Tomorrow night the 27th, is October’s full moon, it will be totally full at 8:05 AM. Known in the northern hemisphere by Native American tribes as the Full Hunter’s moon, Harvest Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. This was named for the fact it is the time of year that the game is all fattened for the winter and it is time for the hunters to start storing meat for the winter. The fields were harvested in September and the smaller animals could be found feeding on leftover grains in the fields making it easy for hunters to find them. The moon will appear orange or red on the Horizon just as it rises after sunset. The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept. 25th) is known as the harvest moon, which was on September 27th. This year October is the Hunter’s moon, because it always follows the Harvest Moon. This distinction changes from year to year since the full moon’s name is tied to the seasons and not a particular month. There are different names for full moons in each hemisphere signifying the different seasons, it is spring down there. In the Southern hemisphere October’s full moon is known as the Egg Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Pink Moon, Waking Moon. The moon will rise east-northeast and set in the west-northwest, along the sun’s path in May. Full moons always follow the sun’s path in the sky 6 months later. The full Hunter’s Moon was also a time for important feast days in some Western European Cultures and Native American Tribes.
Schooling Striped Bass Under the Lights
Fishing a full moon is a favorite for many anglers and for some this moon is the one they use to judge the fall migration. Usually two weeks after this full moon we start to see migratory striped bass in our waters. If you are hitting our beaches watch yourself at high tide, the swales will be much fuller from the incoming tide. The last few days the water has really carved the swales deeper. Be careful driving on the beach. Driving along the low tide area is fine, but the swales have cut through the beach and there are small gullies or cuts that are up to two feet deep. You can’t drive across that area, or you will get stuck. Stick closer to the dune base line, also the wet sand is very soft in some areas be careful. If you are fishing the Indian River Inlet, Masseys Landing, Lewes Canal, Roosevelt Inlet, or the Cape Henlopen pier, striped bass feeding near lights will be in the darker areas outside of the lights, they tend to avoid light due to sensitive eyes. These fish can practically see in the dark, which makes them exceptional hunters and another reason why fishing for them at night is better. Use dark lures, such as black bucktails, purple bombers, dark colored flies or swim shads. The striped bass are on the move and just started showing up near Seaside Heights, New Jersey. I have seen many pictures of large striped bass that are not resident bass. The bass in our waters are still schooling up and feeding even more aggressively, the schools around the Inland Bays are fun to catch, but there are very few keepers. They are upwards of twenty-seven inches long and feeding during the day, hitting two ounce white bucktails, overcast days are better. The first wave of the fall migration will be here soon and by mid November we should be in full force of the start of the migration. How long they stay, or if they come into the coastline will remain to be seen. Get your gear ready.
Fish On!
Rich King