I don't beleive it is an absolute..I've taken out a bucket of shiners and caught lot's of bass on the downside of the moon..but most of the time..IMHO the moon phases are right on. I also check the daily feeding times.
Yesterday was a downside of the moon..and Matt and I did not do very well..just a few dinks.We still had fun talking the father and son stuff though.It was a new lake.
This subject has been brought up a few times on here before..most on here don't beleive that the moon phases effect fishing.I strongly do.
Last summer I kept track of bass I caught at one place..Saddle Creek.. most days i caught 3-4 fish.The 1-3 days prior to the full and new moons I was boating around 15 nice bass. I made the newspaper 3 times last year. May, June and July LOL the times before the full moon.