Lihue (Nawiliwili) spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

spearo.app / United States / Lihue (Nawiliwili)
PTPortuguêsRUРусскийESEspañolITItalianoELΕλληνικάFRFrançaisTRTürkçeHRHrvatski
Forecast refreshing in the background — reload the page in a minute for the latest read.
◈Lihue (Nawiliwili) · United States
5.2
wave 1.4 m
visibility~2m

Marginal

Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and surge pounding.

Sources: NWS · NDBC · Open-Meteo · Copernicus — high confidence · data 04:26

Sources & confidence

Sources
NWS · NDBC · Open-Meteo · Copernicus
Method
spearo sea-state engine: consensus of up to 6 models + satellite clarity (ZSD) + buoy-bias checks
Freshness
Re-read every hour, per coast

Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine · How it works →

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.

01
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.
02
Wind & gusts
Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
03
Tide phase
Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
04
Water temperature
Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
05
Currents & outflow
Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
06
Rain runoff & air clarity
Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
07
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 — where night spearfishing is banned by law the window is forced red; where it is legal (Australia outside NSW, New Zealand, South Africa) it is capped at yellow, never green.

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.

Entry pointsNo-take zonesLive cams

Where to get in, where to hunt

Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground

This verdict — in your pocket. Open the app for the week's window.

Coming soon

Get the go / no-go verdict for Lihue (Nawiliwili) by email

Leave your email — and the moment a window opens at Lihue (Nawiliwili), we'll send the go / no-go verdict. Email is all we need.

Optional: city, channel, phone
What to send
Where to send it
More spots

Spots in United States

🇺🇸United States

USA map →

Hawaii

  • Poipu
  • Waianae
  • Haleiwa (North Shore)
  • Ocean Pointe
  • Kaneohe
  • Honolulu
  • Hawaii Kai
  • Lahaina
  • Kahului
  • Kihei
  • Hana
  • Kailua-Kona
  • Captain Cook (Kealakekua Bay)
  • Hilo

California

  • Mendocino
  • Fort Bragg
  • Bodega Bay
  • Eureka
  • Trinidad
  • Half Moon Bay
Feedback

Help us make it better

What's missing? Tell us what you'd like to see — new spots, species, data or features. We read everything.

spearo.app · a private marine instrument · Lihue (Nawiliwili) · a planner, not a safety guaranteePrivacy
Today
Notify me
Map
Download on theApp Store
GET IT ONGoogle Play
Google Play — QR code
point your camera
0 m

Surface

Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.

spearo.app
NWS no dataupdated 04:26
Lihue (Nawiliwili) — solo, off the rocks
BORDERLINE
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · wave 1.4 m (occasionally up to ~2.8 m)
wave 1.4 mwind 19, gusts 38 km/hsurge pounding the rocksvisibility ~2 m
today, best window 18:00–21:00
fish · Visibility 2 m · Water 26.5°C
confidence low · verdict for the selected day
Best window · next 3 days
borderlineMonday · 09:00–12:00
you can see ~4 m ahead fish

ℹ️ Conservative visibility estimate kept

↓ low tide 08:00 · slack water ~07:15–08:45 bite times: 10:10–12:10 · 16:37–17:37

Tell me when it's on

Just your email — nothing else needed.

Before entering, check the camera and the surge
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.

Saturday · today2026-10-24
06:37–18:05 · full moon
▲ 02:00▼ 08:00▲ 13:00▼ 19:00 · 0.6 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.62 m
Wave1.38 m
Wind13 km/h
Water26 °C
fish activity: moonset 05:12 · moderate · moon underfoot 11:10 · high · moonrise 17:07 · moderate · moon overhead 23:40 · high
Conditions window18:00–21:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 1.42 m · roughperiod 11 swind 19→38surge 8.1viz 2 m
1.42 mrough · up to ~2.84 · 176° at an angle
11 sswell building
19→38gusts 38 km/h
8.1pounding the rocks
0.14m/s
2 mrecent swell
26.5°C5 mm + hood
▲03:00tide turn near
Atmosphere14 kmprecip 0.1 mm
lowoff the lunar peaks
  • wave 1.4 m (occasionally up to ~2.8 m)
  • steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
  • first hours of the flood — fish moving in
confidence lowtwilight
Open the seafloor map with entry points →

Your best window — with you. Forecast in your pocket.

