Are spearguns legal at New Bight?

No. Spearguns are banned across The Bahamas. New Bight hunting is Hawaiian sling or pole spear only, on breath-hold.

What is the main Cat Island spearfishing terrain?

The main terrain is the leeward west wall and The Cut, with 9-40 m+ dropoffs and deeper bluewater edges.

Does New Bight have a webcam or buoy?

No local webcam or wired buoy station is available, so use forecast checks and conservative pickup planning.

How far from shore must I hunt?

Stay outside 200 yards from any Out-Island shore. The New Providence and Freeport 1-mile distance bans are part of the same national rule.

What does a visitor need before fishing?

Foreign visitors need a sport-fishing permit or must fish from a licensed charter. Catch is for personal use only.

What cannot be speared on Cat Island?

Do not spear crawfish or queen conch. Turtles, sharks, corals, and any no-take water are off limits.

New Bight spearfishing forecast — Bahamas

New Bight · Bahamas

5.3

wave 1 m

visibility4m

Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and visibility.

Sources: Open-Meteo · Copernicus · Sentinel-2 — high confidence · data 23:25

Sources & confidence

Sources: Open-Meteo · Copernicus · Sentinel-2
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.

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 — 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.

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.

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

updated 23:25

New Bight — solo, off the rocks

BORDERLINE

caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · wave 1.0 m + swell period 9 s

wave 1 mwind 10 km/hvisibility ~4 mwindow 06:00–15:00

today, best window 06:00–09:00

fish · Visibility 4 m · Water 29.4°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.

Sunday · today2026-10-25

07:04–18:26 · full moon

▼ 01:00▲ 07:00▼ 13:00▲ 19:00 · 0.9 m

Hours (06→20)

Day's trends

Tide0.19 m

Wave1.56 m

Wind18 km/h

Water30 °C

fish activity: moonset 06:24 · moderate · moon underfoot 12:10 · high · moonrise 17:58 · moderate · moon overhead 00:00 · high

Conditions window06:00–09:00

caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish

Hs 0.98 m · roughperiod 8.7 swind 10→14surge 1.1viz 4 m

0.98 mrough · up to ~1.96 · 18° at an angle

8.7 sswell moderate

10→14gusts 14 km/h

1.1weak surge

0.00m/s

4 mrecent swell

29.4°C5 mm + hood

▼13:00tide turn near

Atmosphere19 kmovercast

moderatemoonset

wave 1.0 m + swell period 9 s
swell period 9 s
just after high water

confidence lowtwilight

Open the seafloor map with entry points

More spots

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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

Bennett's Harbour W dropoffNew Bight

borderline

Pin within 200 yd of the shore: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism fishing FAQ). Hunt only seaward of the 200-yd band.

in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind

window: —

Drop-off wall, 9–40+ m — hunt only >200 yd from shore, outside reserves. Wahoo, mahi, grouper. The pin itself is a shore landmark within 200 yd of the coast: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there — hunt only seaward of the band (boat needed).

Google Maps

Cat Island Atlantic (E) barrier reefNew Bight

borderline

in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind

window: —

Barrier reef, 3–12 m — legal (outside reserves). Hogfish, grouper, snapper. Family-Island rule: stay >200 yd from any shore.

Google Maps

Cat Island west walls / The CutNew Bight

borderline

Pin within 200 yd of the shore: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism fishing FAQ). Hunt only seaward of the 200-yd band.

in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind

window: —

Leeward-west coastal dropoffs and The Cut, 9–40 m+ — hunt only >200 yd from shore, grouper, snapper, pelagics on the wall. Coords city-level. The pin itself is a shore landmark within 200 yd of the coast: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there — hunt only seaward of the band (boat needed).

Google Maps

Devil's Point / Hawksbill SW dropoff (FAD)New Bight

borderline

Pin within 200 yd of the shore: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism fishing FAQ). Hunt only seaward of the 200-yd band.

in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind

window: —

Drop-off wall, 12–61+ m — hunt only >200 yd from shore, outside reserves. Wahoo, mahi, tuna, billfish. The pin itself is a shore landmark within 200 yd of the coast: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there — hunt only seaward of the band (boat needed).

Google Maps

Fernandez Bay deeper wall (The Cut outer)New Bight

borderline

in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind

window: —

Drop-off wall, 12–40+ m — legal (outside reserves). Mutton snapper, grouper, snapper, pelagics. Family-Island rule: stay >200 yd from any shore.

Google Maps

Orange Creek / Arthur's Town W dropoffNew Bight

borderline

Pin within 200 yd of the shore: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism fishing FAQ). Hunt only seaward of the 200-yd band.

in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind

window: —

Drop-off wall, 9–40+ m — hunt only >200 yd from shore, outside reserves. Mutton snapper, mahi, grouper, snapper. The pin itself is a shore landmark within 200 yd of the coast: Bahamian law bans spearfishing there — hunt only seaward of the band (boat needed).

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.

What's in season,
what the law says.

