Does a bright moon help or hurt trout fishing?
For night fishing it usually hurts. Trout that feed after dark — big stream fish in summer heat above all — do it under cover of darkness, leaving secure lies for shallow tailouts and flats; night-fishing tradition is firm that the darkest nights, new moon or heavy cloud, are the best, and that a bright moon over clear, shallow water leaves those fish as wary as at noon. Your own moon-shadow and rod flash spook them too. There is also an old belief that after a bright full-moon night the next day's bite is slow because fish fed all night; many anglers hold it, but it is not well tested. Lake trout, deep in summer, are little affected either way. If the moon is bright, fish the shaded bank, deeper runs, or wait until it sets.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about Vision
- Why do trout refuse my fly or lure even when they are clearly feeding?
- Does tippet or leader diameter really matter, or is that fly-shop mythology?
- Can trout on a stream actually see me standing on the bank?
- What light conditions are best for trout fishing?
- Do UV finishes and bright colors actually catch more trout?
- Do trout see blue, green and yellow? How is their colour vision different from a bass's?
Same topic, other species
- Are glow jigs worth it for crappie? — Crappie
- What colors can a largemouth actually see? — Largemouth Bass
- Do white, glow or UV finishes matter on muskie baits? — Muskellunge (Muskie)
- Why does the perch bite die completely at dusk? — Yellow Perch
- Do rain or a bright moon change the pike bite? — Northern Pike
- Where do orange, yellow and glow fit in smallmouth colour choice? — Smallmouth Bass
- Is rain good for walleye fishing? — Walleye