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http://www.almanac.com/astronomy/moonpage/bestfish

Best Days for Fishing in 2009

Fishing

The Best Fishing Days for 2009, when the Moon is between new and full:

* January 1-10
* January 26-February 9
* February 24-March 10
* March 26-April 9
* April 24-May 9
* May 24-June 7
* June 22-July 7
* July 21-August 5
* August 20-September 4
* September 18-October 4
* October 18-November 2
* November 16-December 2
* December 16-31

The best times to fish are when the fish are naturally most active. The Sun, Moon, tides, and weather all influence fish activity. For example, fish tend to feed more at sunrise and sunset. During a full Moon, tides are higher than average and fish tend to feed more. However, most of us go fishing when we can get the time off, not because it is the best time. But there are best times, according to fishing lore:
Best Times for Fishing

* One hour before and one hour after high tides, and one hour before and one hour after low tides. Inland, the times for high tides correspond with the times when the Moon is due south. Low tides are halfway between high tides.
* During the “morning rise” (after sunup for a spell) and the “evening rise” (just before sundown and the hour or so after).
* When the barometer is steady or on the rise. (But even during stormy periods, the fish aren’t going to give up feeding. The smart fisherman will find just the right bait.)
* When there is a hatch of flies — caddis flies or mayflies, commonly. (The fisherman will have to match his fly with the hatching flies or go fishless.)
* When the breeze is from a westerly quarter rather than from the north or east.
* When the water is still or rippled, rather than during a wind.

Tackle-Box Checklist

* Fishing line
* Bobbers
* Swivels, to keep fishing line from twisting
* Leaders
* Sinkers
* Different sizes of hooks
* Pliers, to help remove hooks
* Stringer, to hold all the fish you catch
* Sharp knife
* Ruler/scale
* Flashlight
* First-aid kit
* Insect repellent
* Sunscreen

Related Content: barometer, bestdays, fishing, moon, tides
Reader Comments

Comment from Jerry Buerge on January 19, 2009

You should also add soap to your checklist, used to wash any gasoline off your hands before you touch any bate - artificial or live. Then, if you are not squeamish, and are using live bait, it does not hurt to make sure that your hands smell exactly like the bait by whatever means you can muster.

You will catch more fish if you do that and you will NOT, if you don’t.

Comment from Mike Shoemaker on January 28, 2009

For catfishing with chicken livers I keep some regular sewing thread in my tackle box.Once the liver is on the hook wrap it a few times with thread and it will stay on.

Comment from Frank York on January 29, 2009

THE BEST WAY I HAVE FOUND TO KEEP LIVER ON A HOOK IS TO CUT A PIECE OF MY WIFES OLD HOSE INTO SMALL PIECES AND WRAP THE LIVER WITH IT AFTER THE LIVER IS ALREADY HOOKED IT WILL NOT COME OFF THIS WAY.

Comment from ramiro vela on January 30, 2009

The best way to fish in South Texas with chicken liver, is to let it sit a while in the good Texas sun, sprinkle a little garlic powder and a little chile powder. This combintion makes the liver pasty and it will stay on your triple or single hook with little to no problem. I do offer a warning, that pow you will feel on your line is going to be one big Texas size catfish, so get ready and have some good Texas fishing fun.

Comment from Jean Cannon on February 1, 2009

A real good bait I have found is hot dogs with chicken meat. Cut them in desired pieces and set in the sun to ‘dry up’. When they are ‘dried’, they will stay on the hook better. You can put them in a bag in the freezer to keep. Brim and catfish will bite this bait.

Comment from Joey Brown on February 5, 2009

The best catfish bait around here, when they come out, are catalpa worms. You can put what you don’t use in the freezer with a few catalpa tree leaves, when you are ready to fish again, take them out and they come back to life, start reeling in the big cats.

Comment from Chuck Hubbard Jr. on February 10, 2009

The best catfish bait that I have found fishing for catfish anywhere bar none is shrimp, go to a walmart supercenter and by you a couple packs of the frozen whole large shrimp, yeah it’s a little costly but let me tell ya somthin friend, it’s worth it.

Comment from Bill Ledford on February 13, 2009

any Crappie fishermen out there that can tell me is they spawn year round?

Comment from capt Don on February 13, 2009

A salmon carcus after the fillets are laid off is pretty good halibut bait. Use a size 20 circle hook,(through both lips works best. 2 or 3 lbs of lead and runner to the bottom. When a barn door hits it?better hold on. This is a good way to keep the little ones off?the ones under 100 lb.

Comment from harald martin on February 15, 2009

The best bait for me was Spanish Mackerel bought from the grocery store, we caught Cats all weekend long on the Colorado river, but you have to cut it into little pieces no more than a quarter of an inch square. (Biggest mistake people make is using too big of a piece of cut bait). For Big Cats (35lbs or more) you want to use live Gold Fish or Bream (Blue Gill). The best bait for large Yellow Cats (The best Tasting) is a 14 inch Bass (Illegal to use), but it will catch the monsters.

Comment from leonard moczygemba on February 18, 2009

something to think about,

Comment from tom obriant on February 20, 2009

can biscuits pinch some off roll it into a ball about half the size of a marble and put it right on the tip of your hook. you will have to change it often ,the fish go frenzy for it .brim ,crappie, bass and turtles Still water fishing.

Comment from greg serna on February 23, 2009

push the stem of the treble hook through a nice chunk of liver,up to the points and let it hang.put treble on a snap swivel and toss her out about 30 or forty feet into the lake or pond and have a nice cold one!

Comment from michael gilbreath on February 24, 2009

i can never find where the big cats are hiding can anyone help?

Comment from Todd Heil on February 25, 2009

It would help out if you know the underwater structure of the pond,river or lake. Find DEEP holes with lots of cover as in over hangs. Gravel pits are a great place to fish for cats. If you know that 3 feet out intowater from the bank is a big drop off into the water and it drops down about 20 feet deep, you want to fish 4 feet out from the bank and fish the bottom first. If nothing happens with in a 1/2 hour, put a bobber on and fish 2 feet off the bottom. Just repeat that if you dont catch any thing in another 1/2 hour and lower the bobber another 2 feet and try it again.( You must use a split bobber to fish this way.

Comment from Tommy Bays on February 28, 2009

I am Blackfoot American Native. We live to fish & hunt our meals. a true hint in catfishing is to never use any type of scents( Cologne,Powders,Oils,Perfume,Hand Sanitizer,Dont handle Cigerettes or any type of Tobacco products without washing your hands before applying baits,hooks,sinkers,new line,ect... And only use the same water to wash off any of these scents, the fish know these things, weird but true. And NEVER fish a Full Moon, it is actually the worst time to fish. The Moon is in its reverse cycle, meaning a change of atmosphere. I have fished since I was 4 yrs. of age, everyday, except on a Full Moon. Trust the words of somene who is honest and knows the land,the animals & The True Spirit. A 2/0 Hook with small amount of Chicken Liver is best. Do not freeze it then reuse it, for whatever is in your freezer, the smell will also be on the liver, even in a plastic tub or bowl. Do not eat without washing hands with same water from where you are fishing, no scent soaps, Ivory or Lye Soap is good, non scent. Chief Vyper.....

Comment from TERRY HEBERT on March 1, 2009

best bait around franklin la. is fresh shd or pogie