Home › Time & Date › Solunar Fishing Calendar
Solunar Fishing Calendar
See when the moon is overhead, underfoot, rising and setting at your spot, and the major and minor feeding periods that solunar theory links to them. Each day gets a rating from the moon phase and sunrise or sunset timing, and the whole month is laid out as a calendar.
Last updated:
Location
°N
South is negative, e.g. −33.87 for Sydney.
°E
West is negative, e.g. −74.01 for New York.
Date
The whole month is shown below.
Enter your values to see the result.
Advertisement
Advertisement
How to use the Solunar Fishing Calendar
- Enter your location as latitude and longitude, or tap one of the example places. West longitudes and south latitudes are negative.
- Choose the time zone you want the times shown in.
- Pick a date. The selected day is shown in detail and the rest of the month in the calendar and table.
- Press Calculate solunar times to see the major and minor periods, moon and sun times, and the day rating.
- Plan around the best periods, especially a major period that falls near sunrise or sunset.
How the solunar periods are worked out
- Moon overhead (upper transit): the moment the moon crosses your meridian, its highest point in the sky. Major period = this time ± 1 hour.
- Moon underfoot (lower transit): about 12 hours 25 minutes later, when the moon crosses the meridian on the opposite side of the earth. Major period = this time ± 1 hour.
- Moonrise and moonset: when the moon's upper edge touches the horizon, allowing for refraction and parallax. Minor period = this time ± 30 minutes.
- Day rating: 3 stars within about a day of new or full moon, 2 stars within 2.5 days, 1 star within 4.5 days, otherwise 0; plus 1 star when a major period overlaps the hour around sunrise or sunset or a minor period falls within 30 minutes of it. The result is shown on a 1 to 4 star scale.
Moon phases and solunar ratings
| Phase | Moon age (approx.) | Typical solunar rating |
|---|---|---|
| 🌑 New Moon | 0 days | Highest |
| 🌒 Waxing Crescent | 1 – 6 days | High early, falling |
| 🌓 First Quarter | about 7.4 days | Lowest |
| 🌔 Waxing Gibbous | 8 – 14 days | Rising |
| 🌕 Full Moon | about 14.8 days | Highest |
| 🌖 Waning Gibbous | 15 – 21 days | High early, falling |
| 🌗 Last Quarter | about 22 days | Lowest |
| 🌘 Waning Crescent | 23 – 29 days | Rising |
Tips for using solunar times
- Be on the water a little before a major period starts so you are ready when activity picks up.
- Combine solunar times with conditions: a stable or slowly falling barometer, overcast light and moving water often matter more.
- On tidal water, check a local tide table too. Moving tide plus a major period is a classic combination.
- Coordinates for your spot can be copied from most map apps by pressing and holding on the location.
Frequently asked questions
What is a solunar calendar?
A solunar calendar lists times of day when fish and game are said to be most active, based on the position of the moon. The idea, called solunar theory, was popularised by John Alden Knight in the 1920s and 1930s. It is a traditional guide, not a proven scientific forecast.
What are major and minor periods?
Major periods are about two hours long and centre on the moon's upper transit (directly overhead) and lower transit (directly underfoot, on the other side of the earth). Minor periods are about one hour long and centre on moonrise and moonset. There are usually two majors and two minors each day, about 50 minutes later each day.
Which days are best for fishing according to solunar theory?
Days near the new moon and full moon are rated highest, because the sun and moon are aligned and tides are strongest. A major or minor period that lines up with sunrise or sunset is considered especially productive. This calculator gives 1 to 4 stars using those two factors.
How accurate are the times?
Moon and sun positions are calculated with standard astronomical formulas and are usually within a few minutes of published almanac times for the same coordinates. Local terrain, buildings and atmospheric conditions can shift visible rise and set times slightly.
Why is there no moonrise or moonset on some days?
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, so roughly once a month it rises just before midnight and the next rise falls on the following day. At high latitudes the moon can also stay above or below the horizon all day.
Does solunar theory work for hunting too?
Many hunters use the same major and minor periods to plan stand time, especially at dawn and dusk. As with fishing, weather fronts, temperature, wind and hunting pressure have a large effect on animal movement.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.
