Applications have been the solution to modern information overload, and they continue to improve with time. There are plenty of apps for anglers that can serve as the best fish finder and fish identifier. You just have to pick the right fishing app that will give you the tools you need to bend those rods. Fishing apps allow you to do more than just fishing. They help you with the fishing forecast, explore catches, find fishing spots with GPS maps, and keep statistics of your fishing activities.
Here's a list of the best fishing apps for iPhone and Android, and you can download them for free.
- FishAngler
- FishBrain
- Fishidy
- FishTrack
- Pro Angler
- Fishing Point
- Navionics
- MyRigs
- WreckFinder
- Sea Angler
FishAngler
FishAngler is the best fishing forecast app, mapping a community logbook for anglers of all levels rolled into one. Despite seeming more of an American, sport fishing brand, this app boasts members across the world in over 225 countries, much like Fishbrain. The comprehensive map layers include all public catches, reports, fish types and editable points of interest in a clear layout. The real-time forecasting has individual Solunar charts showing the best times of day for high activity. Users can log catches with over 45 different attributes recorded and share, connect and create groups with anglers locally and across the globe. The app reviews are highly praised by users, with many vouching that they have kept using FishAngler for years.
Fishbrain
The largest fishing community worldwide of over several million, otherwise known as, Fishbrain. Think of it as Strava and Facebook for anglers, where you can create your logbook of catches and find out where and when your next fishing trip will be in one simple-to-use app. Fishing logbooks are an age-old tool for becoming a smarter fisherman. Writing catches down is time-consuming, and Fishbrain makes it easier to log everything in a click, while automatically pulling in a host of data associated with your catch, finding trends and patterns of your successful days. You can choose to share your exploits with friends and find out where the local spots, slipways and bait shops are wherever you may be. It also boasts hyper-local fishing forecast tables and charts for an hour by hour update to help you know the best time to head out for the particular fishing or fish you want.
Fishidy
Fishidy works in conjunction with the Fishidy website to provide users with a way to save and record their favourite fishing sites and catches and share them with other users. The app provides fishing maps to more than 17,000 waterways, with users able to log catches and favourite sites on the map. In addition, Fishidy includes social features with users able to share information with other anglers and friends, as well as view a feed of current activity and reports for individual waterways. A Premium subscription offers more detailed maps and fishing hotspots, fishing tips mapped underwater structures, and offline maps.
FishTrack
FishTrack provides saltwater anglers with everything they need to find and catch more fish. The FishTrack app offers Cloudfree Sea Surface Temperature (SST) charts and high-definition global satellite imagery; including water temperature charts, chlorophyll, water colour, currents, tides, moon phase, and marine weather forecasts–all in one tool. Users can mark ‘hot spots’ and record GPS locations of temperature breaks and colour barriers as well as save imagery and overlay data for offline use to identify bite zones while navigating offshore.
Pro Angler
Aimed squarely at saltwater fishermen, Pro Angler provides a wealth of resources to users, from a guide to more than 15,000 GPS fishing hotspots, radar weather maps, easy-to-use state and federal regulations and a guide to 250 saltwater fish species. Users can check out weekly updates of "What's Biting" in their region, read up on fishing reports from professional anglers and captains, and guide their boats into hot spots and artificial reefs. Bonus features include guides to knots, rigs, and gear, a digital wallet for storing important fishing documents like licenses and a variety of fish recipes complete with nutritional info.
Fishing points
Fishing Points provides a versatile toolkit of useful info for fishers. You can save your favourite fishing spots, trotlines and trawling paths, with Google Maps and offline chart views to help you get back to just the right spot. In addition, you can create a catch log for everything you manage to snag during your trip, complete with catch photos. The app also includes fish activity, tides, weather and isolunar calendar forecasts. In-app purchases allow you to upgrade to basic and advanced premium versions, which remove apps, add offline nautical charts for the US, allow to add unlimited fishing locations and introduce more advanced forecast data.
Navionics
Don’t have GPS on your boat or kayak? Get the Navionics Boating app. It is well worth paying for the subscription and can turn your device into a very capable GPS plotter. You can download local charts and use them when offline, with loads of updated information and local community-edited markers in the region you purchase. The app has a Fishing Ranges feature with sonar charts at your fingertips. You can set up your depth ranges to suit your fishing, label each with a customised name and make labels where you drop your pins. The Navionics Boating app has been the number one best selling GPS chart app for many years, and the advanced map options are straightforward to customise for a first-time user.
MyRigs
Over 140 rig guides are available on this instructional MyRigs app. It is so important that whenever fishing you’re using the appropriate type and this app can help take your fishing to the next level. There are almost too many blog guides and instructional videos out there on rigs and knots; it can be confusing to follow. Especially difficult when you need it out in the wild, going back and forth on a youtube video, desperately looking for service. Reading through a good, old fashioned book on rigs and practising is the best way, but having it with you when out fishing is handy, and that’s where this app comes in.
Wreckfinder
Wreckfinder is the best selling iPhone, iPad and Android application for finding shipwrecks in the UK and Irish coastal waters. It’s used by Divers and Anglers. Used by divers and anglers all over the British coastline, Wreckfinder does exactly what it says on the tin. This app helps you plan out your trip to find the coordinates of over 20,000 shipwreck GPS locations around the UK and Ireland. Simply enter the waypoints you find from the app into your device to head out on nearby wrecks!
Sea Angler
When patiently waiting for tight lines, why not enviously look at everyone else’s personal bests from Sea Angler magazine. Wherever you are, keep the latest reviews, tricks and tactics downloaded on your phone for some easy reading. Now more than ever, particularly during the pandemic, using apps instead of physical copies is the best way to read up on your favourite articles - Not to mention more discreet from the other half!
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