Surf Forecasts:
Fishermans Reef surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 5s period, SE swell with 168 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 1.8m 5s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fishermans Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Gonna level with you – the next couple of weeks are a tough stretch for surf around here. We’ve got a long run of poor conditions and tiny swell, so don’t get your hopes up too early.
Looking at the whole 16-day window, there’s really only a flicker of something at the very end. The spot we’ve got in the books is Fishermans Reef, a sheltered little reef break that’s rated for beginners, but it rarely breaks. That’s the first clue things are quiet.
For the first week and a half, from Saturday the 15th right through to about Thursday the 27th of August, it’s almost a total write-off. We’ve got tiny waves – mostly around 0.7 ft to 3 ft – with weak swell energy (readings between 3 and 148). Winds are mostly cross-off or light, but the waves just aren’t there. On the 15th, we see a 3 ft easterly swell with 9-second period and moderate energy (193), but it’s still tagged as “poor surf conditions.” There’s a bit of a pulse on Monday the 17th afternoon with 3 ft and energy at 148, but it’s still not enough to get excited about. Water temp on the 15th is reading 57°, which is about 1° below the long-term average for this time of year – so, pretty standard, nothing unusual.
The real gap stretches from the 15th all the way to the 28th. That’s a solid 13 days of “don’t bother.”
Finally, things get a little interesting at the very tail end. On Friday the 28th of August, the swell picks up to 6 ft from the north-northeast with a 9-second period. The combined swell energy jumps to 516 – that’s strong wave energy. Winds are light, clean and cross-off, and the conditions shift to “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” This is the best we’ve got. Saturday the 29th morning looks alright too – 6 ft from the north, 8-second period, energy at 362, and glassy winds. That’s a nice window. However, for a beginner reef that rarely breaks, this is actually a standout. The swell size is around 6 ft, which is getting borderline for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, it’s doable. The north swell direction isn't the optimum (which is northeast), but clean conditions make up for it.
After that, it drops back down fast – Sunday the 30th has 3 ft and energy drops to 114.
So, the honest take: if you’re hanging for a wave, mark the morning of Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th on the calendar. That’s your only real chance. Fishermans Reef is quiet, inconsistent, and takes a lot of swell to wake up, but when it does, and with glassy wind, it could be a little gem. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have it to yourself. Everything before that is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 6°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue afternoon, light winds from the S by Thu morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | E 9 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 6 | N 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
150 | 151 | 94 | 68 | 54 | 0 | 148 | 45 | 58 | 38 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:23PM3.01m | 9:51AM2.89m | 10:09PM2.96m | 10:38AM2.85m | 10:54PM2.87m | 11:23AM2.77m | 11:37PM2.76m | 12:07PM2.67m | 00:21AM2.63m | 12:51PM2.55m | 1:06AM2.51m | 1:39PM2.43m | 1:54AM2.39m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:09PM0.42m | 3:40AM0.50m | 3:53PM0.48m | 4:23AM0.53m | 4:36PM0.58m | 5:06AM0.60m | 5:22PM0.71m | 5:50AM0.69m | 6:10PM0.84m | 6:34AM0.80m | 7:01PM0.96m | 7:21AM0.92m | 7:55PM1.05m | |||||||
— | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 8 | E 6 | E 6 |
150 | 151 | 94 | 68 | 54 | 142 | 148 | 45 | 58 | 38 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | N 11 | N 11 | E 6 | E 10 | E 12 | — | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | — | — | E 8 |
41 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | — | 7 | 7 | 6 | — | — | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 11 | — | — | N 10 | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 12 |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 3 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 3 | SE 4 | S 5 | S 4 | SSW 4 | S 4 | S 4 | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 4 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 57 | 52 | 15 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 24 | 38 | 20 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 46 | 5 | 5 | 184 | 288 | 39 | 39 | 46 | 69 | 46 | 46 | 179 | 39 | 45 | 76 | 80 | 132 | 217 | 217 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











