Largemouth

Whatever the theoretical basis for solunar tables, what most anglers want to know is simple––do they work? Evaluation is not easy. In-Fisherman researcher Ralph Manns is a trained scientist, one of the foremost experts on solunar effects on fish. He’s skeptical about most angler beliefs, even those of acknowledged fishing experts.

“Humans are poor observers of detail,” he says. “We instinctively emphasize some experiences and de-emphasize others. This trait allows us to focus on important information while ignoring the apparently unimportant. But it also results in incomplete counts and inaccurate assessments. Without accurate records and careful analysis, we ignore relevant facts, jump to false conclusions, and indulge personal biases.”

Manns points out that many anglers who record their own fishing results are dealing with too small a sample to have statistical significance. Some researchers make invalid assumptions––in comparing fish caught during good solunar times and nonsolunar times, they may assume fishing effort is equal, which is seldom the case. Many anglers plan trips around lunar periods; walleye fishermen plan trips around full moons, catfishermen go out on moonlit nights, and fishermen using solunar tables fish through the major hours before quitting. And few people are sophisticated in their use of statistics.

Manns undertook a detailed analysis of several records to determine how much correlation exists between solunar peaks and good catches. Most analyses of solar effects have concentrated on bass, presumably because of their popularity and the many theories explaining their behavior. Without getting into too many fine points, and with much abbreviation, here’s his report.

Doug Hannon was one of the first to demonstrate solunar effects on fishing success by analyzing catch data collected over a long period. Counting only bass over 5 pounds, he found that catch rates during majors averaged 0.92 fish per hour. Hannon’s catch rate was 0.56 bass per hour during minors and averaged 0.36 over the entire study period. Hannon’s use of averages, rather than number of fish caught, reduced chances that unequal fishing effort biased his results. Had he applied statistical tests to his data and the apparent differences proved statistically significant, we’d have scientifically acceptable evidence that solunar forces can influence catch rates.