Bonefish, like many fish, seem to feed much better during the new and full moon then during the "half" moon. I had one great day on a half moon but other than that it has been pretty dead for bones on a half moon. DAytime feeding for bonefish seems to really light up during the new moon. They are usually aggressive and not that timid. In my opinion the best time to catch them is during the new moon. During the full moon I will usually see less fish and they will be more skittish. I see more "travellers" then "feeders" during the full moon. I often wondered if they feed better at night during the full moon. I got to check out the theory last night.
We had some rain yesterday and a slight wind direction shift so much of hte smoke cleared from the sky over the bay. The full moon would shine brightly for a little while until the wind shifted back. I hit he water at about 6:30 and tarpon fished for some babies, unsuccesfully. About 8:15 when the true light was dwindling by the second, I relocated to a flat where I often see tails and schools waking when they swim around a mangrove point. I sat and waited. I was positioned so the moon was rising behind me in the east and I was looking at the flat in front of me to the west. The tide was coming in and the current was running southwest as it rounded my point and flooded the flat. "The fish should bump into me like usual," I thought.
The first group was silent and came at the back of the boat across the current. i did not hear them or see them and they almost literally hit the back of the boat before spooking. The next pair came at me from the west just as I predicted but hey did not tail or wake and I did not see them until the two swirls materialized in front of me and the tell tale sign of a bonefish wake streaked off the flat. Finally, a tail popped up and then another. They showed up like little sparkling lights in the moon light, clear as day. They were back down quickly but I knew where they were going and I led them about 10 feet with my shrimp. About 5 seconds later I felt the "bump, bump", reeled until I was tight and then lifted the rod as high over my head as I could while the fish rocketed off the flat. He made 3 wonderful runs and gave me attitude at boatside. It was a solid fish about 9 or 10 pounds. It was 9:15pm and I had landed my firt night time bonefish. They are there and they are eating.
Cheers,
eds
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