I copied this from the weather channel, I'm not smart enough to write this stuff. There is more info too @
http://www.weather.com/activities/recreation/outdoors/fishing/fishingarticle.html?from=fishing_forecast#lunarLunar InfluenceThe moon is also a large factor in the day-to-day lives of people as well as wildlife. Some of the lunar influences are obvious while some are not. The most obvious and measurable affects of the moon on the earth are seen with tides. The gravitational force of the moon is one of the primary influences in the rise and fall of tides. The period that the moon exerts its greatest influence at any specific location on earth is based on the relative position of the moon, the distance the moon is from the earth, and the angle of the moon above a certain location at that specific time.
Most evidence and conventional wisdom indicate that the periods of greatest lunar influence on wildlife are when the moon is most directly overhead and then again when it is most directly underfoot (opposite side of the earth). These two positions are usually referred to as "major" activity periods or in other charts as "excellent" activity periods. There are two other daily periods of lunar influence that occur halfway between the overhead and underfoot positions, and they are usually called "minor" or "good" activity periods.
When the moon is at perigee (closest to earth) all other lunar influences are magnified. This is also the case when the moon is at its highest declination or so called high moon. The moon phase has also been shown to indicate, if not directly cause, certain heightened periods of activity.
Best Time of the Day or Peak Activity TimeDuring each day the sun and moon exert their individual influence on each and every hour. Each hour and day will have a different combination of these influences. The Best Time of the Day Chart shows the entire day graphically so that you can quickly determine the peak activity times for fishing at your specific location. Times that show a higher rating have a greater combination of solar and lunar influence and thus a higher probability of heightened wildlife activity. Sunrise and set, the two most significant solar periods, are also indicated on the chart. All Weather and Wildlife charts are generated for the specific latitude and longitude from the data entered. The Best Time of the Day Chart can also be viewed for a total of ten days including the current date.
Declination and Diurnal InequalityAnyone who has used solunar charts or tables (sun and moon) to predict wildlife feeding activity is probably familiar with the terms "major" and "minor" period. As discussed earlier they are also often referred to as "excellent" or "good" times. These major times occur when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot and the minor times follow the major times by approximately 6 hours. The lunar event from which each of these times are calculated is called "transit", or the daily point that the moon passes the meridian at that specific location. Transit occurs sometime between moonrise and moonset, but not always halfway between.
The other two lunar events that affect the intensity of the feeding activity periods are "perigee" and "high moon". High moon is another name for the monthly point of maximum lunar declination.
To understand the "high moon" effect it is important to understand that the lunar orbit is not on the same plane as the earth's equator. The moon's orbit is tilted in two different planes 28.5 degrees off the earth's equator. At some point in its orbit, the moon will be 28.5 degrees above the equator and approximately two weeks later it will be 28.5 degrees below it. The moons orbit varies between these two positions during the month, appearing to advance to the north and then retreat back to the south. This advancing and retreating is what is called lunar declination. The highest declination or "high moon" is determined when the moon is at its highest altitude angle.
Diurnal inequality is what causes one of the "major periods" to be less intense or weaker than the other major period during the same day. This is also why the two high tides during the same day are almost never equal. Most solunar tables are based entirely on daily transit times. A few tables include a "high moon" effect with no consideration of declination. Only Weather and Wildlife charts incorporate all the above-mentioned factors to provide the most accurate ratings possible.
Game FishUnderstanding the affects of the sun and moon on wildlife is only one part of the complex puzzle that helps predict when game animals and fish are most active. First and perhaps most important to putting together the puzzle is a good understanding of the individual species being pursued. Most game fish species are carnivores and will eat a wide variety of foods, but quite frequently they feed on other smaller fish. Fish are opportunistic feeders and will feed ravenously when hungry, and when food is readily available. However when full they may totally ignore the food source. There is an extremely large number of different species of fish that are sought after in both fresh-water and salt-water. Weather and Wildlife charts rate the lunar and solar events that generally affect all fish. However, each species has certain specific habits and diet that requires specific knowledge and individual study in order to understand their feeding tendencies.
