Peak Fishing Times & Lunar Phases

The darker shade of purple indicates the best fishing or hunting potential based on the phase of the moon. This chart can be used in any time zone in the Northern Hemisphere. This calendar is updated on the first day of every month.

What is the difference between this moon chart and Lake-Link's Fishing Forecasts?
Lake-Link's daily fishing forecasts can be found on any lake in our Lake-Finder section or many of the bodies of water found in our Fishing Reports section.

CURRENT MOON lunar phases

LAKE-LINK KEYWORD: Moon What is this? : New Moon : Full Moon

What is the difference between this moon chart and Lake-Link's Fishing Forecasts?

The moon charts above are based upon a single factor: the moon's transit times. The chart will give you a very "general" recommendation but it does not take into effect other solunar data. This is why you may see some difference in our detailed Fishing Forecasts and the moon charts above.

Lake-Link's Fishing Forecasts are based on solar and lunar influences that cycle during each day. The chart shows each hour of the day graphically. The hours with the higher rating have a greater combination of solar and lunar influence and thus indicate the best times to fish.

Lake-Link's Fishing Forecasts are more accurate because they are the only charts that consider diurnal inequality to determining the best time to fish. Declination and diurnal inequality occur each month during the 28-day lunar cycle.

Declination is the advancing and declining of the moon each month to its highest and lowest point in the sky. The highest or the maximum lunar declination is often called “high moon”. The moon's orbit does not follow the earth’s equator. In fact its orbit is tilted in two different planes causing it to advance to a latitude of 28.5° above the equator and then in about two weeks it will retreat to a latitude 28.5° below it. This advancing and retreating between these two points is what is called lunar declination. When the moon is at its maximum declination, its influence is greater in North America than at other times.

Diurnal inequality is when the changing lunar declination causes other lunar effects to be either more or less intense. The best example is with tides. The moon’s transit or “overhead” position is the primary influences for one daily high tide, and the “underfoot” position influences the other high tide. Sometimes the “overhead” tide is larger than the “underfoot” tide, and sometimes it is the other way around. The only time that they are the same is when the moon is at the equator or at 0° declination . This diurnal inequality of the moon’s cycle affects wildlife in a similar way that it does the tides. Only Weather and Wildlife’s algorithms and charts factor-in changing lunar declination to more accurately determine ratings.

The other lunar event that affects the intensity of the feeding activity periods is the distance that the moon is from the earth. The point at which the moon is nearest the earth and exerts its greatest influence is called “perigee” and the point it is furthest away is “apogee”. The information, algorithms, charts and ratings in Lake-Link's Fishing Forecasts is based on the exact latitude and longitude of your location.

Weather is a critical factor that will independently affect fishing activity.

Fishing Forecast data obtained from Weather & Wildlife

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