Related tools
Moon Phase CalculatorFind the moon phase, illumination and next full or new moon for any date.Sunrise Sunset CalculatorSunrise, sunset, twilight, golden hour and blue hour times for any place and date.Countdown TimerOnline timer with alarm sound.Week Number CalculatorSee the current ISO week number and look up the week of any date.Julian Date ConverterConvert dates to day-of-year (YYDDD), Julian Day Number and JD, and back.To Do ListSimple online checklist with drag to reorder, saved lists and export.Habit TrackerTrack daily habits on a grid with current and longest streaks.Kanban BoardFree kanban board with drag and drop cards, WIP limits and JSON export.Leap Year CheckerCheck if a year is a leap year and list every leap year in a range.Daily PlannerPlan your day in hour blocks with top 3 priorities, a to-do list and notes, saved and printable.Shift Schedule MakerBuild a weekly staff rota with shift types, hour totals, CSV export and a printable schedule.PTO Accrual CalculatorPTO hours earned per pay period or per hour worked, with a 12-month balance projection.Biweekly Pay Schedule CalculatorList every biweekly payday of a year, count paychecks and find months with 3 paychecks.Hijri Date ConverterConvert Gregorian dates to Islamic Hijri dates and back, with Arabic month and weekday names.Chinese Lunar Calendar ConverterConvert Gregorian dates to Chinese lunar dates and back, with leap months and zodiac year.2027 CalendarPrintable 2027 calendar with US holidays and week numbers; yearly or monthly, PDF or PNG.Class Schedule MakerBuild a weekly or A/B day class timetable and download it as PDF or PNG, or share a link.CSV to ICS ConverterTurn a CSV or spreadsheet list of events into an .ics file for Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar.ICS to CSV ConverterConvert .ics calendar events to CSV for Excel or Sheets, with repeats expanded and fields you choose.ICS File ViewerOpen .ics calendar files online: list and month view, repeating events, time zones and search.On This Day in HistoryPick any month and day to see historical events, famous births and deaths from Wikipedia.Travel Itinerary PlannerPlan a trip day by day with times, bookings and costs, then print it or export to your calendar.US Holidays CalendarUS federal holidays and major observances for any year, with observed dates and ICS/CSV export.Wedding Guest List ManagerTrack wedding guests by household and side with RSVPs, meals, plus-ones, tables and CSV export.Wedding Planning ChecklistEnter your wedding date for a month-by-month checklist with due dates, progress and calendar export.Weekly Meal PlannerPlan a week of meals and get a grocery list sorted by aisle, then print it or save a PDF.Year at a Glance CalendarOne-page printable 12-month calendar for any year with week numbers and US holidays; PDF or PNG.Baby Feeding ScheduleFeeding times, ounces per feed and feeds per day by baby's age, breast or formula.Baby Feeding & Diaper TrackerOne-tap baby log for breastfeeding, bottles, diapers and sleep, with timers and daily totals.Cleaning Schedule GeneratorMake a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal house cleaning schedule for your home and household.Cooking Timeline PlannerBack-schedule every dish from serving time, with start times and oven conflict alerts.Marathon Training Plan GeneratorWeek-by-week marathon plan from your race date and mileage, with taper, paces and .ics calendar.Passport Validity CheckerCheck if your passport is valid long enough for a trip (3- and 6-month rules) and when to renew.Pregnancy CalendarWeek-by-week pregnancy calendar with trimesters, test windows and checkups; print it or save as .ics.Puppy Vaccination ScheduleGet dated puppy shot visits (core and lifestyle vaccines) from a birth date, plus an ICS calendar.Custody Schedule CalendarParenting time calendar for 2-2-3, 2-2-5-5, week-on/week-off and more, with holidays and % time.Hijri CalendarMonthly Islamic (Hijri) calendar with Gregorian dates side by side, Islamic holidays and printing.National Days CalendarWhat national day is it today? Fun, food and awareness days with a searchable full-year calendar.Public Holidays by CountryList the public holidays of 100+ countries for any year, with weekdays and an ICS calendar file.Rotating Shift CalendarColor calendar of work and off days per crew for Pitman, DuPont, 4-on-4-off, 24/48 or custom shifts.School Year CalendarPrintable August to June school calendar with breaks, no-school days, term colors and day counts.Social Security Payment CalendarSocial Security and SSI payment dates for any year by birthday group, with holiday shifts.Study PlannerTurn exam dates and free hours into a balanced, printable weekly revision timetable.Baby Food Introduction ScheduleMonth-by-month solid food plan with textures, meals and a dated allergen timeline.Federal Reserve Bank HolidaysUS bank holiday calendar on the Fed schedule, next holiday countdown and deposit timing.Bread Baking Schedule PlannerPick when you want bread; get start times for levain, bulk, shaping, proof and bake.Car Maintenance Schedule GeneratorGet your upcoming oil, tire, brake and fluid services by date and mileage from how you drive.Crop Rotation PlannerTurn your beds and crops into a 3 or 4 year rotation plan so no plant family repeats in a bed.Menstrual Cycle Phase CalculatorSee which cycle phase you're in today and a color-coded calendar of upcoming phases.Dog Food Transition SchedulePlan a day-by-day switch to a new dog food with old/new ratios and cups or grams per meal.Kitten Vaccination ScheduleGet dated kitten shot visits (FVRCP, rabies, FeLV) from a birth date, plus an ICS calendar.Lawn Fertilizer ScheduleYearly lawn calendar for your grass type and region: feeding, pre-emergent, aeration and seeding dates.Mood TrackerLog your daily mood with emojis, notes, sleep and exercise; see a calendar heatmap and trends.Pumping Schedule GeneratorPump times, sessions per day and ounce targets by baby's age, exclusive or partial.Puppy Potty Training SchedulePrintable potty break times, night trips and crate limits for your puppy's age.Stock Market Holidays CalendarNYSE and Nasdaq holidays and early closes for this year and next, with .ics calendar export.Water Intake TrackerTap to log glasses and bottles, fill your daily goal ring, get drink reminders and see your history.2028 CalendarPrintable 2028 leap-year calendar with US holidays and week numbers; yearly or monthly, PDF or PNG.Fuel Log and MPG TrackerLog fill-ups by odometer, gallons and price to track MPG per tank, average MPG and cost per mile.Christmas Gift TrackerTrack Christmas gifts by person: ideas, budget, bought and wrapped status, and total spending.Garden Harvest TrackerLog garden harvests by crop, date and weight; see totals per crop and season and grocery money saved.Home Maintenance ChecklistSeasonal and monthly home upkeep checklist with dates, built from your home's features.Supervised Driving Hours LogLog teen practice drives with day/night hours and conditions, track permit hour goals, print the log.Planting Calendar by ZoneWhat to start indoors, transplant and sow each month for your USDA zone or frost dates.