SOLUNAR TABLES
By Capt. Bob Smith

The Solunar tables can help your fishing about as much as wearing your lucky red hat does when playing poker! I have never seen so much written about so little. Of course, Solunar tables effect all living things on earth, but the effects are extremely subtle in saltwater. There are so many other elements that have a profound effect on fishing
in saltwater that it makes the Solunar tables little more than morale boosters. If you fish on a quiet pond, you may see some small results.
I had a young man come to me and say that he had proved that the tables worked. He said he had fished all morning and never had a bite and then at the magic hour (10:26 a.m.), he went to his favorite spot and started to catch fish. I told him that he should have fished there in the first place instead of wasting his time on new spots.

The statement I made at the beginning about the "lucky red hat" should not be taken lightly. Anything that will
help you focus or work harder will produce more strikes. As a fishing guide, I find that getting my anglers
stimulated and focused is almost as important as finding and stimulating the fish to bite. I can see how believing in
the Solunar tables might produce more fish at a given period of time, but you need to apply this same enthusiasm
throughout the day.

Enthusiasm, attentiveness and focus are what you need to catch fish. Patience, only pertains to what you don't
need, anxiety and a need for quick gratification. Patience alone is not enough.

There are two major times of activity in a day for all wildlife around the world that you need to remember! Sunup
and Sundown are the best times of day and if it is coupled with a tide change, all the better. After that you have a
lot of other things to work on that will improve your fishing before looking at the Solunar tables.

Just think! If there was much substance to the Solunar tables, the commercial fishing industry could save a lot of
time and money and you would only need to fish for an hour a day. You would have more time to do fun things like
cleaning the garage and going to the Mall. :-)