Guide
Solunar Tables and the Best Fishing Times Explained
Solunar fishing times are daily windows when fish are predicted to feed more, based on the moon's position. Major periods (about two hours) center on the moon passing overhead or underfoot, and minor periods (about an hour) center on moonrise and moonset.
Basics
What solunar tables are
Solunar means sun plus moon. A solunar table is a daily list of times when fish and wildlife are expected to be more active, based on where the moon is. The idea was popularized by outdoor writer John Alden Knight in the 1930s, who built on old fishing lore and his own observations. The same basic method sits behind most of the best fishing times calendars, apps and charts you see today.
A solunar table does not use weather, water temperature or tides. It is pure astronomy, so it can be calculated years ahead for any spot on the map. That is both its strength (you can plan trips far in advance) and its weakness (it knows nothing about the actual conditions on the day).
Every fishing report page on Gone Fishing HQ shows best fishing times today, with the major and minor periods worked out for that town. You can see a live example on the Lake Fork fishing report.
Periods
Major and minor periods
Solunar tables usually list four windows a day, two major and two minor. Now and then a day has only three, because the moon’s schedule does not fit neatly into a 24-hour day.
| Period | Based on | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Moon directly overhead, or directly underfoot on the far side of the earth | About 2 hours, centered on that moment |
| Minor | Moonrise and moonset | About 1 hour, centered on the rise or set |
The moon is underfoot when it is on the opposite side of the earth, directly below you. You cannot see it, but solunar theory treats it the same as the moon overhead. Different apps and tables use slightly different window lengths, so do not worry if two sources disagree by half an hour or so.
Because the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day on average, the periods slide later day by day. A major period that falls at dawn this week may land near midday a week from now. That is why it pays to check the times for the exact day you are fishing rather than reusing last week’s.
Moon phase
New moon and full moon days
Most solunar calendars rate whole days as well as hours. The days around the new moon and full moon usually get the highest ratings. Those are also the days when the sun and moon line up and create spring tides, with bigger tide swings and stronger current. The quarter moons, which bring smaller neap tides, often rate lower.
On tidal water, that overlap matters. The extra current around new and full moons can get fish feeding on its own, so it is hard to say how much of the effect is the moon and how much is the tide. Either way, many saltwater anglers watch both. Our guide on how to read a tide chart explains spring and neap tides in more detail.
Solunar fans also pay attention when a major or minor period lands near sunrise or sunset. Low light already tends to bring fish up to feed, so a solunar window at dawn or dusk is the one many anglers circle on the calendar.
Using it
How anglers actually use solunar times
Used well, solunar times are a planning nudge and a tiebreaker, not a schedule you have to obey. Some practical ways anglers put them to work:
- Pick a day. If you can choose between a few days, a higher-rated solunar day with a calm forecast is a reasonable pick. Our report pages also rank the best day this week from the National Weather Service forecast, which is often the bigger factor.
- Plan your breaks. On a long day on the water, eat lunch or run to a new spot outside a major period, and be fishing hard when one comes around.
- Pay attention when a window opens. If the bite picks up during a period, note it. Tomorrow the same window will come roughly 50 minutes later.
- Stack the odds. The windows anglers like most are where several things line up: a major period, moving tide, low light and stable weather.
The most useful habit is keeping a simple log. Write down the date, the solunar periods, the tide, the wind and when you got bites. After a season you will know whether the windows line up with the bite on your own water, which tells you more than any general rule.
If you are booking a charter, you usually do not get to pick the hours. Most trips run on set morning or afternoon schedules, and that is fine. A good captain is already working the tide, the wind and where the fish are, and that matters more than a table. If you are deciding how long a trip to book, see half day vs full day fishing charters.
Limits
What solunar tables cannot tell you
It is worth being honest about the limits. There has not been much solid research on whether solunar periods predict fish activity, and what exists is mixed. Plenty of anglers swear by the tables, and plenty of others catch fish all day without ever looking at one. A table that rates today as poor is not a reason to stay home.
Things that usually matter more than the solunar table:
- Season and water temperature
- Tide and current on salt water, or flow on rivers
- Wind, cloud cover and light level
- Weather fronts and changes in barometric pressure
- Where the fish are right now and what they are eating
Solunar times are also the same for every spot in a town, from the deep channel to the shallow flat. Fish in different places, at different depths and feeding on different bait will not all respond to the same clock.
Think of solunar times as a nudge. When everything else is equal, fish the window. When the tide is wrong, the wind is howling or the water is muddy, conditions win. And on a charter, the captain’s call on where, when and whether to fish always comes first.
Questions
Quick answers
Do solunar fishing times really work?
The honest answer is that nobody has proven it either way. Many anglers feel the bite picks up during major periods, but research is limited and results are mixed. Tide, wind, season and water temperature usually matter more. Treat solunar times as a light nudge for planning, not a reason to skip a day on the water.
How long is a major solunar period?
A major period is usually listed as about two hours, centered on the moment the moon is directly overhead or directly underfoot. A minor period is usually about one hour, centered on moonrise or moonset. Different tables and apps use slightly different lengths, so expect small differences between sources.
Is a full moon good for fishing?
Solunar calendars usually rate the days around the full moon and new moon highest. On the coast, those days also bring spring tides with stronger current, which can get fish feeding. Some anglers find the daytime bite slower after a bright full-moon night, so results vary by place and species. Watch the tide and conditions, not just the moon.
Do solunar times apply to freshwater fishing?
Yes, solunar tables are used for lakes and rivers as well as salt water. They are based only on the moon’s position, so the same times apply whether you are on a bass lake or a bay. In fresh water there is no tide to muddy the picture, so many lake anglers use solunar periods alongside wind, light and weather fronts.
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