or the more stable, less drastic differences of the neap tides? Or is this area specific- some places fish better on a spring tide, while others are easier to fish during the neap tide?

Thanks again.

Guy

[Marshrunner]

I've had some days on moon tides that were spectacular where fish gorged on crabs and shrimp deep in the mangroves and were hitting with abandon--one was in the Marls on Abaco's west side when I was fishing with Donnie Lowe and we lost track of the fish we caught. But as a rule I think the fish like the more modest changes of a neap tide, and in a boat, if you are fishing all day, you will usually access more good water on the neaps because so much of the flats are dry on the outgoing.

On breeding, many researchers have noticed increasing breeding at spring tides with one theory being that the spawn gets carried out to sea as part of the breeding cycle before returning as juveniles.

Dick