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play
Google Play — QR code
point your camera
−10 m

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: 3016 spots across 406 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.

See all spots →
−20 m

The 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 →
Ahukini LandingLihue (Nawiliwili)
borderline
⚠️ This point is inside the restricted zone “Hanama'ulu Bay and Ahukini Recreational Pier Fisheries Management Area”: fishing there is regulated (season, gear, permit), not banned outright. Read the zone's rules before you go.
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—
Seabed depth of the selected area
≈1.7–11 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

Shore access point Ahukini Landing, roughly 3.7 km from Lihue (Nawiliwili). Maximum depth is around 11 m. The marker is inside Hanama'ulu Bay and Ahukini Recreational Pier Fisheries Management Area, a restricted area; check what may be taken there before spearing.

Google Maps
Anahola Beach ParkLihue (Nawiliwili)
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today

One morning glance — and you know.

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play
Google Play — QR code
point your camera
≈

Surfacing

Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.

Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live

Look at the water
right now.

Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».

connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Royal Sonesta Kauai — Kalapaki Beach, Lihue (Ozolio Live)YouTube live — Royal Sonesta Kauai — Kalapaki Beach, Lihue (Ozolio Live). Embedded live stream; if the ID rotates it opens the source page. Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
more: Kalapaki Beach HD, Kauai Marriott (Nawiliwili) ↗
Open the seafloor map →
Reference

What's in season,
what the law says.

In season now
  • uhu (parrotfish)
    Scaridae · 2–20 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    The 2 uhu/day bag is STATEWIDE, not Maui-only (HAR 13-95-16(c), amended 22 Feb 2024). Min 10″ (25 cm), and 14″ (36 cm) for 'ele'ele, uliuli, palukaluka and 'ahu'ula. On Maui (HAR 13-95.1) blue terminal-phase 'ele'ele and uliuli may not be taken at all. Kahekili Herbivore FMA: uhu banned year-round. Miloli'i CBSFA: no spearing uhu at night by any gear.
  • ulua (giant trevally)
    Caranx spp. / Carangoides spp. · 2–30 m · legal
    'Ulua and papio' is a LEGAL GROUP, not one species: Caranx ignobilis, C. lugubris, C. melampygus ('omilu), C. sexfasciatus, Carangoides equula, C. ferdau and C. orthogrammus. Min 10″ (25 cm) to take or possess, 16″ (41 cm) to sell. Bag 20 ulua over 10″ per person per day, non-commercial (HAR 13-95-22).
  • kumu (goatfish)
    Parupeneus porphyreus · 2–25 m · legal
    This is specifically Parupeneus porphyreus, not the whole Mullidae family. Year-round. Min 10″ (25 cm) statewide (HAR 13-95-7), 12″ (30 cm) on Maui island. No statewide bag limit, but 1 kumu per person per day on Maui (HAR 13-95.1-20(c)).
  • roi (peacock grouper)
    Cephalopholis argus · 3–30 m · invasive — target
    Invasive: DLNR AIS lists it as introduced — deliberately stocked as a sportfish in 1956, now a dominant reef predator on Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Maui and Hawai'i island. No season, size or bag limit. On ciguatera: no Hawai'i state page asserting it could be found — treat it as a local caution, not a rule.
  • Pacifica
  • Corte Madera
  • South San Francisco
  • Crescent City
  • San Mateo
  • Carmel
  • Santa Cruz
  • Pacific Grove
  • San Pablo
  • Berkeley
  • Monterey
  • Alameda
  • Menlo Park
  • San Leandro
  • Soquel
  • Vallejo
  • Marina
  • San Simeon

    • Oregon

    • Brookings
    • Port Orford

    All 367 spots → · Region: Hawaii · spearo.app — All countries

    transparency nearby ~33 m · satellite, 3 days agosatellite estimate · may differ right at the shore

    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈0.9–5.5 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    Anahola Beach Park is a shore entry about 21 km from Lihue (Nawiliwili). The pin sits at 22.148 N / 159.304 W on the chart. Maximum depth is around 8 m. Bottom type: sand. The tidal range is small.

