
Surf Forecasts:
Fishermans Reef surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, E swell with 181 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 1.4m 7s 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 1.4m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fishermans Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
Straight off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – this is a tough one. The finder is coming up completely empty, so there are no good surf options to shout about in this whole 16-day window. Not a single recommendation. The forecast shows a whole lot of nothing for a solid stretch, so it's a real blank run for the area.
The main spot we've got to look at is Fishermans Reef, a real sheltered beginner reef that rarely breaks anyway. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about 1° cooler than normal for this time of year, so pretty average for July.
The first few days, from Sunday the 19th through to Thursday the 24th, are a total write-off. We're looking at tiny, weak swell – mostly 0.7 ft to 1.0 ft – with a combined wave energy reading in the single digits or low thirties. Even though you get occasional glassy mornings like Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st, there's just no power to work with. The conditions are described as "poor surf conditions" every single time, so it's not worth paddling out.
A bit of a bump arrives on Tuesday the 28th of July. The swell picks up to 5 ft from the NW, with a combined energy of 129, which is moderate. But the period is a short 5 seconds, so it'll be a messy, crumbly wall. The wind is a fresh 22 mph from the NW, cross-off, so it'll be clean, but the wave quality from such a short period swell is going to be pretty average. Still, "poor surf conditions" is the call.
The middle of the week, around Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th, the wind gets real strong – 25 to 28 mph offshore from the WSW. That will keep the surface clean, but the swell is a paltry 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft. Combined energy is in the single digits. You'd be fighting a stiff breeze for nothing.
The only time the swell gets a bit of grunt is on Saturday the 1st of August. Morning shows a 5 ft swell from the NNW, with a combined energy of 181 – a moderate, solid pulse. The period is only 6 seconds, so it's still a short-period wind swell, not a long groundswell. The wind is a gentle 9 mph offshore from the WSW, so it'll be clean. But again, the file says "poor surf conditions" for that day. For a break that's this inconsistent and sheltered, a 5 ft short-period swell with a moderate energy level and good offshore wind is the best you'll see, but it's not a standout.
After that, it's back to tiny, weak 0.7 ft to 1.0 ft days from the 2nd of August onward, with moderate cross or cross-onshore winds making it choppy.
So, the reality is, there's nothing to chase. It's a rare occasion where the area is just flat. The breaks are rarely consistent, so a run like this, while disappointing, is more normal for this location. We'll have to wait for the next weather system to change the game. The forecasts can always turn around, but for now, the boards are staying in the van.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 11 | ENE 5 | E 11 | E 5 | E 11 | E 7 | E 7 | N 4 | N 6 | E 9 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | E 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
35 | 31 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 181 | 74 | 31 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 45 | 25 | 24 | 38 | 17 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:05AM2.82m | 11:26PM2.91m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:06PM0.54m | 5:42AM0.59m | 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 | ||||||||
7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | N 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | NNW 5 | E 10 |
35 | 31 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 31 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 45 | 21 | 7 | 20 | 17 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | E 3 | — | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | N 7 | N 7 | — | N 6 | N 6 | E 11 | E 7 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 11 | NNW 7 |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 10 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 14 | 38 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 8 | — | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 8 | E 11 | E 10 | E 11 | E 12 | E 11 | — | E 10 | N 9 | ENE 11 | N 8 | E 16 |
— | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | 8 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 2 | — | ENE 3 | E 7 | — | — | — | — | SW 2 | SW 3 | — | — | — | N 4 | W 3 | SW 3 | W 3 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 |
5 | 5 | 1 | — | 4 | 181 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 39 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 55 | 56 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 45 | 80 | 132 | 217 | 86 | 39 | 351 | 221 | 353 | 111 | 46 | 61 | 84 | 46 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










