Best Fishing Days & Times: Almanac Fishing Calendar 2025

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the best days to fish, illustrated fish swimming on a blue background
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We can help you determine when the fish are biting and the best days to fish!

Is Today A Good Day To Fish?

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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 2025, 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!

June 2025 Best Fishing Days

Here are the top days to fish this month. We’ll be adding more months soon—so check back often!

DateDayFishing PotentialMoon Phase
June 1SundayFairWaxing crescent
June 2MondayGoodFirst Quarter
June 3TuesdayFairWaxing gibbous
June 4WednesdayFairWaxing gibbous
June 5ThursdayPoorWaxing gibbous
June 6FridayPoorWaxing gibbous
June 7SaturdayPoorWaxing gibbous
June 8SundayGoodWaxing gibbous
June 9MondayGoodWaxing gibbous
June 10TuesdayGoodWaxing gibbous
June 11WednesdayBestFull Moon
June 12ThursdayGoodWaning gibbous
June 13FridayGoodWaning gibbous
June 14SaturdayGoodWaning gibbous
June 15SundayPoorWaning gibbous
June 16MondayFairWaning gibbous
June 17TuesdayFairWaning gibbous
June 18WednesdayGoodLast Quarter 
June 19ThursdayFairWaning crescent
June 20FridayFairWaning crescent
June 21SaturdayPoorWaning crescent
June 22SundayGoodWaning crescent
June 23MondayGoodWaning crescent
June 24TuesdayGoodWaning crescent
June 25WednesdayBestNew Moon
June 26ThursdayGoodWaxing crescent
June 27FridayGoodWaxing crescent
June 28SaturdayGoodWaxing crescent
June 29SundayPoorWaxing crescent
June 30MondayFairWaxing crescent

July 2025

DateDayFishing PotentialMoon Phase
July 1TuesdayFairWaxing crescent
July 2WednesdayGoodFirst Quarter
July 3ThursdayFairWaxing gibbous
July 4FridayFairWaxing gibbous
July 5SaturdayPoorWaxing gibbous
July 6SundayPoorWaxing gibbous
July 7MondayGoodWaxing gibbous
July 8TuesdayGoodWaxing gibbous
July 9WednesdayGoodWaxing gibbous
July 10ThursdayBestFull Moon
July 11FridayGoodWaning gibbous
July 12SaturdayGoodWaning gibbous
July 13SundayGoodWaning gibbous
July 14MondayPoorWaning gibbous
July 15TuesdayFairWaning gibbous
July 16WednesdayFairWaning gibbous
July 17ThursdayGoodLast Quarter
July 18FridayFairWaning crescent
July 19SaturdayFairWaning crescent
July 20SundayPoorWaning crescent
July 21MondayGoodWaning crescent
July 22TuesdayGoodWaning crescent
July 23WednesdayGoodWaning crescent
July 24ThursdayBestNew Moon
July 25FridayGoodWaxing crescent
July 26SaturdayGoodWaxing crescent
July 27SundayGoodWaxing crescent
July 28MondayPoorWaxing crescent
July 29TuesdayPoorWaxing crescent
July 30WednesdayPoorWaxing crescent
July 31ThursdayPoorWaxing crescent

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 one 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.

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. You can find a Solunarclock for your area online to give you a personalized edge.

full moon at sunset over a lake
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).

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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