Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 31, 2026
This page explains what Free Fishing Forecast ("we") collects when you use this site, why, and who else sees it. We try to collect as little as possible.
What we collect
Email address (only if you sign up)
If you sign up for a location's email digest, we store your email address together with that location. It's used only to send you updates about that spot, never sold or shared, and never used for anything else. To have it removed, email us (below).
A unit-preference cookie
When you toggle between °F/mph and °C/km/h, we set a single cookie so the site remembers your preference on your next visit. It stores only that choice, expires after a year, and isn't used for tracking or advertising.
Recently viewed locations
The "Recently viewed" list on the home page is stored in your browser's local storage only — it never leaves your device as personal data. Viewing that list refetches a live forecast for each saved spot by coordinates, which doesn't identify you.
Search queries and coordinates
When you search for a spot, the text you type is sent to OpenStreetMap's Nominatim geocoding service to find matching places. Once you pick a spot, its coordinates (not your identity) are sent to Open-Meteo (weather) and, for U.S. coastal spots, NOAA CO-OPS (tide) to build your forecast.
Standard server logs
Like virtually any website, our hosting provider keeps basic access logs (IP address, timestamp, page requested) for security and operational purposes. We don't separately process or analyze these.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how many people visit and which pages are useful. It sets its own cookies and may collect your IP address and general device/browser information. You can opt out using Google's Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
Advertising
We show ads through Google AdSense. Google and its partners may use cookies and similar technology to serve ads based on your visits to this and other sites. You can review or opt out of personalized advertising in Google Ads Settings, and learn more about how Google uses data in Google's Partner Sites policy.
What we don't do
Beyond Google Analytics and Google AdSense above, we don't run any other third-party tracking scripts, and we don't sell or share your data with data brokers ourselves. If that changes, we'll update this page.
Affiliate links
Gear recommendations link to Amazon as an Amazon Associate — we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Clicking through takes you to Amazon, where their own privacy policy applies; we don't receive any personal information about your purchase.
Children's privacy
This site isn't directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect information from them.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the site changes. Material changes will update the date at the top of this page.
Contact
Questions or a data request? hello@freefishingforecast.com.