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Fish Behavior and the Solar Eclipse

Fish Behavior and the Solar Eclipse
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How the Solar Eclipse Can Affect Your Fishing Trip

It is no secret that fish are affected by weather patterns and water conditions. Fish respond to their environment and exhibit different behaviors during the day and night. For the first time since 1918, North America will be witness to a full solar eclipse. Since a full eclipse is a rare occurrence, no one knows for sure what will happen with fishing, but we do know there will be complete darkness during the day and that the moon phase affects the tides.

A sect of anglers believe in the impact of moon phases on fishing, so their wisdom may guide us through the solar eclipse. Find out how this particular moon phase will affect your fishing game this week!

Nighttime Behavior

Fish act differently as the sun rises and sets, which should be taken into account during the solar eclipse. The sun will be completely blocked by the moon in some areas, so you can count on dimmer light an hour before and after the eclipse. Some fish, like largemouth bass, tend to feed in lower light. Feeding time is prime for hooking a fish. Since it will be darker during the day, make sure to select a lighter colored bait for higher visibility.

fishing at night

Tide Changes

Tides are caused by the gravitational force exerted by the sun and moon. The moon phases change how high or low tides will be, and new moons result in higher tides. A solar eclipse means that the moon is in a new phase, so your go-to fishing spot will be experiencing a spring tide. Spring tide means your area will have a higher tide than usual, which leads to faster moving water and more debris in the water. Higher tides will occur for a few days before and after a solar eclipse so you may want to switch up your fishing spot if you see muddier water with more debris.

tide coming in

If you didn’t have the best fishing weekend, the tides may be to blame. Throughout this week the tides will be higher, but you may get lucky during the eclipse with bonus twilight hours!



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