NATURE

BEST FISHING DAYS AND TIMES

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, and also during a full Moon (when tides are higher than average). However, most of us go fishing simply when we can get the time off. But there are best times, according to fishing lore:

■ One hour before and one hour after high tides, and one hour before and one hour after low tides. The times of high tides for Boston are given on pages 120–146; also see pages 236–237. (Inland, the times for high tides correspond with the times when the Moon is due south. Low tides are halfway be tween high tides.)

GET TIDE TIMES AND HEIGHTS NEAREST TO YOUR LOCATION AT ALMANAC.COM/TIDES.

■ During the "morning rise" (after sunup for a spell) and the "evening rise" (just before sundown and the hour or so after).

■ During the rise and set of the Moon.

■ When the barometer is steady or on the rise. (But even during stormy periods, the fish aren't going to give up feeding. The clever angler will find just the right bait.)

■ When there is a hatch of flies—caddis flies or may flies, commonly.

■ When the breeze is from a westerly quarter, rather than from the north or east.

■ When the water is still or slightly rippled, rather than during a wind.

THE BEST FISHING DAYS FOR 2021, WHEN THE MOON IS BETWEEN NEW AND FULL

January 13–28

February 11–27

March 13–28

April 11–26

May 11–26

June 10–24

July 9–23

August 8–22

September 6–20

October 6–20

November 4–19

December 4–18

HOW TO ESTIMATE THE WEIGHT OF A FISH Measure the fish from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. Then measure its girth at the thickest portion of its midsection.

The weight of a fat-bodied fish (bass, salmon) = (length x girth x girth)/800

SALMON

The weight of a slender fish (trout, northern pike) = (length x girth x girth)/900

TROUT

EXAMPLE: If a trout is 20 inches long and has a 12-inch girth, its estimated weight is (20 x 12 x 12)/900 = 2,880/900 = 3.2 pounds

CATFISH

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