    Google Maps
    Lydgate State ParkLihue (Nawiliwili)
    borderline
    exposed head-on to the swell today
    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈1.0–2.1 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    Shore access point Lydgate State Park, roughly 8.3 km from Lihue (Nawiliwili). Marker position: 22.040° N, 159.335° W. Depths reach about 2.0 m. Bottom type: sand. Tides here rise and fall only a little.

    Google Maps
    Mahaulepu / Kawailoa Bay reefLihue (Nawiliwili)
    borderline
    exposed head-on to the swell today
    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈9.7–16 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    A remote reef on the island's southeast side with no crowds, 3–12 m: uku, kumu, ulua and roi. Access is by a dirt road that needs four-wheel drive, and the private gate shuts at dusk. The same rocks also appear under Poipu.

    Google Maps
    Nukolii reef (fronting Wailua Golf Course)Lihue (Nawiliwili)
    borderline
    exposed head-on to the swell today
    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈0.6–2.9 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    An offshore reef fronting the golf course, 2–10 m, excellent when the sea is calm: taape, weke, uhu and roi. WARNING: stay north — in the regulated Hanamāʻulu area swimming is prohibited and a spear restriction applies by the pier.

    Google Maps
    Running Waters / Ninini Point ledgeLihue (Nawiliwili)
    borderline
    exposed head-on to the swell today
    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈1.8–5.8 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    A rocky point and reef at the north entrance to Nāwiliwili Bay, 3–15 m: uhu, weke, taape and papio. It sits outside the regulated harbour area — but confirm where the limit runs before working toward the jetty.

    Google Maps

    SOLO 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.

