Bay of Islands fishing forecast
Bay of Islands is a saltwater fishing spot in Tasman Sea, New Zealand. Anglers here target Striped Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, King Mackerel. The most productive months are typically January, February, March, April, December.
Today’s verdict
Ranks #82 of 437 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today
Trending up — 11 points above 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.
Current conditions
| Sea surface temp | 15.8 °C |
|---|---|
| Wind | 22 km/h from SSW, gusting 36 km/h |
| Wave height | 0.4 m at 5 s |
| Current | 0.09 m/s toward NW |
| Pressure | 1009 hPa |
| Depth | 47 m |
| Cloud cover | 100% |
| Chlorophyll | 3.18 mg/m³ |
| Salinity | 35.4 PSU |
| Mixed-layer depth | 29 m |
| UV index | 3 |
| Wind sea | 0.2 m at 2 s |
| Ground swell | 0.3 m at 5 s from N |
| Current shear (surface vs 50 m) | 0.09 → 0.00 m/s |
The water here is 0.3 °C warmer than the September average of 15.5 °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 Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands currently scores 83 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 15.8 °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 +12.6
- plankton density — the base of the food chain
- Current +9.6
- moving water concentrates bait
- Waves +9.0
- swell energy stirring the water column
- Wind +6.7
- 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, silver-trevally, blue-groper-eastern, mado-sweep, crimsonband-wrasse, morwong-red, australian-salmon, australian-herring
Bite windows
Best months for Bay of Islands:
Score history at this spot
30 days tracked at this exact location
Best recent day: 2026-08-24, 84/100
18 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period
About this spot
Bays are sheltered and usually calmer than open water, offering protected fishing and holding structure for inshore species.
Approximate bottom depth: 47 m
Access & shore
Fishable from shore · harbor
On-site: parking · launch ramp · bait shop
What you can catch
-
Kajikia audax
-
Thunnus albacares
-
Scomberomorus cavalla
Best months by species at Bay of Islands
| Striped MarlinKajikia audax | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares | ||||||||||||
| King MackerelScomberomorus cavalla |
Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.
Local regulations
Licensing:
- saltwater-recreational — residents No licence required for recreational sea fishing in New Zealand coastal marine area., non-residents No licence required.
Some rules may have changed since our last verification — always confirm with the authority before you fish.
FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. NZ fishing rules vary by Quota Management Area (QMA). Always verify with MPI at mpi.govt.nz before fishing.
Check Bay of Islands before you go
Live scores update through the day. Get the full forecast, bite windows, and your own saved spots in the FishRadar app.
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Nearby spots
Explore 10 more fishing spots within 802 km of Bay of Islands.
-
Bay of Islands New Zealand
Tutukaka Coast NZ
Whitianga Coromandel
Lake Rotorua New Zealand
Lake Taupo New Zealand
Tongariro River NZ
Gisborne East Cape
Whanganui River NZ
Nelson Tasman Sea
Kaikoura Canyon
Frequently asked questions
What fish can you catch at Bay of Islands?
Anglers at Bay of Islands target Striped Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna and King Mackerel.
When is the best time to fish Bay of Islands?
The most productive months at Bay of Islands are typically January, February, March, April, December.
What is the fishing forecast for Bay of Islands right now?
Bay of Islands currently scores 83 out of 100, based on live ocean and weather conditions — see the full breakdown on this page.
Can you fish Bay of Islands from shore?
Yes — Bay of Islands is fishable from shore (harbor).
Is the thermocline set up at Bay of Islands right now?
Not strongly right now — the water column is fairly mixed, so fish are less depth-locked.
How deep is the water at Bay of Islands?
The scored point sits over roughly 47 m of water. Depth shapes which species hold here and how the thermocline forms.
Fishing guides for this spot
- How to Catch Yellowfin Tuna: Chasing the Blue-Water BrawlerHow to Catch King Mackerel / Kingfish: Smoking Reels and Sky-Rocketing StrikesHow to Read Tides for Fishing
Forecasts, not guarantees — check local rules before you fish.