Best fishing times calculator

How to use these times

Solunar theory holds that fish and game feed most actively when the moon is directly overhead or directly underfoot. Those two windows are the major periods, and they last roughly two hours. The weaker minor periods fall at moonrise and moonset and last about an hour.

In practice, the periods that matter most are the ones that overlap dawn or dusk. A major period landing on top of first light is the classic "everything switched on at once" morning. That overlap is exactly what the day rating above measures, along with moon phase strength — new and full moons produce the largest tidal movement and the strongest solunar effect.

Does solunar theory actually work?

Honest answer: it is an angling heuristic from 1926, not established science. Controlled studies are thin and mixed. What is well supported is that fish feeding is strongly tied to low light (dawn and dusk) and, in saltwater, to tidal movement — and the moon drives tides. So the periods this tool produces are genuinely useful, but treat them as a way to prioritise your hours on the water, not a guarantee.

Weather, water temperature, barometric pressure and season all matter more than the moon on any given day. If a cold front just blew through, a five-star solunar day will not save you.

What the ratings mean

• 4 fish — strong moon phase and a major period landing near dawn or dusk. Plan around it.
• 3 fish — good conditions; fish the majors.
• 2 fish — average day. Dawn and dusk still your best bets.
• 0–1 fish — weak solunar signal. Let weather and water conditions drive your timing instead.

A note on accuracy

Times are computed from standard astronomical formulae and are typically accurate to a minute or two. All times display in your device's local timezone. If you enter coordinates in a different timezone from the one your device is set to, the times shown will still be in your device's zone — worth remembering when planning a trip abroad.