Set a location on the water and it builds a plain-language trip briefing for that spot and today's date, covering the weather, which species are likely to bite, lure picks, local regulations, recent fishing reports, and solunar windows (plus NOAA tides on coastal water). It's free to start with 10 trip briefings per month, and no credit card is needed.
What a briefing tells you, in plain language
A new lake feels big because you don't know where the fish are, what they want, or whether you're even allowed to keep them. A MyFishNavigator briefing answers those four questions for the exact spot you picked.
A new lake feels big because you don't know where the fish are, what they want, or whether you're even allowed to keep them.
1. Where to start. You choose the spot: search a place, set a pin, or use your location. The briefing is tied to that pin, and MyFishNavigator detects whether the water is fresh, salt, or brackish. The trip map lets you drop numbered TOP SPOTS for a multi-spot day, and each one snaps to the water automatically. On 1,000+ mapped lakes you can also look at the underwater terrain in 3D to find drop-offs, humps, points, and channels, which are places fish like to hold.
2. What to throw. The briefing lists the species that make sense for that spot right now and gives lure picks to match. If you want to dig deeper, follow-up chat lets you ask the fishing expert questions such as “What if nothing bites in the first hour?” Follow-up chat is available on Plus and Pro — see Plans for current limits.
3. When to go. Live weather from Open-Meteo (wind, sky, pressure, and temperature), water temperature, solunar major and minor windows scored for today, and NOAA tide predictions on coastal water all go into the plan. Because each briefing is rebuilt live and never cached, the same spot can read differently in the morning, on a falling tide, or after a cold front.
4. The rules. Each briefing gathers regulations and recent local reports for the area at the moment you search. Treat it as your starting point, and confirm license requirements, size limits, and seasons with your state fish and wildlife agency before you keep a fish.
When you're done, every briefing is saved to your account so you can reload it on any device. If you fish from a boat, you can export briefing waypoints as a .gpx file to load on your chartplotter or handheld GPS.
An example briefing
Questions beginners ask
What app helps a beginner figure out where to fish at a lake they've never been to?
MyFishNavigator is built for this. Set a location on the lake and it returns a trip briefing for that spot and today's date, built from live weather, water conditions, which species are viable, lure picks, regulations, and recent local fishing reports. On coastal water it also includes NOAA tide predictions and solunar windows.
What lure should I use at a lake I've never fished?
Start with what the fish in that lake are likely to bite today. A MyFishNavigator briefing lists the species that are viable for your spot and gives lure picks for current conditions. If you want a general backup, carry one lure that covers water quickly, such as a spinner or a paddle-tail swimbait, and one slow option, such as a soft-plastic worm or a bobber and live bait.
What time of day should I go fishing?
Early morning and evening are often good, but conditions matter more than the clock. Your briefing scores solunar major and minor windows for today, includes NOAA tide timing on coastal water, and factors in wind, pressure, and temperature, so you can pick a window instead of guessing.
Do I need a fishing license, and how do I find the rules for a lake?
Most states require anglers above a certain age to carry a fishing license, and the age and rules vary by state. Your MyFishNavigator briefing includes regulations gathered for the area when you search, but always confirm limits, seasons, and license rules with your state fish and wildlife agency before you keep any fish.
Can I use MyFishNavigator if I fish from shore or a kayak?
Yes. It was made for shore anglers, kayak fishers, weekend boaters, and first-timers. You set the exact spot you plan to fish, so a briefing can be for a stretch of bank, a pier, or a cove you plan to paddle to.
Is MyFishNavigator free?
Yes, it is free to start. You get 10 trip briefings per month with no credit card required. Paid plans add higher limits, follow-up chat, Advanced Mapping, and, on Pro, offline trips and 3D lake terrain in the mobile app.
Can I ask follow-up questions about my briefing?
Yes. Follow-up chat lets you ask the fishing expert questions after each briefing, such as what to switch to if nothing is biting. Follow-up chat is available on Plus and Pro; see Plans for current limits.
Will it work if I don't have cell service at the lake?
Build your briefing while you have signal. With Pro on the mobile app, you can download saved trips with the basemap and 3D terrain, or save individual lakes, so the maps work with no cell service on the water.
Is it a good way to plan a first fishing trip with kids?
It can take a lot of the guesswork out. A briefing tells you what is likely to bite, what to bring, and when to go, so you can spend the trip helping kids cast instead of searching for a spot. We built MyFishNavigator partly to get more kids outside, and every trip is easier when the plan is simple.