NSW · Australia

Port Stephens Gamefish fishing forecast

Name: Port Stephens Gamefish
Address: NSW, AU

96 Good of 100

Port Stephens Gamefish is a saltwater fishing spot in NSW, Australia. Anglers here target Atlantic Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish, Striped Marlin. The most productive months are typically November, December, January, February, March.

Quick answer

Best monthsNovember, December, January, February

Top speciesAtlantic Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish

Score now96/100

Local rulesAustralia

Today’s verdict

Ranks #7 of 437 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today

In line with this spot’s 7-day average

Score confidence ±4 points, from 8 live signals

The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.

Helping the score most

Water temperature+25.0Chlorophyll+18.0Waves+7.4

Pressure trend

Pressure data unavailable

Best window today

20:00 · Light wind (0 km/h) and calm seas

Next solunar peak

minor 04:58

Current conditions

Sea surface temp	18.3 °C
Wind	24 km/h from SSE, gusting 39 km/h
Wave height	1.8 m at 7 s
Current	0.06 m/s toward NE
Pressure	1023 hPa
Depth	2 m
Cloud cover	41%
Chlorophyll	1.50 mg/m³
Salinity	35.7 PSU
Mixed-layer depth	34 m
UV index	5
Wind sea	0.4 m at 3 s
Ground swell	1.7 m at 7 s from S
Current shear (surface vs 50 m)	0.06 → 0.00 m/s

The water here is 1.3 °C warmer than the September average of 16.9 °C. Warmer-than-normal water pushes cool-water species deeper and brings warm-water species in earlier than the calendar suggests. The water is mixed to about 113.3 m, so surface temperature carries well down the water column.

Updated 1 h ago.

What the score means at Port Stephens Gamefish

Port Stephens Gamefish currently scores 96 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 18.3 °C. 8 forecast signals are active in this score.

Water temperature +25.0: how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
Chlorophyll +18.0: plankton density — the base of the food chain
Waves +7.4: swell energy stirring the water column
Current +6.2: moving water concentrates bait
Wind +5.0: surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
Barometric pressure +3.3: falling pressure often triggers feeding

What’s biting now

The model expects today: yellowtail-kingfish, australian-herring, cobbler, blue-groper-eastern, mado-sweep, crimsonband-wrasse, morwong-red, silver-trevally

Bite windows

Moon

Waning Crescent · 14% lit

Solunar day rating

50 / 100

Best months for Port Stephens Gamefish:

Score history at this spot

30 days tracked at this exact location

Best recent day: 2026-08-18, 97/100

26 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period

About this spot

Water type

Sea

Open coastal saltwater — conditions and safety depend heavily on the live wind, wave, and tide forecast, so check them before you head out.

Access & shore

Fishable from shore · offshore-only

What you can catch

Atlantic Blue Marlin

Makaira nigricans
Yellowfin Tuna

Thunnus albacares
Yellowtail Kingfish

Seriola lalandi
Striped Marlin

Kajikia audax

Best months by species at Port Stephens Gamefish

Atlantic Blue MarlinMakaira nigricans
Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares
Yellowtail KingfishSeriola lalandi
Striped MarlinKajikia audax

Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.

Local regulations

State fisheries authorities (NSW DPIRD, QLD DPI, VFA, DPIRD WA, PIRSA, NRE Tas, NT Fisheries); AFMA in Commonwealth waters

Australia

Species	Bag limit	Min size	Open season
Yellowtail KingfishOfficial source	2/day	min 65 cm	—
STATE FIGURES DIFFER AND FishRadar SHOWS THE STRICTEST WE HAVE VERIFIED. NSW: minimum 65 cm, 5 per day. Queensland: minimum 60 cm, 2 per person. Other states were not verified in this round. Kingfish is highly migratory and Commonwealth arrangements can apply beyond state waters.

Licensing:

saltwater-recreational — residents Licensing is state-level, not federal. NSW: the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee covers salt and fresh water. VIC: Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence. QLD: no general recreational licence for most saltwater fishing. WA, SA, TAS, NT: state-specific licences and permits. Bag, size and possession limits always come from the state you are fishing in., non-residents The same state rules apply to visitors, and a short-term licence can normally be bought online from the state authority before you fish.
freshwater-recreational — residents Inland fishing usually needs a state recreational licence (NSW, VIC) or an angler permit (NT, parts of QLD). Freshwater closed seasons are separate from tidal ones — Queensland, for example, closes barramundi in fresh water and in tidal water on the same dates but publishes them on different pages., non-residents Visiting anglers must hold the relevant state licence or permit.

FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. Australian fishing rules are set by each state and vary by zone, and this national pack shows the strictest figure we have verified rather than your state's own. Always verify with the relevant state authority (NSW DPIRD, QLD DPI, VFA, WA DPIRD, SA PIRSA, NRE Tasmania, NT Fisheries) before fishing.