Stewart Island (Oban) · New Zealand

2.6

wave 1.1 m

visibility2m

Today — sit it out — wave, wind and visibility.

Sources: MetService · Open-Meteo · Copernicus · Sentinel-2 — high confidence · data 16:57

Sources & confidence

Sources: MetService · 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

MetService no dataThis information is made freely available by MetService. Despite this, MetService is not associated with, and does not endorse, spearo.app or have involvement in how this information is presentedupdated 16:57

Stewart Island (Oban) — solo, off the rocks

DON'T GO

don't go · wave 1.1 m + swell period 8 s

wave 1.1 mwind 26, gusts 72 km/hvisibility ~2 m

today, best window 18:00–21:00

fish · Visibility 2 m · Water 12.2°C

confidence low · verdict for the selected day

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.

Sunday · today2026-10-25

06:34–20:30 · full moon

▲ 01:00▼ 07:00▲ 13:00▼ 19:00 · 1.9 m

Hours (06→20)

Day's trends

Tide0.67 m

Wave1.10 m

Wind26 km/h

Water12 °C

fish activity: moon overhead 00:00 · high · moonset 05:38 · moderate · moon underfoot 12:30 · high · moonrise 19:31 · moderate

Conditions window15:00–18:00

don't go fish

Hs 1.10 m · roughperiod 9.3 swind 33→81surge 0.1viz 2 m

1.10 mrough · up to ~2.20 · 288° at an angle

9.3 sswell moderate

33→81gusts 81 km/h

0.1weak surge

0.36m/s

2 mrecent swell

12.2°Cthicker suit + hood

▼19:00tide falling

Atmosphere45 kmovercast

lowoff the lunar peaks

wave 1.1 m + swell period 9 s
steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
ebb — weaker inshore

confidence lowday

Open the seafloor map with entry points

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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

Ackers PointStewart Island (Oban)

dangerous

Ultra · subscribers

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

window: —
Seabed depth of the selected area: no data (coarse grid)

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app

Halfmoon Bay (Oban)Stewart Island (Oban)

dangerous

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

window: —
Seabed depth of the selected area: no data (coarse grid)

Sheltered Halfmoon Bay at Oban; clear cold water, pāua and blue cod — Rakiura is a GW aggregation, advice-only, never alone.

Google Maps

Horseshoe BayStewart Island (Oban)

dangerous

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

window: —
Seabed depth of the selected area: no data (coarse grid)

Rocky Horseshoe Bay north of Oban; pāua and blue cod in clear cold water — high GW hazard, local knowledge essential.

Google Maps

Ringaringa BeachStewart Island (Oban)

dangerous

Pro · subscribers

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

window: —
Seabed depth of the selected area: no data (coarse grid)

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app

The Neck — outer side (Te Wehi-a-Te-Wera)Stewart Island (Oban)

dangerous

Legal notice: The Te Whaka ā Te Wera (Paterson Inlet) Mātaitai Reserve begins about 960 m from this mark. Inside it bylaws apply: scallops, mako and white pointer sharks may not be taken, and blue cod is limited to 10 per person per day. · (Pacific/Auckland) · Scope: the Te Whaka ā Te Wera Mātaitai Reserve boundary, Paterson Inlet (Stewart Island), about 960 m from the mark; the mark itself is outside it · Fisheries (Declaration of Te Whaka ā Te Wera Mātaitai Reserve Bylaws) Notice 2006 (as of 2026-09-27)

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

window: —
Seabed depth of the selected area: no data (coarse grid)

The outer shore of The Neck, the peninsula across the mouth of Paterson Inlet, reached by boat. Dive Rakiura contrasts its rugged outside with the sheltered inner side, lists blue cod, butterfish and crayfish for Stewart Island, and reports 5-15 m visibility.

Google Maps

Thule Bay (Paterson Inlet)Stewart Island (Oban)

dangerous

Legal notice: Te Whaka ā Te Wera (Paterson Inlet) Mātaitai Reserve: bylaws apply — scallops, mako and white pointer sharks may not be taken, and blue cod is limited to 10 per person per day. · (Pacific/Auckland) · Scope: Te Whaka ā Te Wera Mātaitai Reserve, Paterson Inlet (Stewart Island) · Fisheries (Declaration of Te Whaka ā Te Wera Mātaitai Reserve Bylaws) Notice 2006 (as of 2026-09-27)

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

window: —
Seabed depth of the selected area: no data (coarse grid)

Thule Bay, on the forested harbour of Paterson Inlet, has kelp over rock. Dive Rakiura calls the inlet sheltered and nutrient-rich, with over 260 native seaweeds. It lies in the Te Whaka a Te Wera mātaitai, where recreational fishing has a daily limit.

