I’m already looking forward to June 3 when the next full moon makes its appearance. Out
where we live in the country, there is something mesmerizing to drive east down our road at dusk
and see the full moon pulling itself up from the wood line. If it’s a high pressure, low humidity
day, the moon is so bright its easy to see features on the moon’s surface.

The moon has made its way into popular movies. For example, the movie Picnic starring
the stunning actress, Kim Novak features the song Moonglow. Then there is Moonstruck starring
Nicolas Cage and Cher where the eccentric old grandfather gazes to the night skies with the
phrase ‘la bella luna’. In English, that’s ‘beautiful moon’.

Then there are popular songs that mention the moon.

It’s Only a Paper Moon…Buttermilk Sky…Moon Over Memphis are some that come to mind but probably the most popular one in more recent times was Bad Moon Rising by Creedance Clearwater Revival.

Interestingly, this song contains a phrase that is often misunderstood and folks scratch their heads
trying to figure out how it fits into the song. The mistaken phrase in the song is “there’s a
bathroom on the right” when CCR was actually singing “there’s a bad moon on the rise”.

As a fisherman, I love to be out on the lake at night during a full moon, casting along the
shoreline for bass. When the moon is bright, you don’t need any other light other than what the
moon provides to see where to cast.

The role the moon plays in the activity of fish was recognized a long time ago when in
1926, John Alden Knight came up with something serious anglers utilize today, the Solunar
Table.

The table identifies four lunar periods each day, two major periods and two minor
periods. Major periods last about two hours and begin when the moon is directly overhead as
well as when it’s directly below. Minor periods last about an hour while the moon rises and sets.
Knight’s idea is that fish become more active at these four times daily.

Following the Solunar Table, there are four lunar phases – new moon, first quarter, full
moon and last quarter. Many anglers swear that 90% of catches come on a full or new moon.
Additionally, some say you should only fish a full moon at night for best results and a new moon
during the day.

All this technical stuff aside, a big bright full moon has always been special to me. Back
in the day when I was in high school, there was nothing more romantic than to be courting my
girlfriend under a full moon. It wouldn’t have been nearly as romantic if the night had been
totally dark.

We didn’t know anything about a Solunar Table back when my brother, two cousins and I
spent the night on the creek bank setting out hooks for catfish. It was more fun and our catches
were better when we fished and camped under the light of a full moon.

When I was a kid, I was exposed to a totally different kind of “moon” one summer
Sunday morning in church. I was sitting with my first cousin, Doug and in the pew directly in
front of us sat one of the old patriarchs of Goldonna Baptist Church, an elderly gentleman
everyone knew as “Mister Bud”.

As the song leader announced the song and asked everybody to stand, Mister Bud stood,
bent forward to reach for a hymnal and when he did, the threadbare seersucker pants he wore silently ripped from waist to crotch exposing a bare bottom; he didn’t believe in wearing
underwear in summer.

Even before CCR came up with the song, Doug and I were witnesses to a “bad moon on
the rise”. We giggled so hard we probably needed to go find a “bathroom on the right.”

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE – Deep diving crank baits and Carolina rigged worms are picking up some bass on the deeper drops while swim baits are working fairly well along the grass lines. Crappie have moved back and some have been caught on shiners or jigs around deeper brush. The bream are bedded and hitting crickets and worms. No report on catfish. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BLACK BAYOU – Bream are on the beds and hitting worms and crickets. Crappie and bass are around the trees. Bass hitting spinner baits. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE –Big bass in the 8-10 pound category are being caught flipping the brush along with spinners and square billed crank bits. Crappie have slowed; bream are on the beds and hitting worms and crickets. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The river is improving with crappie hitting jigs and shiners in river lakes and bream are on the beds in the woods. Bass are slow. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are in post spawn mode and have moved deeper. Spinners, crank baits and soft plastics are picking up some fish. Crappie have moved to the deeper flats with some caught on shiners or jigs. Bream are on the beds and hitting worms and crickets. Catfish continue to be caught fishing cold worms and night crawlers off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – The bream bite is on as they have moved to shallow spawning areas and are hitting crickets. Crappie fishing has been best up the creeks on shiners or jigs. Bass fishing has been great at night with a 5 fish limit weighing over 37 pounds were brought to the scales. Best lures are big bladed spinners and soft plastics. No report on catfish or stripers. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish and bream are biting. Bass and crappie slow to fair. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is falling and fishing is just now starting to improve with crappie, bass, bar fish and catfish beginning to show up. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.

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