Best Fishing Times Today: Solunar Calculator
Pick your city and date to see the best fishing times today. This free solunar calculator works out when fish are most likely to feed, using the position of the moon and sun for your exact place. You get two major and two minor feeding times, a day rating, the moon phase, sunrise and sunset, and a 7 day fishing forecast.
What are the best fishing times?
Anglers have long noticed that fish feed harder at certain times of day. The solunar method ties those times to the moon:
- Major periods last about 2 hours and are centred on the moment the moon is directly overhead or directly underfoot (on the opposite side of the earth).
- Minor periods last about 1 hour and are centred on moonrise and moonset.
Most days have two majors and two minors, spread roughly six hours apart. They move about 50 minutes later each day, because the moon rises about 50 minutes later every day.
Solunar theory in plain words
The idea comes from John Alden Knight, an American angler who published his solunar tables in 1926. He believed the same pull of the moon that moves the tides also switches animals on and off, so fish, deer and birds get more active at the same times.
Science is mixed on how strong the effect is. Some studies find more bites around these periods, others find little difference. What is clear is that many anglers plan their trips around them, and the periods often line up with dawn and dusk, which are good times to fish anyway.
How to read your results
- Day rating: 1 to 5 gold dots. Days close to a new or full moon score higher, and a period that falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset adds a point.
- Major and Minor cards: the exact time windows for the day. A card that says “near sunrise” or “near sunset” is usually the best window of the day.
- Timeline bar: the whole day from midnight to midnight, with daylight shaded, majors in gold and minors in blue.
- Next 7 days: tap any day to see its full times. Handy for picking the best day for a weekend trip.
All times are shown in the local time of the place you picked, so you can plan a trip to another city or country from home.
Moon phase and fishing
| Moon phase | What many anglers expect |
|---|---|
| New moon | Strong feeding, dark nights, often the best days of the month |
| Waxing crescent and first quarter | Average, picking up as the full moon nears |
| Full moon | Strong feeding, many fish also feed at night |
| Waning gibbous and last quarter | Average, often slower days |
New and full moons also bring the biggest tides of the month (spring tides), which is one reason saltwater anglers watch the moon so closely.
Things that matter as much as the moon
- Weather: the day before a cold front often fishes well. Right after a front, with high pressure and bright skies, bites usually slow down.
- Light: early morning and the last hour before dark are good almost everywhere.
- Water temperature: in summer fish feed in the cooler hours, in winter in the warmest part of the day.
- Tide: on the coast, moving water (two hours either side of high or low tide) usually beats slack water.
- Season: spawning seasons and migrations change everything, so check local reports too.
The best plan: pick a day with a good rating, then fish the major or minor period that overlaps sunrise or sunset. Machhli pakadne jaldi nikalna hai? Raat ko time par soiye, hamara sleep calculator bata dega kab sona hai taaki subah fresh uthein.
How accurate is this calculator?
The moon and sun times are calculated on your phone with standard astronomy formulas. We checked them against the US Naval Observatory for New York, Miami, London, Oslo, Tromso, Mumbai, Sydney, Auckland and Cape Town: moonrise, moonset and moon overhead times came within about 1 to 2 minutes, and sunrise and sunset within about 3 minutes. Pick the city closest to where you fish, or tap Use my location for your exact spot. Your location stays on your phone and is never sent to us.
Solunar periods are a guide, not a promise. Fish still need the right spot, bait and weather.
FAQs About Fishing Times
What is the best time to fish today?
Look at the major periods in the calculator above, especially any that fall within an hour of sunrise or sunset. Those overlaps are usually the strongest windows of the day.
What are major and minor fishing times?
Major times are 2 hour windows around the moon passing overhead or underfoot. Minor times are 1 hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Majors are usually stronger.
Does the moon phase really affect fishing?
Many anglers find new and full moon days better, and these days also bring the biggest tides. Research results are mixed, so treat the moon as one factor next to weather, light and season.
Is fishing better before or after a full moon?
Many anglers prefer the three days before a full moon. Right after a full moon, fish that fed at night can be slower in the morning.
Do solunar times work for saltwater fishing?
Yes, many saltwater anglers use them, but tides matter even more on the coast. Fish the solunar periods that overlap with moving water for the best chance.
