Mangamaunu ReefKaikōura
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Boulder reef and kelp at Mangamaunu north of Kaikōura; butterfish, moki and cray, cold exposed E swell.
Google MapsKaikōura spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras
5.3
wave 0.7 m
visibility4m
Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and noticeable surge.
Sources: IPMA · NDBC · Copernicus — high confidence · data 08:50
Sources & confidence
- Sources
- IPMA · NDBC buoys · Copernicus Marine
- Method
- Model consensus, read per window
- Freshness
- Re-read every hour, per coast
Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine
The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.
How we score the water
Our own model
Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.
- Swell & wave memory
- Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
- Wind & gusts
- Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
- Tide phase
- Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
- Water temperature
- Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
- Currents & outflow
- Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
- Rain runoff & air clarity
- Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
- Coast shape & exposure
- How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.
Safety gates
- Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
- An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
- Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
- Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
- Night hours — forced red; the window is closed after dark.
It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.
A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.
Where to get in, where to hunt
Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground
Surface
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
spearo.app
calmupdated 08:50
Kaikōura — solo, off the rocks
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · water 11°C — cold
wave 0.7 mwind 6 km/hnoticeable surgevisibility ~5 m
today, best window 06:00–09:00
fish · Visibility 5 m · Water 10.6°C
confidence low · verdict for the selected day
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day
Windows, hours
and the day's trends.
The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.
Thursday · today2026-07-23
07:44–17:18 · first quarter
▼ 05:00▲ 12:00▼ 18:00 · 1.2 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.71 m
Wave0.60 m
Wind4 km/h
Water11 °C
fish activity: moonset 02:17 · moderate · moon underfoot 07:00 · high · moonrise 11:50 · moderate · moon overhead 19:30 · high
Conditions window06:00–09:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 0.66 mperiod 8.5 swind 6→17surge 1.7viz 4 m
0.66 mup to ~1.32 · 173° at an angle
8.5 sswell moderate
6→17gusts 17 km/h
1.7noticeable surge
0.00m/s
4 mrecent swell
10.6°Cthicker suit + hood
▲12:00tide rising
Atmosphere59 kmovercast
highmoon underfoot
- water 11°C — cold
- first hours of the flood — fish moving in
confidence lowtwilight
The water column
Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.
What it is
A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.
spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.
Now live: 1152 spots across 189 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
See all spotsThe seabed
Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.
On the rock
The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.
The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.
Entry points
Where to get in
off the rocks.
Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.
Open the seafloor map
Oaro RocksKaikōura
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Rocky Oaro coast south of Kaikōura; butterfish, moki and cray in cold, kelp-rich water.
Google MapsSouth Bay PeninsulaKaikōura
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Rock platforms off South Bay on the Kaikōura Peninsula; butterfish, moki and the famous cray — cold, GW present.
Google MapsSOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.
Surfacing
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
Live cameras, map & reference
Open the seafloor map →What's in season,
Reference
What's in season,
what the law says.
In season now
- snapper (tāmure)
- yellowtail kingfish (haku)
- blue cod (rāwaru)
- trevally (araara)
- butterfish/greenbone (marari)
- kahawai
- red rock lobster (kōura)⚠️ Crayfish (rock lobster) and pāua — free-diving only; taking them on scuba is PROHIBITED nationwide. Pāua/crayfish are not speared.
Law
- ✓There is NO — you may fish subject to MPI rules (sizes/limits/gear). Rules are REGIONAL (combined finfish daily limit 20, but local notices override stricter). Freshwater trout/salmon may not be speared.
- ✓Crayfish (rock lobster) and pāua — free-diving only; taking them on scuba is BANNED nationwide. Spearfishing is banned in marine reserves. Respect / and (incl. a after a drowning — a cultural/sacred closure).
- ⛔ 🚫 Crayfish (rock lobster) and pāua — taking them on SCUBA is banned nationwide (free-diving only). Combined finfish daily limit 20 (local notices override stricter).
- ⛔ 🚫 Protected under the Wildlife Act 1953: spotted black groper (Epinephelus daemelii), great white shark, giant manta, black/red coral, seahorses/pipefish. Trout/salmon (freshwater) — entirely off-limits to spearguns.
- ⛔ 🚫 Marine reserves (~44) — spearfishing and all fishing banned. Respect / and (incl. a after a drowning — a tapu/cultural closure, not only a fishing rule): don't dive.