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.

Rules as of now — 25.10.2026 17:39 (Pacific/Auckland)

In season now

blue cod (rāwaru)
Parapercis colias · 5–40 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
min 33 cm · bag 10 a day · inside the combined limit 30 · Min 33 cm. Southern area (Taiaroa Head – Sand Hill Point): 10 a day. South West (Sand Hill Point – Haast, outside the Fiordland Marine Area): 10. Fiordland Marine Area: 10. Milford Sound (Piopiotahi): NO TAKE. Read the fiord, not the region.
butterfish / greenbone (marari)
Odax pullus · 2–20 m · legal
min 35 cm · bag 15 a day · inside the combined limit 30
blue moki
Latridopsis ciliaris · 5–40 m · legal
min 40 cm · bag 15 a day · inside the combined limit 30
trumpeter (kohikohi)
Latris lineata · 10–60 m · legal
min 35 cm · bag 15 a day · inside the combined limit 30
tarakihi
Nemadactylus macropterus · 10–60 m · legal
min 25 cm · bag 15 a day · inside the combined limit 30 · Almost always sits below safe breath-hold depth — on this coast it is information, not a target.
kahawai
Arripis trutta · 0–20 m · legal
no minimum size · bag 15 a day · inside the combined limit 30
hāpuku / bass (groper)
Polyprion oxygeneios · 30–120 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
no minimum size · bag 5 a day · inside the combined limit 30 · 🚫 In the Fiordland Internal Waters hāpuku and bass are NO TAKE. · Almost always sits below safe breath-hold depth — on this coast it is information, not a target.
red / spiny rock lobster (kōura)
Jasus edwardsii · 3–30 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
tail width ≥ 54 mm (♀ 60 mm) · bag 6 a day · 🚫 no spear · 🚫 possessing a speared one is an offence · ✋ by hand or hand-operated loop (spring-loaded loops banned) · From the Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) Internal Waters — max 3; the Fiordland three-day accumulation is 15 at most, labelled by day. · Measure tail WIDTH: male 54 mm, female 60 mm; berried, soft-shell and unmeasurable ones go straight back. (Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, reg. 29(2), reg. 46; MPI 7281.)
pāua (blackfoot abalone)
Haliotis iris · 0–10 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
min 125 mm (shell) · bag 10 a day · ✋ by hand · tool: pāua knife (blunt; MPI: never use sharp objects) · 🚫 In the Waitutu Mātaitai Reserve all recreational pāua fishing is prohibited; in Fiordland there is no accumulation. · 🚫 Pāua is free-diving only: with underwater breathing apparatus you may neither take nor possess it — having a tank in the vehicle or on the boat while holding pāua is already an offence (Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, reg. 48). A snorkel does not count as apparatus. · ⚠️ Before taking any shellfish check the NZ Food Safety biotoxin warnings — they change constantly and are separate from the fishing rules.
kina (sea urchin)
Evechinus chloroticus · 1–15 m · legal
no minimum size · bag 50 a day · ⚠️ Before taking any shellfish check the NZ Food Safety biotoxin warnings — they change constantly and are separate from the fishing rules.
red moki (nanua)
Cheilodactylus spectabilis · 3–25 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
min 40 cm · bag 15 a day · inside the combined limit 30
marblefish (kehe)
Aplodactylus arctidens · 2–15 m · legal
no minimum size · inside the combined limit 30
yellowfoot pāua
Haliotis australis · 0–8 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
min 80 mm (shell) · bag 10 a day · ✋ by hand · tool: pāua knife (blunt; MPI: never use sharp objects) · 🚫 Pāua is free-diving only: with underwater breathing apparatus you may neither take nor possess it — having a tank in the vehicle or on the boat while holding pāua is already an offence (Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, reg. 48). A snorkel does not count as apparatus. · ⚠️ Before taking any shellfish check the NZ Food Safety biotoxin warnings — they change constantly and are separate from the fishing rules.
scallop (tipa)
Pecten novaezelandiae · 5–30 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
min 100 mm (shell) · bag 10 a day · closed 16 Mar – 30 Sep · 🚫 Southland season 1 Oct – 15 Mar, but inside the Fiordland Marine Area scallops and dredge oysters are NO TAKE. · ⚠️ Before taking any shellfish check the NZ Food Safety biotoxin warnings — they change constantly and are separate from the fishing rules.
green-lipped mussel (kūtai)
Perna canaliculus · 0–15 m · legal
no minimum size · bag 50 a day · ⚠️ Before taking any shellfish check the NZ Food Safety biotoxin warnings — they change constantly and are separate from the fishing rules.