    ta'ape (bluestripe snapper)
    Lutjanus kasmira · 3–40 m · invasive — target
    Invasive, confirmed by DLNR AIS: first found in Hawai'i in 1955, deliberately stocked from French Polynesia, now established through the main islands on reefs, shallow lagoons and outer reef slopes. No season, size or bag limit. 'Removal encouraged' is community practice, not a published DAR position.
  • kole (goldring surgeonfish)
    Ctenochaetus strigosus · 2–25 m · legal
    One of the most-speared reef fish in Hawai'i. Year-round statewide. Min 5″ (13 cm) — a NEW rule: §13-95-25 was created by the 22 Feb 2024 amendment, so any older 'kole is unregulated' note is stale. No statewide bag. Miloli'i CBSFA: closed Mar–Jun, 20/person/day Jul–Feb.
  • moi (Pacific threadfin)
    Polydactylus sexfilis · 0–10 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    The only clean three-month statewide closure in the façade: Jun 1–Aug 31 it is unlawful to take, possess or sell any moi (HAR 13-95-23(c)). September through May: min 11″ (28 cm), 15 per person per day. A classic shorebreak and sand-channel target.
  • uku (grey / green jobfish)
    Aprion virescens · 10–60 m · legal
    The blue-water target of Hawaiian spearfishing. Year-round. The size rule is written specifically for spearfishers: 'unlawful to take with spear or possess any speared uku less than one pound' (0.45 kg) — HAR 13-95-15(b). No state bag limit; the federal stock is managed by an annual catch limit, not a recreational bag.
  • kala (bluespine unicornfish)
    Naso unicornis · 2–25 m · legal
    A staple reef meat fish. Year-round. Min 14″ (36 cm), HAR 13-95-11(a); kala 'opelu (Naso hexacanthus) 16″ (41 cm), §13-95-12. Bag 4 kala per person per day; a commercial kala permit ($100) is needed to exceed it. Kahekili Herbivore FMA on Maui: all surgeonfish including kala are prohibited.
  • 'omilu (bluefin trevally)
    Caranx melampygus · 2–30 m · legal
    The everyday reef-edge trevally — and legally it IS an ulua: regulated inside the 'ulua and papio' group (HAR 13-95-22), which most divers do not know. Min 10″ (25 cm), bag 20/day SHARED with all other ulua/papio, not a separate allowance.
  • manini (convict tang)
    Acanthurus triostegus sandvicensis · 0–15 m · legal
    Shallow-reef bread-and-butter for shore divers on every island. Year-round, min 6″ (15 cm), HAR 13-95-5. No statewide bag limit. Prohibited inside the Kahekili Herbivore FMA (north Ka'anapali, Maui).
  • mu (bigeye emperor)
    Monotaxis grandoculis · 3–40 m · legal
    A top Hawaiian spear target with NO state size or bag limit. The evidence is negative: mu appears nowhere on the DAR 'Marine Fishes and Other Vertebrates' regulated-species page (read in full 2026-09-03) nor in HAR 13-95. Hence conf 'partial' — this is an absence of rule, not a written allowance. Check local and county rules separately.
  • 'u'u / menpachi (soldierfish)
    Myripristis spp. · 3–30 m · legal
    The archetypal Hawaiian night-dive fish. Unregulated statewide — absent from the DAR regulated list, hence conf 'partial'. But genuinely regulated inside Miloli'i CBSFA: closed April–June, and no spearing 'u'u inside the Puakai'a Miloli'i sub-zone.
  • he'e (day octopus / tako)
    Octopus cyanea · 0–20 m · legal
    Do not confuse it with the crustacean ban: he'e is a mollusc, so the statewide ban on spearing crustaceans does NOT reach it — three-prong tako hunting is legal. Year-round, min 1 lb (0.45 kg), HAR 13-95-55. No state bag limit.
  • 'ama'ama (striped mullet)
    Mugil cephalus · 0–8 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    The façade's second statewide closed season: December through March take is prohibited (HAR 13-95-8, HRS 188-44). April–November: min 11″ (28 cm). No statewide bag limit; in the Hilo Bay FMA it counts inside a combined 20/day cap. A shallow flats and harbour-mouth target.
  • 'o'io (bonefish)
    Albula glossodonta · 0–10 m · legal
    A sand-flat target adjacent to most of our HI city spots. Year-round, min 14″ (36 cm), HAR 13-95-10. No state bag limit.
    • Not a target — don't shoot
    • paku'iku'i (Achilles tang)🚫 no-take
