This calendar works out, for Newark, where the moon is on every day of October and November: its phase, the two major solunar periods around its transits and the two minor ones around moonrise and moonset, in New Jersey local time with daylight saving. Days within a day of the new or full moon rate highest, and a day earns its top mark when one of its periods also lands at sunrise or sunset. It sits alongside what the state itself publishes: the seasons opening and closing in the next two months, and the water temperatures the waters we cover in New Jersey usually run at this time of year.
Today in Newark
October 2026
Rated from 1 (slow) to 5 (best) for Newark; the time under each day is the start of its first major period.
November 2026
Solunar times, day by day
Major and minor periods for Newark in local time, with sunrise and sunset, for the rest of October.
| Day | Rating | Major periods | Minor periods | Sunrise | Sunset | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 23 | Average | 9:30 AM–11:30 AM, 9:59 PM–11:59 PM | 3:52 AM–4:52 AM, 4:05 PM–5:05 PM | 7:17 AM | 6:05 PM | Waxing Gibbous |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Good | 10:15 AM–12:15 PM, 10:45 PM–12:45 AM | 4:59 AM–5:59 AM, 4:28 PM–5:28 PM | 7:18 AM | 6:04 PM | Full Moon |
| Sun, Oct 25 | Best | 11:26 PM–1:26 AM, 11:02 AM–1:02 PM | 6:09 AM–7:09 AM, 4:55 PM–5:55 PM | 7:19 AM | 6:02 PM | Full Moon |
| Mon, Oct 26 | Best | 11:34 PM–1:34 AM, 11:54 AM–1:54 PM | 7:22 AM–8:22 AM, 5:26 PM–6:26 PM | 7:20 AM | 6:01 PM | Full Moon |
| Tue, Oct 27 | Good | 12:27 AM–2:27 AM, 12:51 PM–2:51 PM | 8:38 AM–9:38 AM, 6:04 PM–7:04 PM | 7:21 AM | 6:00 PM | Full Moon |
| Wed, Oct 28 | Fair | 1:25 AM–3:25 AM, 1:53 PM–3:53 PM | 9:53 AM–10:53 AM, 6:53 PM–7:53 PM | 7:22 AM | 5:58 PM | Waning Gibbous |
| Thu, Oct 29 | Average | 2:27 AM–4:27 AM, 2:59 PM–4:59 PM | 11:04 AM–12:04 PM, 7:53 PM–8:53 PM | 7:24 AM | 5:57 PM | Waning Gibbous |
| Fri, Oct 30 | Average | 3:31 AM–5:31 AM, 4:05 PM–6:05 PM | 12:06 PM–1:06 PM, 9:04 PM–10:04 PM | 7:25 AM | 5:56 PM | Waning Gibbous |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Average | 4:34 AM–6:34 AM, 5:09 PM–7:09 PM | 12:57 PM–1:57 PM, 10:21 PM–11:21 PM | 7:26 AM | 5:55 PM | Last Quarter |
Seasons opening and closing in the next 60 days
- Last day November 30, 2026: Crab, Crab pots and trot lines
- Last day December 4, 2026: Crab, Delaware Bay, crab pots and trot lines
Worked out from the rules on New Jersey fishing seasons, which carry the agency source and the date we read it.
Water temperature by month
The typical surface temperature for the most common type of water we cover in New Jersey (3 of 14 waters), in °F. It is a seasonal curve, not a live reading; each water’s report has the day’s figure.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 33 | 36 | 44 | 55 | 66 | 72 | 73 | 66 | 55 | 44 | 36 |
Waters in New Jersey
Each has a daily report with that water’s own solunar times, weather and, where there is a gauge, its level or flow.
- Sandy Hookreport
- Cape Mayreport
- Barnegatreport
- Round Valley Reservoirreport
- Lake Hopatcongreport
- Manasquan Reservoirreport
- Union Lakereport
- Greenwood Lakereport
- Swartswood Lakereport
- Musconetcong Riverreport
How it is worked out
Times are for Newark (40.74, -74.17), in the America/New York time zone with daylight saving. The moon’s position comes from Jean Meeus’s low-precision lunar theory and sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar calculator, both computed on this site. Major periods run an hour either side of the moon’s upper and lower transit, minor periods half an hour either side of moonrise and moonset. Each day starts at 1 point and gains 3 within a day of the new or full moon (2 within two days, 1 within three and a half) and 1 if any period overlaps the hour around sunrise or sunset, for a total of 1 to 5. It describes the moon, not your catch.
Questions
What are the best fishing days in New Jersey this month?
By the solunar calendar for Newark, October 10, October 11, October 25, October 26: each is within a day of the new or full moon and has a solunar period at sunrise or sunset.
What are the solunar times in New Jersey today?
For Newark on Friday, October 23: major periods 9:30 AM–11:30 AM and 9:59 PM–11:59 PM, minor periods 3:52 AM–4:52 AM and 4:05 PM–5:05 PM. Sunrise is 7:17 AM and sunset 6:05 PM. Elsewhere in New Jersey the times shift by a few minutes for every degree of longitude.
Why are the times for Newark?
Solunar times depend on where you stand, so a calendar has to name a place. We use Newark, the most populous city in New Jersey. East of it the periods come earlier, west of it later, by about four minutes per degree of longitude; each water's own page on this site has the times worked out for that water.
Does the moon matter more than the weather?
No. A cold front, a muddy river or a heatwave outweighs any moon phase, and the research on solunar effects is mixed at best. Use the calendar to pick between days that look alike on the forecast, and check the report for the water you plan to fish.