How Findr Works
Findr's Bite Score (0-100) predicts how likely a specific species is to feed right now, by combining live satellite sea temperature, salinity, tides, swell, and weather with that species' own feeding biology — not a generic weather forecast.
Findr pulls from multiple authoritative sources:
- Copernicus Marine Service: Sea temperature, salinity, currents, chlorophyll, and oxygen levels
- Met.no: Weather forecasts including wind, waves, and atmospheric conditions
- FishBase & FAO: Species biology, habitat preferences, and behavioral patterns
- Tide Data: Tidal states and their influence on fish feeding behavior
- Air temperature: Warms or cools the surface water, making fish more or less active
- Wave height: Big waves mean dangerous conditions and some fishing methods stop working — and they change which fish are feeding. Surf species like bass hunt in stirred, coloured water, while mullet, wrasse and flats species want it calm
- Wind speed: Affects casting distance, boat control, and mixes up the water
- Air pressure: Fish can feel pressure changes and it affects when they want to feed
Different fish feed on different tide schedules. Findr tracks:
- When each species prefers to feed (high tide, low tide, or moving water)
- The best times to fish before or after tide changes
- How strong currents affect where fish hang out
European waters are divided into a giant fishing map of numbered squares. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has tracked which fish live in each square for decades, and Findr uses that same grid.
- Your fishing spot is matched to its square on the map (e.g. 42F8 for the Asturian coast)
- Findr knows which species naturally live in that area
- Fish move with the seasons, and Findr tracks when they arrive and leave each area
Every fish species in Findr has detailed environmental preferences:
Findr's Bite Score (0-100) combines all environmental factors with species biology to predict fishing success. Higher scores mean conditions closely match what the species prefers for active feeding.
The Bite Score combines a Season Score and a Water Conditions score into one confidence percentage:
This is the big one. If a species has migrated out of the area, perfect water won't help — season trumps everything.
Even when a species is in the area, poor water conditions make it inactive. This fine-tunes the prediction.
Some water conditions are so bad that fish simply move to a better area, even in their favorite season:
This sea bass gets a 99% confidence score — worth getting the rods out.
Each prediction includes a confidence score showing data reliability. Predictions near shore with complete data coverage get higher confidence scores than offshore or data-sparse areas.
Findr's predictions improve over time as we:
- Add more species with detailed biological profiles
- Incorporate angler feedback and catch reports
- Refine algorithms based on real-world results
- Expand data coverage to new regions
Official fish distribution data and marine grid system
Real-time marine biology and oceanographic data
Comprehensive European marine data portal
Marine weather API and oceanographic conditions
Weather data, forecasts, and atmospheric conditions
Species biology, habitat preferences, and behavioral patterns
We're indebted to these organizations for their work on behavior patterns and local knowledge
Fish physiology and environmental preferences
Peer-reviewed marine biology research
Anglers sharing catch reports, local insights, and fishing wisdom to build the world's best fishing knowledge resource
The Bite Score (0-100) is Findr's single prediction number, combining live sea temperature, salinity, tide, swell, and weather with a species' known feeding preferences. Above 75 means conditions closely match what that species wants for active feeding; below 40 means conditions are poor and you should consider waiting.
Accuracy depends on data density: Findr's confidence score is highest near shore and in well-instrumented waters (most of Atlantic Europe and North America's coasts), and lower offshore or in data-sparse regions. Findr shows that confidence level alongside every prediction rather than hiding it.
Findr scores each species it covers individually — sea bass, cod, pollack, mackerel, striped bass, and more — using that species' own temperature range, salinity tolerance, and feeding depth, not a single generic 'fishing conditions' number.
Findr refreshes predictions as new satellite oceanographic passes, tide data, and weather forecasts arrive from Copernicus Marine, NOAA, and Met.no — typically several times a day.
No. Lunar phase is one minor input alongside satellite sea temperature, salinity, tide state, swell, and weather — not the basis of the score. Solunar tables alone don't account for whether the water is actually the right temperature and salinity for a species to be feeding; Findr's Bite Score is built from that physical oceanographic data first, with lunar phase as a small secondary factor.
Findr is a tool to help you make informed decisions. Local knowledge, experience, and proper technique still matter most. Use Findr to maximize your chances when conditions align.