      MORATORIUM. In the West Hawai'i Regional FMA take or possession is prohibited before 18 December 2026 (HAR 13-60.4-4(a)(7), am. 2 Jan 2025) — that directly covers Kailua-Kona and Captain Cook. In Miloli'i CBSFA prohibited before 1 July 2027, then 5/day at a 5″ minimum. ⏳ Both dates need a diary re-check or this card goes stale.
    • ula (spiny lobster) and ula papapa (slipper lobster)🚫 no-take
      NEVER by spear: 'unlawful to spear any crustacean (except introduced freshwater prawn), turtle or aquatic mammal at any time' (HAR 13-75 / HRS 188-23). Hand-take only, whole and unmutilated. Closed season May–August statewide; min carapace 3¼″ (8.3 cm), ula papapa 2¾″ (7.0 cm) tail width. No taking female ula. Maunalua Bay FMA bans lobster take outright; Miloli'i CBSFA caps ula at 2/day.
    • mano (sharks) and hihimanu (rays)🚫 no-take
      HANDS OFF: it is unlawful to intentionally or knowingly capture or entangle ANY shark or ray, alive or dead, or to kill any shark or ray in state marine waters (HRS 188-39.5 sharks, HRS 188-40.8 rays). Possessing, selling or distributing shark fins is also prohibited. For a spearo this matters more than the turtle line.
    • honu (sea turtles) and Hawaiian monk seal🚫 no-take
      There is no open season. Sea turtles: closed, state and federal endangered-species law both apply (HRS 195D-4). Monk seal: unlawful to molest, kill, capture or possess at any time. Spearing any turtle or aquatic mammal is separately unlawful under HAR 13-75. Keep your distance and never pursue.
    Law
    • ✓No licence for residents; non-residents need the Nonresident Recreational Marine Fishing License ().
    • ✓MLCDs — no-take. West Hawai'i — scuba-spear banned. Uhu (Maui): ≤2/day, no blue males. Roi/ta'ape invasive — removal encouraged.
    • •It is unlawful to spear any crustacean (lobster, all crabs), turtle or aquatic mammal at any time; spearfishing is allowed for all fishes. Taking any fish, crustacean, mollusc, turtle or marine mammal with firearms is prohibited, except tuna or billfish already gaffed.
    • •A dive flag is mandatory: spearfishers and divers must mark their position and may not surface more than 100 ft (30 m) from it in ocean waters (50 ft in navigable streams) except in an emergency. Minimum 12×12 in, or 20×24 in with a blue-and-white alpha flag if vessel-mounted on a boat over 16 ft.
    • •Night spear-ban zones. Maunalua Bay , O'ahu (Kawaihoa Pt to the Diamond Head buoy — this covers Hawai'i Kai and east Honolulu, HAR 13-48.5): from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise it is unlawful to use or possess a spear while diving, or to hold dive gear and a spear together.
    • •The Kahekili Herbivore off north Ka'anapali, Maui (HAR 13-60.7) sits directly on the lahaina city: it is unlawful to injure, kill, possess or remove ANY parrotfish (uhu), rudderfish (nenue) or surgeonfish, or any sea urchin — everything else is fair game.
    • •Miloli'i CBSFA (HAR 13-60.10) runs from the shoreline to the 100-fathom contour on the SW Hawai'i island coast, south of the captain-cook city, with the tightest spear rules in the state: no spearing uhu at night by any gear; no uhu 'ele'ele or uhu uliuli at all; uhu 'ahu'ula/palukaluka closed March–May; ula capped at 2/day.
    • •West Hawai'i RFMA: it is unlawful merely to POSSESS SCUBA gear and a spear at the same time, or SCUBA gear plus any speared fish, anywhere in the region (HAR 13-60.4-4(a)(6)). The same subsection bans taking or possessing paku'iku'i before 18 Dec 2026.
    • •Licence: residents need none and no registration; non-residents aged 15+ need the — $20 for 1 day, $40 for 7 days, $70 for 1 year plus an online processing fee, sold ONLY at fishing.hawaii.gov. Statutory basis HRS 188-72 (Act 48, 2021).
    • ⛔ 🚫 Marine Life Conservation Districts (Hanauma/Molokini/Pupukea etc.) — no-take: spear nothing. West Hawai'i — scuba-spear banned.
    • ⛔ 🚫 Sea turtles, monk seal and cetaceans — protected, don't disturb. Uhu: blue terminal males (Maui) may not be taken.
    • ⛔ 🚫 Sharks and rays: capturing, entangling or killing ANY shark or ray in is unlawful (HRS 188-39.5, 188-40.8) — for a spearo this matters more than the turtle line. Shark fins may not be possessed, sold or distributed.

