Hanalei Bay, HI Fishing Guide

Species at Hanalei Bay

• Papio (omilu / young trevally)

  ambush oama/halalu bait piles at dawn/dusk

  Season: Jun–Oct · Tide: the incoming tide · Light: low light · Water: 77–83°F

• Ulua (giant trevally)

  big jacks feed reef ledges after dark, summer plugging

  Season: Jun–Oct · Tide: the incoming tide · Light: low light · Water: 77–83°F

• Oio (bonefish)

  tails onto flats rooting worms/crabs on the push

  Season: Jan–Dec · Tide: the incoming tide · Light: any light · Water: 73–82°F

• Moi (Pacific threadfin)

  schools work surge holes; closed Jun-Aug spawn

  Season: May, Sep–Nov · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 75–83°F

• Kaku (great barracuda)

  warm-water ambusher chases lures over reef in daylight

  Season: May–Nov · Tide: moving water · Light: bright daylight · Water: 77–83°F

• Oama (juvenile goatfish, bait)

  summer schools pile in shallows for shrimp/worms

  Season: Jun–Oct · Tide: any tide stage · Light: bright daylight · Water: 78–83°F

• Halalu (juvenile akule, bigeye scad)

  summer scad schools stack at piers/points, dawn-dusk

  Season: Jul–Oct · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 78–83°F

• Aweoweo (Hawaiian bigeye)

  nocturnal; leaves rocks at sunset to feed, rising tide

  Season: Jan–Dec · Tide: the incoming tide · Light: low light · Water: 74–82°F

• Menpachi (soldierfish)

  cave fish emerge after dark, feed near new/full moon

  Season: Jan–Dec · Tide: the incoming tide · Light: low light · Water: 74–82°F

• Toau (blacktail snapper)

  abundant; light dunking at dusk/dawn and night

  Season: Jan–Dec · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 75–82°F

• Amaama (striped mullet)

  estuary grazer; closed Dec-Mar spawn, push of tide brings them in

  Season: Apr–Nov · Tide: the incoming tide · Light: bright daylight · Water: 75–83°F

• Aholehole (Hawaiian flagtail)

  schools feed at night over shallow reef and tidepools

  Season: Jan–Dec · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 74–82°F

What's biting at Hanalei Bay, month by month

Typical seasons for this stretch of coast — a warm or late year shifts them by a few weeks. The live forecast scores today's actual conditions.

How Hanalei Bay fishes

Open water lies to the south of Hanalei Bay. A wind out of the south is onshore here — it stacks swell and chop into the mouth and pushes stirred-up water inshore, while a north wind flattens the surface and tends to clean it up.

This is an inshore station — bay, river or lagoon water rather than an open ocean mouth. Tide stage and water temperature drive the bite here far more than swell does.

Tides here are read from NOAA station 1611683 at 22.2150, -159.5020 — see it on NOAA CO-OPS.

Shops & partners near Hanalei Bay

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Common questions about Hanalei Bay

What fish can you catch at Hanalei Bay?

Papio (omilu / young trevally), Ulua (giant trevally), Oio (bonefish), Moi (Pacific threadfin), Kaku (great barracuda), Oama (juvenile goatfish, bait), Halalu (juvenile akule, bigeye scad), Aweoweo (Hawaiian bigeye), Menpachi (soldierfish), Toau (blacktail snapper), Amaama (striped mullet), Aholehole (Hawaiian flagtail). Each has its own season, preferred tide and water-temperature window at Hanalei Bay.

When is the best time to fish Hanalei Bay?

September and October have the most species in season (12 of 12) — Papio (omilu / young trevally), Ulua (giant trevally), Oio (bonefish), Moi (Pacific threadfin), Kaku (great barracuda), Oama (juvenile goatfish, bait), Halalu (juvenile akule, bigeye scad), Aweoweo (Hawaiian bigeye). Seasons shift by a few weeks in a warm or late year.

What tide is best for fishing Hanalei Bay?

6 of the 12 species here feed best on the incoming tide. Moving water is what pulls bait through the mouth, so the hours either side of a tide change usually beat dead slack.

Which wind is bad for Hanalei Bay?

Open water lies to the south, so a south wind is onshore — it stacks swell and chop into the mouth and pushes dirty water inshore. A north wind flattens and cleans it up.

Where are the tides for Hanalei Bay measured?

NOAA CO-OPS station 1611683, at 22.2150, -159.5020. What Inlet? scores the live tide, current, solunar and weather for that station.

Inlets near Hanalei Bay

• Hanamaulu Bay 19 mi
• Waimea Bay 21 mi
• Port Allen, Hanapepe Bay 22 mi
• Haleiwa, Waialua Bay 99 mi
• Laie Bay 108 mi
• Ford Island, Pearl Harbor 115 mi
• Pearl Harbor Entrance, Bishop Point 116 mi
• Pearl Harbor, Ford Island Ferry 116 mi

Fishing a different inlet today? Every one has its own species roster and bite pattern.

Browse every inlet in Hawaii, or the full inlet directory.