Fishing tools, free to use

How these tools fit together

Most sessions that go badly in Australia go badly for one of three reasons: you fished a dead part of the day, your knot let go at the worst moment, or you never worked out what actually produced last time. These three tools exist to remove those three problems, and they are deliberately simple — no account, no subscription, nothing to install.

Start with the bite time calculator when you are planning. It works out the two major solunar windows (moon overhead and moon underfoot) and the two minor ones (moonrise and moonset) for your date and rough position, then flags whether you are on a spring or a neap tide. Spring tides move the most water, which matters enormously in the tidal estuaries of NSW and Queensland and in the big Top End systems; neaps suit clear-water flats and impoundment fishing where fish spook easily.

Use the knot guide the night before, not on the water in the dark. The eight knots covered handle every common Australian rig: FG for braid to leader, improved clinch and Palomar for terminals, the non-slip loop for hardbodies and soft plastics, the snell for bait rigs, and a Bimini twist when you need a doubled mainline for heavier offshore work. Every one lists the breaking strain you can realistically expect and the mistake that costs most anglers fish.

Then log the session. The catch log stores species, length, location, tide state and conditions privately in your own browser — nothing is uploaded. After a dozen entries you stop guessing: you can see that your bream come on the last of the run-out, that your flathead are all inside a narrow water-temperature band, or that a spot you keep fishing has never actually produced. That record is worth more than any general advice.

A realistic planning routine

Check the bite times for the next few days, then cross-reference them with the tide forecast for your water and the wind. Where a major solunar window overlaps a tide change within an hour or two of dawn or dusk, that is your session. Tie your leader connection at home, carry a spare pre-tied rig, and log the result the same day while you still remember the detail. Repeat that for a season and your local knowledge will beat any app.

Regulations, closures and licence requirements differ by state and territory and change regularly. These tools are planning aids only — always confirm the current rules with your state or territory fisheries authority before you fish.