Fishermans Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.62° S 174.77° E

Fishermans Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 20 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Fishermans Reef sea temperature is
14.2° C
0.8° 

Fishermans Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Fishermans Reef surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 6s period, E swell with 233 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fishermans Reef this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Fishermans Reef in the next 16 days are 1.7m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful12AM (Tue 21st Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 6s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fishermans Reef over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's get real about the forecast for Fishermans Reef.

Alright mate, I've got to be straight with you – the outlook for Fishermans Reef over the next 16 days is a flat, frustrating stretch of nothing. Every single entry in the forecast says "poor surf conditions" with a score of zero. There are no standout days, no hidden gems, just a whole lot of waiting. The first few days are a total write-off, with tiny swells and poor quality right through the weekend and into the following week. This is a very sheltered reef that rarely breaks, and this forecast is a perfect example of why.

We kick off on Monday, 20 July with a tiny 0.7 ft easterly swell, but the wave energy is weak (13). The wind is glassy in the morning, which is nice, but there's just nothing to ride. Tuesday, 21 July sees a slight bump to 3 ft from the east, but the period is a short, weak 6 seconds, and the energy is still low (69). The wind is cross-shore, making it messy. Wednesday, 22 July, it drops back down. The water temp is 58°, which is about normal for the time of year.

The real kicker is that even when the offshore winds arrive – like on Wednesday afternoon with a clean 12 mph offshore breeze – the swell is a pathetic 1 ft. A few days later, from Thursday, 24 July into the weekend, we get a pulse of NNW windswell, but it's onshore with a fresh cross-wind, creating lumpy, choppy conditions. The energy on Friday afternoon hits 120, which is moderate, but it's tied to a 5 ft, 5-second windswell that's just ugly. It's the kind of setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The second week of the forecast offers a consistent pattern: small, clean, and absolutely flat. From Saturday, 25 July all the way through to Sunday, 02 August, we see a persistent 1 ft to 1 ft easterly swell with long periods (11-15 seconds) and mostly clean offshore winds. The energy stays moderate (43-67). But that swell height is just too small to break properly. It's a tease. You'll be standing on the beach, looking at a glassy ocean, and wondering where the waves are. The single exception is a tiny pulse of NNW swell on Thursday, 30 July, reaching 4 ft, but it's on a cross-onshore wind and short, weak period (6 seconds) – total chop. Inconsistent and rarely breaks sums it up.

Don't get your hopes up for the first week of August either. The swell remains small, and while the winds are clean, the waves are just not there. This is a blank run, and for a spot this sheltered, it's more normal than you'd hope. Keep the board in the car, and check back in a few days – forecasts can change, but right now, there's nothing to paddle for.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Thu morning, strong winds from the W by Sat night).

Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
E
12
0.2
E
12
1.7
E
6
0.9
E
6
0.7
E
6
0.5
E
5
0.3
ENE
5
0.3
ENE
5
0.2
E
5
0.1
E
11
0.2
E
6
0.2
E
7
0.8
NNW
4
1.5
NNW
5
0.3
ENE
9
0.3
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
E
10
0.3
E
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
12
11
233
58
32
14
5
5
2
2
3
4
16
113
15
22
37
46
40
35
20
Wind (km/h)
5
E
10
E
15
ESE
10
SE
10
SSE
10
SW
10
WSW
20
SW
15
WSW
10
WSW
15
W
10
WNW
20
NNW
30
NNW
35
WSW
30
WSW
30
W
30
WSW
35
WSW
35
WSW
40
WSW
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
High Tide
11:53AM2.76m
00:12AM2.81m
12:41PM2.67m
00:59AM2.70m
1:30PM2.57m
1:46AM2.58m
2:21PM2.47m
2:37AM2.46m
3:20PM2.39m
3:32AM2.38m
4:22PM2.37m
4:30AM2.33m
5:19PM2.39m
Low Tide
5:54PM0.68m
6:29AM0.68m
6:46PM0.82m
7:17AM0.77m
7:40PM0.94m
8:05AM0.88m
8:35PM1.02m
8:54AM0.97m
9:29PM1.08m
9:45AM1.04m
10:23PM1.11m
10:38AM1.07m
11:17PM1.11m
cloud
light rain
heavy rain
part cloud
clear
clear
cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:28
7:26
7:26
7:26
7:24
7:24
7:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:25
5:27
5:28
5:29
5:29
5:30
5:30
 mm
1
19
4
3
8
1
Temp °C
13
13
11
11
12
11
13
14
13
14
14
14
14
13
12
13
13
13
12
12
12
Feels °C
11
11
7
8
10
8
9
10
10
11
10
11
10
8
6
7
6
6
4
4
3
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Fishermans Reef Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Fishermans Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fishermans Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fishermans Reef surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Fishermans Reef) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Fishermans Reef may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Fishermans Reef is 20 km (12 miles) from the city of Northshore. If you plan a holiday in Auckland, look for hotels and other accommodation in Northshore. Northshore has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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