How does the moon effect the water and the fishing

It is as clear as mud.

Fishing for barramundi is an interesting activity. If you have 10 barra fishos in a room and ask them, What is their favourite barramundi fishing tide? You will probably get seven or eight different answers. If you ask them what tides you would not want to fish in, you can give them 10 different locations, and they will all pretty much have the same answer for each location.

Pinpointing the best tides for barramundi fishing can be a challenge, but identifying the worst tides is relatively straightforward. As a general rule, a run-out tide that extends into the afternoon, with the lowest point within your fishing window, is considered the most favourable tide.

Fishing for barramundi in extremely dirty water is hard work. In many cases, it’s almost impossible work. You have frustratingly small windows of opportunity, and these windows may not open. Whereas on good barramundi tides, you might only travel 5 km in your days Fishing, if you were Fishing that same area on massive spring tides, then you could potentially do 10 times or 20 times that distance for 10% of the Fishing windows as you got on the good tides.

I know this is as clear as Mud, no pun intended or indeed pun intended. We understand that catching fish is important. We’ve been to the best locations in Australia on the very best tides and struggled to catch a fish. That’s fishing!! What we understand is that being in the right place at the right time is important. There are so many things outside of our control. On one of the occasions, I was at a premier location on wickedly good tides for barramundi in November. Three massive storms dropped the water temperature by almost 2° and added a lot of dirty water to the system. We caught more fish on the first day before the storms than we did for the next five days. That’s Fishing, but we were there at the right time. There’s nothing worse when a Guide says to you you should’ve been here last week the fish were jumping into the boat, or if you had booked next week, you probably had a better chance.

Will let you know if the dates you pick or want to fish are any good or not.

This is what happens.

The tides are at their highest and lowest during the new moon and full moon because of the combined gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the Earth’s oceans. This is due to the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth.

During these phases, the sun, moon, and Earth are in a line, with either the moon between the sun and Earth (new moon) or the Earth between the sun and moon (full moon). This alignment intensifies the gravitational forces acting on the oceans, causing the water to bulge more than usual, resulting in higher high tides and lower low tides. These are known as spring tides.

In contrast, during the first and third quarter moon phases, the sun and moon are at right angles to each other. This configuration partially cancels out their gravitational pull, leading to less extreme tides called neap tides.

The powerful forces of spring tides, occurring during the new and full moon phases, have a significant impact on the clarity of water in coastal and reef regions. The dramatic movement of water in and out of these areas stirs up sediments from the ocean floor, including sand, silt, and organic matter.

Mud creeks, with their fine-grained sediments, are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. As the tide rushes in and out, it scours the creek beds, dislodging large amounts of mud and silt. This suspended matter can then be carried out into the surrounding waters, causing a noticeable decrease in water clarity.

Similarly, reef systems experience a similar process. The vigorous tidal currents can lift sand and debris from the reef structure and surrounding seabed. This, combined with the agitation of algae growth on the reef, results in a cloudier appearance of the water.

The combined effect of these processes during spring tides is a temporary but significant reduction in water clarity. This phenomenon is not only visually apparent but also has implications for marine life, as the increased turbidity can affect light penetration and disrupt ecological processes.

However, this natural disturbance is usually short-lived, and the water typically clears up as the tidal forces subside. This is a testament to the dynamic nature of coastal and reef environments, which are constantly shaped and reshaped by the relentless power of the tides.

So we want no tide movement, then?

Nope!! There is a saying, “No run, NO FUN.”

This basically means that if there is no water movement at all, and each month most locations have some tides, there might be a five or ten-cm difference in high and low tides. The bait doesn’t move, and if the bait doesn’t move, the fish aren’t moving, and if they’re not feeding, we’re not going to catch anything.

There are certain tides that you have only a slight percentage increase in the chance of catching barramundi in northern Australia than you would if you were fishing for them in New, Zealand, where, to my knowledge no one has ever caught a barramundi in the wild as they don’t exist there in the Wild. This is obviously an exaggeration, but tides are so important. If there is a massive wet season and you are Fishing an area that is being fed by Billabong and floodplains, most certainly, you have less to worry about regarding tides.

Barramundi fishing is generally better in clear water than murky water for a few key reasons:

Visibility: Barramundi are primarily sight-based predators. In clear water, they have a much easier time spotting their prey, such as baitfish and prawns. This improved visibility allows them to hunt more effectively, making them more likely to strike at lures or bait.
Confidence: Barramundi tends to be more cautious and wary in murky water, where their visibility is limited. This makes them less likely to venture out from cover and actively feed. In clear water, they feel more secure and are, therefore, more willing to take risks and chase down prey.
Natural Behavior: Barramundi naturally prefers clearer water habitats. They tend to congregate in areas with good visibility, such as river mouths, estuaries, and clearer sections of rivers and creeks. These are often prime fishing spots.
Angler Advantage: Clear water also benefits anglers. It allows them to sight fish for barramundi, spot the fish, and cast directly at them. This can be an exciting and effective way to target these prized fish.

However, it’s important to note that barramundi can still be caught in murky water, especially if other factors like the tide, current, and structure are favourable. Experienced anglers can adapt their techniques and lure choices to increase their chances of success even in less-than-ideal conditions.