    US spearfishing law is state-by-state. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and distances vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, the Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances.

    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.
    Local guide · Lihue (Nawiliwili)

    Spearfishing in Lihue (Nawiliwili): spots, seasons and rules

    Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

    Lihue is a shore-and-reef plan around Nawiliwili, not a bluewater shortcut. Running Waters at Ninini Point sits by the north entrance of Nawiliwili Bay but outside the Nawiliwili Harbor FMA. Nukolii reef can be excellent when calm, provided you stay north of Hanamaulu Bay FMA. Mahaulepu and Kawailoa Bay add a remote southeast reef with fewer crowds and harder access. For spearfishing Lihue, verify the boundary before loading.

    TL;DR

    • Spearfishing Lihue means southeast Kauai reef around Nawiliwili, with Ninini Point, Nukolii and Mahaulepu as the main options.
    • Stay outside Nawiliwili Harbor FMA and north of Hanamaulu Bay FMA where the spot notes warn that spearing is banned.
    • Lihue water visibility improves in calm, dry weather, but trade-wind chop and harbor runoff can make nearshore reef unreadable.
    • Hawaii nonresidents need the NRMFL; protected animals, MLCDs and regulated fishing areas must be treated as closed unless confirmed open.

    Best spearfishing spots in Lihue

    These Kauai entries are open in the city record, but each depends on staying out of nearby regulated areas. Use a float, keep the exit simple, and do not guess on FMA lines.

    SpotTypeDepthLevelAccessNotes
    Running Waters / Ninini Point ledgeRocky point and reefShallow ledge and reef edgeIntermediateNear the north entrance of Nawiliwili BayA close Lihue option for uhu, weke, taape and papio. Confirm it remains outside Nawiliwili Harbor FMA before diving.
    Nukolii reefOffshore reef fronting Wailua Golf CourseReef top and outer edgeIntermediate when calmShore approach with a careful swimCan be strong for taape, weke, uhu and roi. Stay north of Hanamaulu Bay FMA, where spearing is flagged as banned.
    Mahaulepu / Kawailoa Bay reefRemote southeast reefReef, sand lanes and outside edgeAdvanced shore logisticsRemote access, often rough-road planningA quiet option for uku, kumu, ulua and roi. The tradeoff is isolation, so use a conservative buddy plan.

    Which Lihue boundaries matter most?

    The spot notes name Nawiliwili Harbor FMA and Hanamaulu Bay FMA. Running Waters is useful because it sits outside the harbor FMA, while Nukolii needs a north-of-Hanamaulu plan. If you cannot place yourself confidently outside those regulated areas, leave the gun unloaded. Hawaii MLCDs elsewhere should also be treated as no-take for spearing decisions.

    When is Lihue water visibility best?

    Southeast Kauai can look protected on a map, but visibility still falls apart with trade-wind chop, rain and harbor-stained water. Dry mornings after calmer nights are the best starting point. NOAA Station 51208 gives the offshore trend, and the Kalapaki Beach camera helps with nearshore texture near Nawiliwili.

    What species and rules apply on Kauai?

    The practical Kauai list includes uhu, weke, taape, papio, uku, kumu, ulua and roi. Roi and taape are invasive targets, though roi can carry ciguatera. Sea turtles, monk seals and cetaceans are protected. Residents do not need a marine license, while nonresidents need the NRMFL. Species limits and area exceptions still come from DAR.

    FAQ

    Is spearfishing allowed in Nawiliwili Harbor FMA?

    Do not assume it is. The listed Running Waters spot is outside that FMA.

    Where should I be careful at Nukolii?

    Stay north of Hanamaulu Bay FMA, where spearing is banned.

    Do nonresidents need a Hawaii license in Lihue?

    Yes. Nonresidents need the Nonresident Recreational Marine Fishing License.

    What fish are common around Lihue reefs?

    Uhu, weke, taape, papio, uku, kumu, ulua and roi are the names to know.

    Which NOAA station helps with Lihue?

    NOAA NDBC Station 51208 is the offshore station used for Lihue.

    Sources

    • Hawaii DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources, fishing regulations
    • Hawaii DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources, Marine Life Conservation Districts
    • NOAA NDBC Station 51208

    Nearby towns

    • Poipu: forecast and spots
    • Haleiwa (North Shore) spearfishing guide
    • Spearfishing in Honolulu
    • Spearfishing in Lahaina
    • Dive spots near Kahului
    Data partners
    dive centres that send us real visibility readings
    Águas VivasMilfontes · Sagres

    buoy Waimea Bay, HI: 26.2° · 2 h ago