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Tony_N
19-11-2005, 09:28 AM
I have been looking at solunar tables for a little while now and have 3 different sources

1. http://www.thefisherman.com.au/html/solunar.html
2. Tim Smith in the Anglers Journal & Almanac
3. the Gret Outdoors Anglers Almanac

It would seem that the reading of when the moon is above/below is a fairly inexact science - because I can't get much correlation between any of these.

Anybody got any other sources (or one of the above) where they have found some connection between the predictions and actual fishing outcomes?

I know that there are many more factors at play than the one's accounted for in these tables (tide,current,water temp,atmospheric pressure, geography, bait, tongue angle etc) , but it would be good to know which table might be the most useful to put into the blend of other factors.

Tony

The truth is I go out as often as I can irrespective of whether any predictor indicates a good or bad day. Mucking around with stuff like this keeps me off the streets and out of mischief on those days I can't go fishing.

rando
19-11-2005, 10:44 AM
The truth is I go out as often as I can irrespective of whether any predictor indicates a good or bad day. #Mucking around with stuff like this keeps me off the streets and out of mischief on those days I can't go fishing.

[/quote]

another fishing tragic fesses-up :D :D

Tony_N
19-11-2005, 11:01 AM
Rando

Can't deny it

I assume that your capacity to so quickly recognise a "fishing tragic" comes from 1st hand experience. :)

Tony

theoldlegend
19-11-2005, 11:17 AM
My mate and I try to get to Iluka when the almanac says it's a good time to go. However, we've found that it doesn't seem to make much difference.

That's probably due to my lack of skill, but I'd prefer to think that it's what time of the day you read it that determines the outcome.

TOL

westie
19-11-2005, 03:09 PM
have a look at this i find it to be very good free download and has a fishing log as well and you can view the tables well in advance TOP STUFF

http://www.idealists.com/fishingbuddy/

whichway
19-11-2005, 04:29 PM
Try wtides from the following site.

http://www.wtides.com/

This includes fishing factors, and lets you add your own weightings. Probably just as good as solunar tables.

Whichway.

Tony_N
19-11-2005, 05:09 PM
Thanks fellas

Westie and Whichaway - both of these need Windows. (Many) Years ago I opted for the Macintosh platform because I didn't want to sit down and learn MSDOS. It was a decision that has come back to haunt me many times. Macintosh is still a reat graphics platform, though.

The fishing buddy is designed by our own ausfisher Tony_M who has recently bought himself a 5.3 Poly CC :)

cheers

Tony

Burley_Boy
19-11-2005, 07:53 PM
mm great graphics platform... still can't see the difference to windows these days but old habits die hard ay.
The I deserted the fisherman tables when they were trying to say the sunset was 4pm in the afternoon. Pointed it out to the guy that runs it and he said it happens when he gets busy. He then shut it down for a while. If the sunrise and sunset and moonrise etc are totally out the window then you can't trust anything else

TonyM
20-11-2005, 07:12 AM
Hi Tony,

There's a number of factors that come into play with the difference in times that you see in different publications/software.

The biggest difference tends to be that some publications give you an estimate using various techniques which vary in accuracy. Their estimates are normally based on the distance from a specific spot they have calculated the times for and they make adjustments based on the distance from that spot.

The sun and moon times are all relevant to whereabouts you are standing on the planet at the times. The only way to be 100% accurate is to calculate the times using GPS co-ordinates and applying the relevant calculations for those co-ordinates. The formula used to calculate these times is reasonably complex and there are several standard version of these formulas that are used which vary in simplicity (and accuracy)

The calculations I do in the software are based on exact location, I created this part of my software in conjunction with a very helpfull and very clued in fellow who runs the astronomy program at the Texas University Observatory. I have tested the output from my software against the times published by the US Dept of defense and they are accurate to the nearest 100th of a second #;)

If you think calculating the position of the planets is hard wait till you have a go at predicting tides (which is the latest thing I've been working on). It isn't for the faint hearted #:D

Re is there any correlation between the times and actual catch rates - absolutely! I too am a fishing tragic and tend to go whenever I can, however if possible I try to include the peak times as this does tend to be the most productive part of any trip. I have receivged feedback from a lot of people using the software that they get much better results when focussing on those times.

Hope this helps

revs57
20-11-2005, 08:53 AM
Hi Tony,

I usually try to plan my fishing around the Rothery's Blue Water Maori Fishing charts...they are printed in the bi-monthly Trailerboat fisherman magazine...since abandoning the hit and miss approach of just going out on spec I have found that I have consistently caught more fish since using them.

Check the links for more info if you like

http://www.marinews.com/electronics/electronics/Others/e_rothert&f.htm
http://bluemako.customer.netspace.net.au/rothery.htm

cheers

Rhys

Tony_N
20-11-2005, 09:37 AM
TonyM #- Informative stuff #- thanks. #How about in your spare time #;D you do a Mac version of your program?

BTW - looking forward to more updates on your feelings about the boat/motor. #i asked on another thread whether you had considered an etec, but you must have missed it.

Revs #- thanks - I'll have a look Have you compared the predictions on this system against any other predictors?

Tony

TonyM
20-11-2005, 10:56 AM
Tony_N - spare time - what's that? ;D

Seriously though, if it wasn't such a big job to convert to the mac I'd gladly do it.

