Fish don’t wear watches—but they sure do follow the Moon! For generations, anglers have turned to The Old Farmer’s Almanac Fishing Calendar to find the best fishing days—those magical moments when fish are more likely to bite. Seasoned fishers swear by it, claiming it leads to fuller nets and better stories! Want to outsmart the fish? Time your trip with the Moon’s rhythm—and get ready to tell some reel good tales.
Best Days to Fish by Month
Wondering when to cast your line? Take a look at the best fishing days for each month of 2026, all mapped to the Moon’s phases. Each table shows the date, day of the week, fishing potential (Poor to Best), and the Moon phase for that day. It’s an easy way to plan your trips and boost your chances of landing a keeper!
October 2026
Date
Day
Fishing Potential
Moon Phase
October 1
Thursday
Fair
Waning gibbous
October 2
Friday
Fair
Waning gibbous
October 3
Saturday
Good
Last Quarter
October 4
Sunday
Fair
Waning crescent
October 5
Monday
Fair
Waning crescent
October 6
Tuesday
Poor
Waning crescent
October 7
Wednesday
Good
Waning crescent
October 8
Thursday
Good
Waning crescent
October 9
Friday
Good
Waning crescent
October 10
Saturday
Best
New Moon
October 11
Sunday
Good
Waxing crescent
October 12
Monday
Good
Waxing crescent
October 13
Tuesday
Good
Waxing crescent
October 14
Wednesday
Poor
Waxing crescent
October 15
Thursday
Poor
Waxing crescent
October 16
Friday
Fair
Waxing crescent
October 17
Saturday
Fair
Waxing crescent
October 18
Sunday
Good
First Quarter
October 19
Monday
Fair
Waxing gibbous
October 20
Tuesday
Fair
Waxing gibbous
October 21
Wednesday
Poor
Waxing gibbous
October 22
Thursday
Poor
Waxing gibbous
October 23
Friday
Good
Waxing gibbous
October 24
Saturday
Good
Waxing gibbous
October 25
Sunday
Good
Waxing gibbous
October 26
Monday
Best
Full Hunter’s Moon
October 27
Tuesday
Good
Waning gibbous
October 28
Wednesday
Good
Waning gibbous
October 29
Thursday
Good
Waning gibbous
October 30
Friday
Fair
Waning gibbous
October 31
Saturday
Fair
Waning gibbous
November 2026
November 1
Sunday
Good
Last Quarter
November 2
Monday
Fair
Waning crescent
November 3
Tuesday
Fair
Waning crescent
November 4
Wednesday
Poor
Waning crescent
November 5
Thursday
Poor
Waning crescent
November 6
Friday
Good
Waning crescent
November 7
Saturday
Good
Waning crescent
November 8
Sunday
Good
Waning crescent
November 9
Monday
Best
New Moon
November 10
Tuesday
Good
Waxing crescent
November 11
Wednesday
Good
Waxing crescent
November 12
Thursday
Good
Waxing crescent
November 13
Friday
Poor
Waxing crescent
November 14
Saturday
Poor
Waxing crescent
November 15
Sunday
Fair
Waxing crescent
November 16
Monday
Fair
Waxing crescent
November 17
Tuesday
Good
First Quarter
November 18
Wednesday
Fair
Waxing gibbous
November 19
Thursday
Fair
Waxing gibbous
November 20
Friday
Poor
Waxing gibbous
November 21
Saturday
Good
Waxing gibbous
November 22
Sunday
Good
Waxing gibbous
November 23
Monday
Good
Waxing gibbous
November 24
Tuesday
Best
Full Beaver Moon
November 25
Wednesday
Good
Waning gibbous
November 26
Thursday
Good
Waning gibbous
November 27
Friday
Good
Waning gibbous
November 28
Saturday
Poor
Waning gibbous
November 29
Sunday
Fair
Waning gibbous
November 30
Monday
Fair
Waning gibbous
Fishing Potential Explained
Best: New Moon and Full Moon days.Good: The 2–3 days before and after a New or Full Moon. Also includes First Quarter and Third Quarter Moon days.Fair: A couple of days before and after the Quarter Moons.Poor: Everything else—typically during the waxing and waning crescent phases.When Is the Best Time to Go Fishing?
There’s more to great fishing than just the Moon. Here are a few tried-and-true tips on the best times to fish:
Tide Times: Fish 1 hour before and after high or low tide. Inland, fish when the Moon is due south—it lines up with feeding time.Sunrise and Sunset: The “morning rise” and “evening rise” are prime feeding times. Check your local sunrise and sunset for the best windows.Moonrise and Moonset: Fish feed during these times, too—so keep an eye on your lunar clock. See your daily Moonrise and set.Before a Storm: Falling pressure stirs fish into a feeding frenzy—briefly. After the storm passes and barometric pressure rises again (1 to 2 days later), fishing picks up again.During a Fly Hatch: If mayflies or caddis flies are hatching, you’ll want to match your bait to what’s buzzing. Otherwise, the fish will pass.Winds from the West: A gentle breeze from the west often brings better luck than a cold wind from the north or east.Calm Waters: Still or gently rippled waters are ideal—windy days can scatter the fish and your patience.Why the Moon Matters
Long before weather apps and sonar gear, Native Americans watched the skies and followed the lunar calendar. They noticed that fish fed more actively during the Full and New Moons—and they weren’t wrong. Over the years, we’ve kept tracking the Moon phases to help you hook more fish and fewer excuses.
2027 Wall Calendar of Everyday Advice
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is famous for its wit, wisdom, and distinctive charm, and this thoughtfully designed calendar continues that tradition. Enjoy…
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The Solunar Theory
In the early 1900s, a curious angler named John Alden Knight (1890-1966) came up with the Solunar Theory—based on the belief that both the Sun (Sol) and the Moon (Luna) influence fish behavior.
He created the first Solunar Tables to help predict the major and minor feeding periods:
Best Times to Fish (Major Periods):
During a Full or New Moon, especially when the Sun is directly overhead or at a right angle to the Earth.Good Times to Fish (Minor Periods):
During Quarter Moon phases or when the Sun is at a 45-degree angle.
Solunar tables can be helpful, but fishing success still depends on local conditions—weather, water, bait, and a little luck.
Keep reading
The best fishing days are between a New Moon and a Full Moon.
🎣 Keep on Castin’
Love to fish? Check out our other articles like Unbelievable (but True) Bait Secrets and The Four Fundamentals of Successful Fishing to keep your line tight and your stories taller.
How accurate do you find The Old Farmer’s Almanac Fishing Calendar, and the idea that fish activity changes by the Moon phase?
And hey—share your own fishing tips below (except where the big ones bite… that can stay your little secret).