Best time to fish in Portland
Today, Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · local time (EDT) · Maine, United States Today, Wed, Oct 28 · EDT- High tides
- 12:46 am and 12:54 pm
- Major periods
- 1:15–3:15 am and 1:47–3:47 pm
- Solunar activity
- High
- Sun
- 7:12 am–5:37 pm
Today, Wednesday, October 28, the best time to fish in Portland is 6:40 am to 7:40 am, with the 6:42 am low tide and sunrise, though with rising pressure. It's an average day (5/10). The best day this week is Thursday, October 29, at 7/10.
Your day in Portland at a glance
The strip runs from midnight to midnight, local time. Night in gray, daylight in yellow; the blue curve is the tide; below, the solunar periods and the best windows.
Fishing forecast for the next 7 days
| Day | Rating | Best times | High tides | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 5average day | 6:40–7:40 am6:30–7:30 pm | ▲ 12:46 am ▲ 12:54 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Thu 29 | 7good day | 6:40–7:50 am7:30–8:30 pm | ▲ 1:36 am ▲ 1:44 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Fri 30 | 7good day | 7:20–8:00 am1:40–2:30 pm | ▲ 2:29 am ▲ 2:39 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Sat 31 | 5average day | 5:00–6:00 pm10:00–11:00 pm | ▲ 3:28 am ▲ 3:40 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Sun 1 | 6average day | 3:50–5:00 pm10:20–11:20 pm | ▲ 3:33 am ▲ 3:47 pm | Last quarter |
| Mon 2 | 6average day | 5:20–7:00 am4:00–5:00 pm | ▲ 4:40 am ▲ 4:57 pm | Waning crescent |
| Tue 3 | 7good day | 6:10–6:50 am6:30–7:10 pm | ▲ 5:46 am ▲ 6:06 pm | Waning crescent |
Each day's rating comes from the tide, the solunar periods, the light and, when we have the forecast, the weather.
What can you catch in Portland?
Sport fishing species with the most records within about 19 mi of Portland: winter flounder, Atlantic cod, longfin inshore squid, haddock and Atlantic mackerel. October is one of the months when these are seen most: longfin inshore squid, Atlantic mackerel and Atlantic halibut.
- Winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus · fish · 366 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Atlantic cod Gadus morhua · fish · 202 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Longfin inshore squid Doryteuthis pealeii · cephalopod · 179 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus · fish · 144 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus · fish · 96 records Photo: Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Pollock Pollachius virens · fish · 74 records Photo: Tino Strauss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus · fish · 27 records Photo: Vsevolod Rudyi · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Scup Stenotomus chrysops · fish · 18 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
These are sightings and catches recorded since 1970 (reports from divers and anglers, scientific surveys and museum collections), not a promise that you will catch them. The months come from sightings only, adjusted for how many there are each month; hatched months have too few to tell.
Source: GBIF.org, which also gathers OBIS data. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY 4.0, from 1,130 datasets (retrieved October 24, 2026). Where the data comes from
Photos: each species' image on Wikidata (Wikimedia Commons) or, if there isn't one, one from GBIF; only licences that allow this use, each with its author and licence.
What anglers catch most in Maine
Recreational saltwater catch across the whole state in September and October (2021–2025 average), from NOAA's recreational fishing survey (MRIP). It counts fish kept and fish released; bait fish are left out.
From shore
Beaches, piers, jetties and rocks
- Atlantic mackerel 380,000 * 10% released
- Striped bass 73,000 100% released
- Bluefish 37,000 * 100% released
- Largemouth bass 9,800 * 100% released
- Brown trout 3,300 *
Private or rental boat
Private boats and rentals without a captain
- Atlantic mackerel 720,000 10% released
- Striped bass 280,000 100% released
- Pollock 51,000 * 65% released
- Haddock 5,200 * 50% released
- Bluefish 1,200 * 75% released
Charter or party boat
Charters and party (head) boats
- Atlantic mackerel 8,600 25% released
- Pollock 4,600 35% released
- Haddock 2,300 55% released
- Striped bass 2,200 95% released
- Atlantic cod 1,600 85% released
Fish a year · * Less precise figure: use with caution
All year: the top three every two months
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | No data |
| Mar–Apr | No data |
| May–Jun | Atlantic mackerel, Striped bass |
| Jul–Aug | Atlantic mackerel, Striped bass, Pollock |
| Sep–Oct | Atlantic mackerel, Striped bass, Bluefish |
| Nov–Dec | No data |
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | No data |
| Mar–Apr | No data |
| May–Jun | Atlantic mackerel, Striped bass, Pollock |
| Jul–Aug | Atlantic mackerel, Striped bass, Pollock |
| Sep–Oct | Atlantic mackerel, Striped bass, Pollock |
| Nov–Dec | No data |
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | No data |
| Mar–Apr | No data |
| May–Jun | Haddock, Pollock, Striped bass |
| Jul–Aug | Atlantic mackerel, Pollock, Striped bass |
| Sep–Oct | Atlantic mackerel, Pollock, Haddock |
| Nov–Dec | No data |
These are estimates from a survey of anglers, not a count, and they cover the whole state, not this exact spot. Each figure is the average for one year in those two months, rounded. Only species with a relative standard error of up to 50% are shown, NOAA's standard; those marked * are between 30% and 50%, and NOAA advises using them with caution.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), wave-level catch estimates for 2021–2025. Courtesy: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Where the data comes from
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Portland Pier 0.5 mi
- Brown's Warf 2 Portland Fish Pier 0.5 mi
- Coast Guard Pier 0.5 mi
- Maine State Pier 0.6 mi
- Marine Terminal Pier 0.7 mi
- Boat ramp 0.9 mi
- Boat ramp 1.0 mi
- East End Boat Launch 1.3 mi
- Fore Points Marina 0.9 mi
- South Port Marine 1.1 mi
- Coastal Bait Company 0.5 mi
- New England Fish Company 0.6 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Artificial reefs and wrecks to fish from a boat
Artificial reefs and wrecks draw fish, so they make good spots to fish from a boat. The nearest ones, within 16 mi.