In season now

Nassau grouper
Epinephelus striatus · 5–30 m · on the current by structure · daytime
⚠️ Closed 1 Dec–28 Feb (spawning, S.I. 71/2015). Off-season min 3 lb; head/tail/skin intact on landing.
yellowtail snapper
Ocyurus chrysurus · 3–25 m · on the current by structure · dusk/night
Small midwater snapper over the reef; comes up on a drift, shoot at dusk. Warm months.
lionfish
Pterois volitans · 3–40 m · on the current by structure · daytime
Invasive — culling ENCOURAGED year-round. Tucks under ledges / in reef shade and lets you get close. Venomous spines — handle with care; excellent eating.

off season: black grouper (Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr) · mutton snapper (Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May) · hogfish (Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun) · mahi-mahi / dolphinfish (Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun) · cero mackerel (Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr)

Law

✓🚫 Spearguns are BANNED nationwide — only a or , breath-hold only (scuba/compressor banned). No spearfishing within 1 mile of New Providence, 1 mile of Freeport's south coast, or 200 yards of any Out-Island shore ().
✓Foreign visitors need a sport-fishing permit (or must fish from a licensed charter); catch is for personal use only — selling it is banned (bahamas.com/fishing-faq).

⛔ 🚫 Speargun banned everywhere — / only, breath-hold only (no air). Spear needs a written endorsement on the permit. Spearfishing competitions are banned.
⛔ 🚫 Crawfish (season 1 Aug–31 Mar) and queen conch — hand/hook only, NO spear. Turtles and sharks — full ban (Shark Sanctuary). Corals — no-take.

Rules change. Before heading out, check with the Bahamas Department of Marine Resources and the Fisheries Resources Act; spearguns are banned — sling/pole spear only.

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 New Bight: spots, seasons and rules

Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

Spearguns are prohibited nationwide in The Bahamas, which makes New Bight a sling-and-pole-spear destination only. Cat Island is quieter than Bimini or Exuma, with New Bight below Mount Alvernia's Hermitage and wall country running along the leeward west side. The practical hunting pattern is beyond the 200-yard Out-Island line on dropoffs such as Cat Island west walls / The Cut, Orange Creek / Arthur's Town W dropoff, Bennett's Harbour W dropoff, Fernandez Bay deeper wall, and Devil's Point / Hawksbill SW dropoff. The Atlantic-side barrier reef adds shallower 3-12 m reef ground. Visibility runs 20-30 m, but infrastructure is thin, there is no local webcam or buoy station, and no published safety ratings exist for the marks. Keep the plan simple: legal gear, breath-hold, clean pickup, and no take from protected species.

TL;DR

Spearguns are prohibited nationwide in The Bahamas; New Bight is Hawaiian sling or pole spear only, breath-hold only, on Cat Island walls.

The local character is remote and thin on infrastructure: Mount Alvernia above town, leeward-west dropoffs, The Cut, and deep water close to the coast.

Main marks include Cat Island west walls, Orange Creek / Arthur's Town, Bennett's Harbour, Fernandez Bay, Devil's Point, and the Atlantic-side barrier reef.

No spearfishing within 1 mile of New Providence, 1 mile of Freeport's south coast, or 200 yards of any Out-Island shore. Foreign visitors need a sport-fishing permit or a licensed charter.

Spearfishing Cat Island Bahamas: New Bight sling spots

New Bight is a wall-and-distance plan. The west side gives leeward dropoffs and The Cut; the east side adds a shallow barrier-reef option. Every New Bight hunt here assumes Hawaiian sling or pole spear only, no scuba or compressor, and more than 200 yards from shore. Many coordinates are approximate or city-level, so confirm the mark and the return route before dropping in.

Spot	Type	Depth	Level	Access	Notes
Cat Island west walls / The Cut	Leeward-west coastal dropoffs	9-40 m+	No published safety rating	Access details not published; coordinates city-level	Grouper, snapper, and pelagics are the wall mix. Legal only beyond 200 yards and outside any reserve.

Surface

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

Spots in Bahamas

🇧🇸Bahamas

Long Island

Exuma

San Salvador

Eleuthera

New Providence

Andros

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Help us make it better

The water column

A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.

The seabed

The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.

Where to get in
off the rocks.

Surfacing

What's in season,
what the law says.

Spearfishing in New Bight: spots, seasons and rules

TL;DR

Spearfishing Cat Island Bahamas: New Bight sling spots

Grand Bahama

Bimini

New Bight sea forecast and Cat Island exposure

Cat Island freediving from New Bight

Bahamas sling rules for New Bight

Fish and no-take species on Cat Island

FAQ

Sources

Nearby towns

New Bight spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

Windows, hours and the day's trends.

Get the go / no-go verdict for New Bight by email

Spots in Bahamas

🇧🇸Bahamas

Long Island

Exuma

San Salvador

Eleuthera

New Providence

Andros

Abaco

Help us make it better

A marine instrument, go / no-go for solo hunting.

The forecast is the plan.The call is on the rock.

Where to get in off the rocks.

What's in season, what the law says.

TL;DR

Spearfishing Cat Island Bahamas: New Bight sling spots

Grand Bahama

Bimini

New Bight sea forecast and Cat Island exposure

Cat Island freediving from New Bight

Bahamas sling rules for New Bight

Fish and no-take species on Cat Island

FAQ

Sources

Nearby towns

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.

The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.

Where to get in
off the rocks.

What's in season,
what the law says.