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Freshwater fishing forecast for Canada and the United States
Know when and where the bite is on, and what you are likely catching. This freshwater fishing forecast is a weekly read for walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake whitefish, smallmouth bass, burbot, lake trout, and arctic grayling.
Click your province or state on the map. Each page has a 7-day read for the waters people fish there, from walleye and pike in the north to bass, crappie, and catfish farther south.
How to read the week
Open the region you are fishing, then the species. Each day has its own box. The rating says whether the day looks worth the drive. The line under it says why, such as a falling barometer, too much wind, or water that is still too cold for bass.
The best window is the part of the day that usually matters. For walleye and smallmouth that is often the hour before sunset. Lake trout are a midday fish in deep water. Burbot are a night fish. Dawn and dusk are marked with the local sunrise and sunset, so you are not guessing the light.
Major and minor solunar times are printed in local time. A major period is when the moon is overhead. The minor periods are moonrise and moonset. Use them as a second look at the day, not as the only reason to go.
What the forecast does not do
It is a planning guide, not a promise of fish. Water temperature is estimated from the week’s air and the season. It is not a buoy on your lake. A big lake and a pasture slough in the same region will not fish the same, even on a good day.
It does not tell you the ice is safe. Late fall and early spring are transition seasons. Shoreline skim, candled ice, and a bay that froze overnight are not safe to walk, drive, or fish from. If you cannot see open water, and you cannot confirm safe ice with a local report and an ice chisel, stay off it.
It also does not replace the regulations. Seasons, limits, and closed waters are set by the province or state. Check those before you keep a fish.
Where to start
Open the province or state you are fishing. Pick the region closest to the water, then the species. The day box shows whether the trip looks worth the drive.
If bugs are still active where you are headed, the matching bug forecast is linked from that page.
Freshwater fishing forecast questions
How do I use the freshwater fishing forecast map?
Click your province or state. On that page, open your region for a 7-day read, including the best window, wind, sunrise, and sunset.
What species does the freshwater fishing forecast cover?
Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and the other freshwater species named on each state or province page.
Is this a Canada fishing forecast or a United States fishing forecast?
Both. The map covers every Canadian province and territory and every U.S. state. Open the one you are fishing.
When is the best time of day to fish?
Use the day card. Walleye and smallmouth often bite in the hour before sunset. Lake trout are a midday fish in deep water. Bass in warm water can bite through the day. Sunrise and sunset are printed in local time.
Does a good fishing day mean I can keep fish?
No. Seasons, limits, and closed waters are set by the province or state. A good window does not open a closed season.
Does this forecast tell me the ice is safe?
No. It does not measure thickness. A regional ice warning appears only when that region has freezing nights. Overnight skim is not safe to walk, drive, or fish from.
How often is the freshwater fishing forecast updated?
Weekly. Each province and state page is rewritten from the new 7-day weather, so last week’s rating does not carry over.