Law

✓There is no in New Zealand: MPI states plainly that you do not need one to fish in the sea — only fresh water needs a licence. The rules are REGIONAL, though: MPI divides the country into seven fishing areas with their own sizes and limits, and the Kaikōura Marine Area has rules of its own on top. Buying, selling or swapping recreationally caught seafood is an offence under the Fisheries Act 1996.
✓Three species may not be taken with a SPEAR anywhere in the country: rock lobster, salmon and trout. For rock lobster it is an express rule — using a spear to take one, and possessing a speared lobster, are both prohibited, with a fine up to NZ$10,000 (Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, reg. 29(2)). Salmon and trout are freshwater sports fish managed by Fish & Game.
✓AN IMPORTANT CORRECTION to a common belief: no nationwide scuba ban for spearfishing was found in the MPI rules. The only breathing-apparatus prohibition is for PĀUA: it may be neither taken nor possessed while you have apparatus, even if the tank is merely in the car or on the boat (Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, reg. 48). A snorkel is not apparatus, and what forbids rock lobster is the SPEAR, not the tank. An absence of prohibition is not a permission: ask MPI before you go.
✓: MPI describes spearfishing as catching fish with rubber-powered spearguns and slings or compressed-gas pneumatic spearguns, and its rules say neither yes nor no about or explosive tips. Treat the question as UNRESOLVED and do not carry a as permitted gear. No time-of-day restriction was found in the MPI rules or in the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013.
✓How to measure and where to check: a finfish is measured from the tip of the nose to the end of the middle ray of the tail fin — the 'V' of the tail, not its tips (Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013). Rock lobster is measured by tail WIDTH; pāua along the flat face of the shell in a straight line, not over the curve. Rules change often: MPI asks you to check them each time before you go fishing, for example in the NZ Fishing Rules app. Poaching: 0800 4 POACHER.
✓Southland: combined finfish daily limit 30. Blue cod 10 a day, min 33 cm (in the Southern area it may be landed headed at 24 cm). Butterfish, blue moki, trumpeter and tarakihi 15 each. Pāua 10 at 125 mm, mussels 25 (50 at Stewart Island). Scallop season 1 Oct – 15 Mar, 10 a day at 100 mm. The Pikomamaku (Womens Island)

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.

FAQ — spearfishing in Stewart Island (Oban)

Where can I spearfish in Stewart Island (Oban)?

Stewart Island (Oban) has rock entry points such as Halfmoon Bay (Oban), Horseshoe Bay and Ackers Point. Rakiura — remote, clear, cold water off Oban/Halfmoon Bay, superb pāua and blue cod. Below you'll find each spot (access, shelter and hazards) and today's forecast.

When is the best season in Stewart Island (Oban)?

Summer (Dec–Mar) — cold, rough Foveaux water; rare windows, harsh conditions.

How cold is the water in Stewart Island (Oban)?

Summer 9–13 °C — 7 mm / drysuit; cold Foveaux.

Is Stewart Island (Oban) good for a beginner?

Very hard: cold, rough Foveaux — rare windows.

Do I need a licence in Stewart Island (Oban)?

No — New Zealand has no recreational sea-fishing licence, so anyone may spearfish at Stewart Island (Oban); MPI's size, bag and gear rules still apply and they are set per MPI fishing area: Stewart Island (Oban) is in the Southland area, where the combined finfish daily limit is 30. Pāua is free-dive only — having underwater breathing apparatus while taking pāua is banned nationwide — crayfish (rock lobster) may be taken only by hand or a hand-held loop, never speared — MPI's rules set no scuba ban for crayfish; spearfishing is banned inside every marine reserve, and mātaitai, taiāpure and rāhui must be respected. See the guide.

Full guide: spearfishing in New Zealand →

Surface

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

Spots in New Zealand

🇳🇿New Zealand

Nearby towns

Southland & Foveaux

Otago

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

Look at the water
right now.

What's in season,
what the law says.

FAQ — spearfishing in Stewart Island (Oban)

West Coast (South Island)

Canterbury & Banks Peninsula

Stewart Island (Oban) spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

Windows, hours and the day's trends.

Get the go / no-go verdict for Stewart Island (Oban) by email

Spots in New Zealand

🇳🇿New Zealand

Nearby towns

Southland & Foveaux

Otago

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.

Look at the water right now.

What's in season, what the law says.

FAQ — spearfishing in Stewart Island (Oban)

West Coast (South Island)

Canterbury & Banks Peninsula

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.

Look at the water
right now.

What's in season,
what the law says.