Check the rules before you go: some have closed seasons, protected zones or banned gear. Wreck and reef positions are approximate and not for navigation; a wreck’s depth runs from the top of the hull to the seabed.
US wrecks: NOAA electronic navigational charts (ENC), a U.S. Government work; not for navigation.
How we work out the best time
We score every moment of the day, every 10 minutes, with simple rules anglers have used for decades:
- Tide: 2 to 3.5 points in the hour before and the hour after each high and low tide. Spring tides (high coefficient) score more, because the water moves faster.
- Solunar: 2.5 points in the major periods (moon overhead or underfoot) and 1.5 in the minor ones (moonrise and moonset).
- Light: 2 points at dawn and dusk, from first light to the end of the morning golden hour and from the evening golden hour to the end of twilight.
- Weather: falling pressure adds 1 point and rising pressure takes 1 away; wind takes points away from force 4 (about 12 mph), up to 5 points in a gale; waves of 1.6 ft to 4.9 ft add half a point (they stir up the water) and from 8.2 ft they take points away (up to 4).
- Best windows: the stretches of 40 minutes to 3 hours with the most points, at least an hour apart.
- Day's rating out of 10: the best window (up to 5), the moon (up to 2, near new or full moon), the tide coefficient (up to 2) and whether a solunar period lines up with sunrise or sunset (1). Without a tide, we score out of 8 and scale it to 10. Good weather adds up to 1 point and bad weather pulls it down.
Today: best window 3.7 of 5, moon 1 of 2, coefficient 1.5 of 2 and lineup 0 of 1; the weather multiplies the rating by 0.83.
It's a guide, not a guarantee: fish don't read tide tables. Always check the sea conditions and local fishing rules before you go.
Learn more
Fishing rules in Portland
Licenses, size limits, bag limits and closed seasons are set by the authorities and change often. We don't copy them here: check the official website before you go.
Questions about fishing in Portland
What's the best time to fish in Portland today?
6:40 am to 7:40 am, with the 6:42 am low tide and sunrise, though with rising pressure. Also 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm and 1:10 am to 1:50 am. Today's rating: 5/10 (average day).
What about tomorrow? When's the best time to fish in Portland?
Tomorrow, Thursday, October 29: 6:40 am to 7:50 am, with a rating of 7/10.
Which day this week is best for fishing in Portland?
Thursday, October 29, at 7/10. Its best window is 6:40 am to 7:50 am.
What can you catch in Portland?
Sport fishing species with the most records within about 19 mi of Portland: winter flounder, Atlantic cod, longfin inshore squid, haddock and Atlantic mackerel. October is one of the months when these are seen most: longfin inshore squid, Atlantic mackerel and Atlantic halibut. These are sightings and catches recorded in GBIF and OBIS, not a promise that you will catch them.
When are the solunar periods in Portland today?
Major: 1:15–3:15 am and 1:47–3:47 pm. Minor: 9:59–10:59 am and 6:31–7:31 pm. Solunar activity today: high.
Does the tide affect fishing in Portland?
Yes. Today high tide is at 12:46 am and 12:54 pm and low tide at 6:42 am and 7:21 pm, with a tide coefficient of 85 (average tides). The hours around each tide change tend to fish best, because moving water carries food.
How is the rating worked out?
From the tide, the solunar periods, the light at dawn and dusk, the moon phase and, when we have the forecast, the pressure, the wind and the waves. Each factor gives a fixed number of points and the rating sums them up out of 10.
Does it take the weather into account?
Yes. During today's best window: rising pressure (+0.18 inHg in 24 h), almost no wind and calm sea (1.5 ft waves). Strong wind and big waves lower the rating; falling pressure raises it a little.
What are the fishing rules in Portland?
Recreational fishing rules in Portland (licenses, size limits, bag limits and closed seasons) are set by the authorities: Maine Department of Marine Resources; offshore, NOAA Fisheries. They change often: check the official website before you go.
More about Portland today
Our own calculation: tide from Portland (NOAA), sun and moon with astronomy-engine and, when available, weather and sea from Open-Meteo (ECMWF, NOAA GFS and Copernicus Marine, CC BY 4.0). Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database)