Best Time to Fish in New Orleans
Louisiana · Friday, September 11
🌅
6:44 AM
Sunrise
🌇
7:12 PM
Sunset
🌙
0%
Moon
The next 7 days in New Orleans
| Day | Dawn window | Dusk window | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 6:14 AM – 7:44 AM | 5:42 PM – 7:42 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 0% |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 6:14 AM – 7:44 AM | 5:41 PM – 7:41 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 1% |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 6:15 AM – 7:45 AM | 5:40 PM – 7:40 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 5% |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6:15 AM – 7:45 AM | 5:38 PM – 7:38 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 10% |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6:16 AM – 7:46 AM | 5:37 PM – 7:37 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 17% |
| Wed, Sep 16 | 6:16 AM – 7:46 AM | 5:36 PM – 7:36 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 26% |
| Thu, Sep 17 | 6:17 AM – 7:47 AM | 5:35 PM – 7:35 PM | 🌓 First Quarter · 36% |
Dawn and dusk windows are computed from sunrise/sunset for New Orleans; times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's best windows in New Orleans
🌅 Dawn — 6:14 AM to 7:44 AM
The first light window is the most reliable bite of the day for most species — fish move shallow to feed before the sun gets high.
🌇 Dusk — 5:42 PM to 7:42 PM
The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.
🌙 Moon — New Moon (0% lit)
Solunar feeding activity peaks around the new and full moons. Overlap a solunar period with dawn or dusk and you have the best window of the day.
Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase are computed for New Orleans (Louisiana); times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's tides in New Orleans
| Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 6:27 AM | 0.6 ft |
| High | 8:29 PM | 0.8 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station 8761927 (New Canal USCG station, Lake Pontchartrain), about 6 mi from New Orleans. Times in local time, heights relative to MLLW.
Get the precise solunar + tide forecast for your spot
Dawn and dusk are the reliable daily answer, but the exact solunar major/minor periods and the tides for the specific water you're fishing shift day to day. The MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner pulls live NOAA, USGS, and solunar data to score the best times for your exact New Orleans spot.
See the AI Trip Planner →Best season to fish New Orleans
The marsh fishes year-round. Fall and winter (October through February) are the marquee redfish months — cooler, clearer water pushes reds into the ponds where you can sight-fish them, including trophy bull reds. Speckled trout fish best in the spring and summer around the outer bays and passes. Summer is offshore season out of Venice — yellowfin tuna at the rigs, plus mahi, wahoo, and marlin. Louisiana's marsh can be affected by wind and river levels more than tide, so a local buddy who reads the conditions is a real advantage.
Best time to fish in New Orleans — FAQ
What is the best time of day to fish in New Orleans?
The most reliable windows are the low-light hours around sunrise and sunset. Today in New Orleans, sunrise is about 6:44 AM and sunset about 7:12 PM, so the dawn and dusk windows either side of those are your best bets — especially on an overcast day or a moving tide.
Does the moon affect fishing in New Orleans?
Yes. The strongest solunar feeding periods and biggest tides come around the new and full moons. The moon is currently a New Moon (0% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.
What is the best season to fish in New Orleans?
The marsh fishes year-round. Fall and winter (October through February) are the marquee redfish months — cooler, clearer water pushes reds into the ponds where you can sight-fish them, including trophy bull reds. Speckled trout fish best in the spring and summer around the outer bays and passes. Summer is offshore season out of Venice — yellowfin tuna at the rigs, plus mahi, wahoo, and marlin. Louisiana's marsh can be affected by wind and river levels more than tide, so a local buddy who reads the conditions is a real advantage.
Do I need a fishing license to fish in New Orleans?
Yes — most adult anglers need a Louisiana fishing license. See the Louisiana fishing license guide for 2026 resident and non-resident prices, who's exempt, and where to buy.
What tide is best for fishing in New Orleans?
Moving water usually beats slack tide — fish the hour or so around a tide change, when current is strongest and sweeps bait past structure. See today's tide times for New Orleans above to plan around the next high or low.
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