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Hanalei Bay Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Kauai’s north shore crescent: Hanalei Bay holds papio, ulua and a river mouth that changes with the rain.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Next tide
Low 3:23 AM
Air / High
80 / 82 F
Wind
E 10 mph

Sources: NOAA tides 1611400, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Hanalei Bay lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. Today brings a mixed sky, wind E around 10 mph, steady pressure near 1015 hPa and a high of 82. Tides: high 10:51 AM, low 1:54 AM: the moving water either side of each change is when this place feeds. Water sits around 80 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Giant trevally (ulua)Excellent

Work current-swept points and channel mouths on the moving tide: GTs patrol where reef meets flow. Heavy tackle is respect, not caution: the first run decides everything.

Mahi-mahi (dorado)Good

Troll rigged ballyhoo and small lures along color changes and temperature breaks: schools ride the edges. Birds working low usually mean mahi pushing bait.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 77 F with likely rain: fish ahead of the front. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

Tides

NOAA station 1611400 (Nawiliwili). Fish the moving water either side of each change.

Fri
LOW1:54 AM0.2 ft
HIGH10:51 AM2.0 ft
Sat
LOW3:23 AM0.2 ft
HIGH12:01 PM2.2 ft
LOW8:21 PM0.6 ft
HIGH11:33 PM0.7 ft

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp80 F
High / Low82 / 73 F
WindE 10-27 mph
Pressure1015.1 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain25% cloud, 57%
Sunrise / Sunset06:21 / 18:51
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~80 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 82/73 F, wind 11 mph, rain 57%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Hanalei Bay: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Giant trevally (ulua) illustration

Giant trevally (ulua)

Best: summer moons, big tides

The reef's apex bully: Hawaii's ulua, a hundred pounds of shoulder that eats poppers like personal insults. Work current-swept points and channel mouths on the moving tide: GTs patrol where reef meets flow. Heavy tackle is respect, not caution: the first run decides everything.

Mahi-mahi (dorado) illustration

Mahi-mahi (dorado)

Best: summer weedline runs

The ocean's fastest-growing gamefish: neon gold-and-green acrobats stacked under anything that floats. Troll rigged ballyhoo and small lures along color changes and temperature breaks: schools ride the edges. Birds working low usually mean mahi pushing bait.

When to come: the Hanalei Bay calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Giant trevally (ulua)
Mahi-mahi (dorado)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 80 F (estimated, not a reading).

7080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~80 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Hanalei Bay today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Giant trevally (ulua) led the card at excellent. High of 83 F, wind to 10 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Giant trevally (ulua) led the card at excellent. High of 79 F, wind to 9 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Giant trevally (ulua) led the card at excellent. High of 82 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Hawaii requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Hawaii requires no recreational saltwater license; species size limits and protected areas apply: check current DAR regulations.

Access

Hanalei Pier, beach parks and the river mouth; limited parking and occasional road closures after heavy rain.

About this water

A two-mile bay on Kauai’s north shore with the Hanalei River entering at its center, Kauai County, Hawaii.

Fishing Hanalei Bay: the full guide

A bay under green cliffs

Hanalei Bay curves for two miles along Kauai’s north shore beneath the green cliffs and waterfalls of the Namolokama massif, with the Hanalei River entering at its center. The mix of river and reef creates varied habitat: papio and ulua along the reef and the pier, bonefish on the sand, plus mullet, goatfish and, in the river, introduced freshwater species.

Shore fishing

The Hanalei Pier is the classic spot, holding papio, goatfish and reef species, with ulua taken at night by shore casters using heavy gear from the rocky ends of the bay. The river mouth concentrates fish when rain pushes fresh water and bait out, a pattern that changes daily on Kauai’s wet north shore.

Seasons and swell

Winter brings large north swell that makes the bay dangerous and unfishable for weeks at a time: the same swell that draws surfers. Summer flattens it into calm, clear water ideal for wading, paddling and sight-fishing. That seasonal switch is absolute here, and planning around it matters more than any tide table.

North shore logistics

Access is straightforward: the pier, the beach parks and the river mouth are all public, though parking is limited and the north shore road can close after heavy rain or slides. Hanalei town provides basics. No recreational saltwater license is required in Hawaii, but species rules and protected areas apply.

Common questions

When is it fishable?

Summer, when the north shore goes flat and clear. Winter swell makes the bay dangerous and unfishable for stretches.

Where do I fish from shore?

The pier for papio and reef species, the rocky ends for ulua at night, and the river mouth after rain.

Is access easy?

Public but limited: parking fills early, and the north shore road can close after heavy rain or landslides.

Is fishing good at Hanalei Bay right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Waianae Coast99 miWaimea Bay100 miWahiawa Reservoir106 miKaneohe Bay121 miKailua Bay127 miMaalaea Bay216 mi
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