Rules change and are regional. Before heading out, check with MPI (regional fishing rules / the NZ Fishing Rules app), DOC (marine reserves) and local notices (rāhui/mātaitai).
Safety protocol
- Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
- Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
- Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
- Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
- Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
- Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
- UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
- Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Spearfishing in Kaikōura: spots, seasons and rules
Spearfishing in Kaikōura is a cold-water, wildlife-aware discipline. The peninsula sits close to deep canyon country, and the local shore spots are rock platforms, boulder reef and kelp at South Bay, Mangamaunu and Oaro. Butterfish, blue moki and crayfish are the main draw, while great whites are part of the risk picture. No sea-fishing licence is required, but MPI Kaikōura area rules, DOC reserve boundaries and marine mammal protections must shape every dive plan.
TL;DR
- Kaikōura is cold, exposed and famous for crayfish, with peninsula rock, kelp and deep-water life close to shore.
- South Bay Peninsula, Mangamaunu Reef and Oaro Rocks are the named shore options for butterfish, moki and crayfish.
- New Zealand marine reserves are no-take, so check DOC's map for any protected water before diving near town.
- Kaikōura MPI rules apply, with a combined daily finfish limit of 20 and blue cod size limits to check before taking fish.
Best spearfishing spots in Kaikōura
These three spots are all open coast rather than protected water, but they are exposed enough to demand small swell, cold-water kit and a short harvest plan.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bay Peninsula | Rock platforms | Shallow to moderate kelp reef | Intermediate | Shore entry off the Kaikōura Peninsula | South Bay is the peninsula option for butterfish, moki and the famous crayfish. It is cold and shark-aware water, so keep fish off the body. |
| Mangamaunu Reef | Boulder reef and kelp | Nearshore exposed reef | Intermediate | Shore entry north of Kaikōura | Mangamaunu is a north-of-town reef with butterfish, moki and crayfish. It faces exposed easterly swell and should be saved for settled windows. |
| Oaro Rocks | Rocky south coast | Cold kelp-rich water | Intermediate | Shore access south of Kaikōura | Oaro is the southern rock option, with butterfish, moki and crayfish in kelp. Its value comes when the coast is calm enough for a controlled exit. |
What makes Kaikōura high-consequence?
Kaikōura compresses deep water, cold currents, marine mammals, reef and swell into a short coastline. That is why the fishing can be memorable and why the margin is thin. A good day has small swell, manageable wind and a buddy who is comfortable in cold water. A poor day is not rescued by the promise of crayfish.
How do reserve and rāhui rules affect Kaikōura?
None of the three listed shore entries is marked as protected, but New Zealand's marine reserves are absolute no-take zones, and mātaitai, taiāpure or rāhui closures can apply with little notice. Check DOC's marine reserves map and any local notice before diving new water. A reserve or rāhui boundary is a hard stop, not a rough guide.
What MPI limits apply in Kaikōura?
The Kaikōura area has its own MPI recreational fishing rules. They set a combined daily finfish limit of 20 per fisher, with individual species settings such as a 33 cm minimum for blue cod. Check the current MPI blue cod limits for the area before diving, as they can be tighter than the general rule.
How should crayfish be handled?
Crayfish are not a speargun target. New Zealand rules ban taking crayfish on scuba for divers and prohibit spears or puncturing devices for rock lobster. Measure tail width, release protected or berried animals, and keep the catch separate from your body while swimming. In Kaikōura, shark awareness should be part of the harvest plan from the first dive.
FAQ
Do you need a licence to spearfish in Kaikōura?
No sea-fishing licence is required, but the Kaikōura MPI area has its own recreational rules.
Can you spearfish in a marine reserve near Kaikōura?
No. Fishing and spearfishing are banned in New Zealand marine reserves, so check DOC's marine reserves map for any protected water before diving.
What is the Kaikōura finfish bag limit?
MPI lists a combined daily limit of 20 finfish per fisher for the Kaikōura area.
What are the main Kaikōura species?
The local coast is known for butterfish, blue moki and crayfish around peninsula and kelp rock.
Are great whites a concern?
Yes. Great whites are present around Kaikōura, so keep catches managed and avoid murky seal-heavy water.
Sources
Nearby towns
Coming soon
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