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Wahiawa Reservoir Fishing Report

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

Lake Wilson: Oahu’s freshwater bass lake, hidden in a plantation valley in the middle of the island.

3/5
Fair. Fish early or late.Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows.
Water temp
~84 F est.
Air / High
76 / 79 F
Wind
ENE 12 mph

Sources: 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 early or late.Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows.

Wahiawa Reservoir stays in its summer rhythm: early magic, midday siesta, evening reprieve. Today brings a mixed sky, wind ENE around 12 mph, steady pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 79. Water sits around 84 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: plan around them and beat the heat.

The plan, species by species

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

Anchor on 20-30 ft baited holes with punch bait or cut shad. They keep biting through the heat when everything else quits.

Largemouth bassFair

Topwater at first light on points and seawalls, then slide out to 12-25 ft brush and points with a Carolina rig, deep crank or drop shot. The bite is dawn, dusk or deep.

White bassFair

Early schooling action over humps; slabs and small spinners under the birds.

CrappieSlow

Straight down on bridge pilings and deep brush at 15-25 ft. Minnows outfish jigs in hot water; move until the graph shows them stacked.

Tomorrow: Similar at 82 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.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~84 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp76 F
High / Low79 / 68 F
WindENE 12-28 mph
Pressure1014.0 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain45% cloud, 82%
Sunrise / Sunset06:16 / 18:45
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~84 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, 79/68 F, wind 13 mph, rain 82%

Slow. High rain chance; fish the front edge before it arrives.

Species guide

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

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: spring and fall

The headline act on most American reservoirs. Relates to cover: docks, brush, grass edges and points. Topwater at first light on points and seawalls, then slide out to 12-25 ft brush and points with a Carolina rig, deep crank or drop shot. The bite is dawn, dusk or deep.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Straight down on bridge pilings and deep brush at 15-25 ft. Minnows outfish jigs in hot water; move until the graph shows them stacked.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Anchor on 20-30 ft baited holes with punch bait or cut shad. They keep biting through the heat when everything else quits.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. Early schooling action over humps; slabs and small spinners under the birds.

When to come: the Wahiawa Reservoir 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
Largemouth bass
Crappie
Catfish (blue, channel)
White bass
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 84 F (estimated, not a reading).

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~84 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 Wahiawa Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 79 F, wind to 12 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 81 F, wind to 14 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 82 F, wind to 11 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 freshwater game fishing license required. Bass and peacock bass limits per current DAR regulations.

Access

Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area: boat ramp and shoreline access.

About this water

A 300-acre plantation-era reservoir in central Oahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, also known as Lake Wilson.

Fishing Wahiawa Reservoir: the full guide

Freshwater in Hawaii

Wahiawa Reservoir, known locally as Lake Wilson, covers around 300 acres in central Oahu, impounded in 1906 for sugar plantation irrigation. It is the most significant freshwater fishery in Hawaii: largemouth bass, peacock bass (tucunare), channel catfish, tilapia and Chinese catfish all swim in its warm, fertile water, in a steep-sided valley surrounded by pineapple fields and forest.

Bass and peacocks

Largemouth bass hold along the steep banks, submerged trees and the few flats: standard bass tactics work, with plastics, spinnerbaits and topwater all productive. Peacock bass, introduced decades ago, are the exotic draw: aggressive, brilliantly colored and best targeted with bright lures and topwater in warm, sunny conditions. Both species make this the only true bass fishing in the state.

Catfish and the rest

Channel catfish grow large in the fertile water and take cut bait and prepared baits from the bank. Tilapia are abundant, and various introduced species round out an unusual community. The reservoir is a genuine curiosity: a warm-water reservoir fishery in the middle of the Pacific, with pineapple fields on the ridges above.

Central Oahu logistics

Access is via the Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area with a ramp and shoreline access; a state freshwater license is required, unlike Hawaii’s saltwater fishing. The reservoir sits between Wahiawa town and Schofield Barracks, about 45 minutes from Honolulu. Water levels and clarity vary with rain, and the steep banks limit shore access to developed areas.

Common questions

Is there really bass fishing in Hawaii?

Yes: Lake Wilson holds largemouth and peacock bass, the state’s only significant freshwater sport fishery.

Do I need a license?

For freshwater, yes: Hawaii requires a freshwater game fishing license, unlike its saltwater fishing.

What are peacock bass doing there?

Introduced decades ago and now established: aggressive, colorful and a genuine draw for visiting anglers.

Is fishing good at Wahiawa Reservoir 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 early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows.

Nearby waters

Waimea Bay10 miWaianae Coast11 miKaneohe Bay15 miKailua Bay21 miHanalei Bay106 miMaalaea Bay110 mi
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