Sorry I missed your question re the boat, the answer is I didn't really consider the etec as I haven't seen any used in the area on pro boats, nor have any mates got them, whereas quite a few mates have suzis and are over the moon with them, and I know many pros have the suzis and they have proved themselves to be an excellent motor over many hours of use.

Personally I think the etecs could turn out to be a great product, although I'm very interested to see how they go when they start hitting that first scheduled service at 3 years.

Re the boat in general I am very happy. We raised the motor as it was set too low (mine was the first fitted out for a customer and we knew there was a fair chance it might need tweaking). The boat went fairly well before, although after raising the motor it is in a whole new ballpark and she was doing about 30knots (previous top speed at wot) at below 4500rpm, that was on a day when a strong wind warning was current and we had a 1.6m swell :o so I haven't fully stretched it;s legs. Based on this I'm expecting a top speed of somewhere between 35 to 40 knots which is more than ample.

I'm looking forwards to some fair weather and spare time so I can start taking her further afield. Look out Marlin here I come! :P

Cloud_9
20-11-2005, 05:24 PM
i use the solunar table thats in my fish log program.
most of the time its pretty close.
Cloud 9

gogecko
21-11-2005, 09:44 AM
Well done on the Mac decision Tony. Ive been on them since 1990 and have never regretted it. Its nice to have a system you can undertsand and fix yourself, without having to send it into the shop all the time.

There are some things you still need a pc for, so I use Virtual PC on my mac. Get it free from Limewire.com if you dont mind getting free stuff.

Porting a pc program to mac is not something a pc programmer can do. Youd need to have spent many years at uni studying mac programming, and then you wouldnt have had time to learn pc language. They are just that different.

If you have the desire and the time, you could learn to write a mac fishing calender yourself. I would do it in Excel, which is easy to program in VBA code. Get a book on Excel from the public library and youll see the depth of its capabilities.

TonyM
21-11-2005, 10:40 AM
Porting a pc program to mac is not something a pc programmer can do. Youd need to have spent many years at uni studying mac programming, and then you wouldnt have had time to learn pc language. They are just that different.

It's not impossible to port an application to the mac - just too much work for too little return as the user base isn't high enough to justify the expense.

p.s. You don't have to spend years at uni learning to program - I taught myself 15 years ago and then went and got a job at Microsoft, obviously it helps if you have an aptitude for it ;)

oops this is starting to turn into technobabble on a fishing site, I think I better go for a quick fish to regain my focus ;D

westie
21-11-2005, 12:00 PM
No just go back to your program.

You know what I would like to see, some advances when I arrive.........just maybe.

Did I hear a YES ;D


Or maybe

TonyM
21-11-2005, 12:17 PM
LOL

"advances" - yes mate plenty of advances lately - got the boat, have done some fishing, even mowed the lawn today, have I written any code lately? NO :-/

Too many distractions going on at the moment to give it the focus it requires, it will be the new year before I get a chance to spend any serious time on it.

revs57
21-11-2005, 04:04 PM
Hi Tony_N

The Rothery's coincides pretty much with the Almanac in terms of best days etc...but gets a bit more specific with the times to be fishing with info for moon down and moon up periods...and this differs to hi and low tide times. It almost removes the "If I'd have only given it a few more minutes" argument....

I've found it very helpful

rhys

Dignity
21-11-2005, 06:13 PM
I've tried most almanacs (not TonyM's though) and found that no one had told the fish how to read. I've been out on days that are supposed to be total losers and caught some of my best fish and on good days had poor catches. Guess there are lots of other considerations at stake. The end result for me is to go fishing just tp prove them all wrong.

Cheers Sam

Cheech
21-11-2005, 08:20 PM
I'm with Sam. Though there probably is merrit in the almanacs, I just have not had much success at times when I was suppose to, and had some when I was not suppose to. So does that make me a scheptical believer?? or an optimistic disbeliever?

Leave all your options open is a good middle road.

Burley_Boy
21-11-2005, 08:43 PM
I wish I had 48hr days because then I'd be learning to program as well as become an architect and a doctor...Cool to see your program Tony. I downloaded it some time ago to evaluate but by the time I was ready to evaluate I was out of time ::) Get that when you're busy right!
ANyway I'll give it another shot after Mackarel season as the Macs can't read PC ;D

TonyM
22-11-2005, 12:14 PM
I reckon you guys are on the right track, by no means is the solunar info the only factor that affects fishing, it is very complex and going on the solunar info only there is absolutely no gaurantee you'll catch fish. There's also air temp, water temp, water clarity, water condition (swell, waves etc), wind, barometric pressure, and the list goes on ::)

At the end of the day you have to be out there to catch a fish, if you've got the right bait and fishing in the right place you have a reasonable chance, if all the other conditions are right well then maybe just maybe you'll have one of those trips of a lifetime - the more often you're out there when most conditions are right the more chance of having a dream trip ;)

I too go out sometimes when everything says it's not worth it and sometimes on those trips I catch some very nice fish, I just love being on the water anyway 8-)

westie
22-11-2005, 12:53 PM
Regarding the solunar Table you must remember that fish are not all the same but what I like regardung Fishing Buddy you can see the patterns of tide ,moon,Etc. and doing so you will find some like moon up moon down and everything in between and then you can start to target species accordingly I have found 1/2 way moon up my best catches of Pearlies,Parrot,Spanners, so far and if it is Nth NW stay home