Sydney fishing report
Today’s fishing conditions around Sydney, scored out of 100 from the live wind, swell, tides, rain, water temperature and pressure, plus what’s in season and where to try. The same report Reel Lucky members see on their dashboard.
Barely a breath of wind and a big 7 ft swell. Warmer water is pushing in, which can bring the pelagics closer. Spring firing up, with flathead waking up on the flats.
- Wind
- 3 kn W
- Light
- Swell
- 7 ft
- Big
- Water
- 19.7°
- Warming
- Tides
- Medium
- Waning crescent
On the bite
- SnapperAfter the south swellSydney Harbour · Botany Bay
- KingfishWarm water inSydney Harbour · Pittwater
- FlatheadBotany Bay · Pittwater
- BreamSydney Harbour · Botany Bay
- SquidSydney Harbour · Botany Bay
Turn today’s conditions into a plan
The report rates the day. A plan picks your spot, the tide window, the rig and the bait for when you’re actually free.
Build my first planFree for 7 days. Then $4.99 a month.
How the score works
Every session gets a score out of 100. There are two a day: first light (an hour before sunrise to three hours after) and the evening (three hours before sunset to an hour after). Seven things go into it:
| Factor | Points | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 26 | The biggest single factor. Light is best, and by 20 knots most water is hard work or worse. |
| Season | 22 | How good this time of year usually is in Sydney, from the local seasonal calendar. |
| Swell | 14 | Around a metre is ideal. Dead flat water is clear and shy, and a big sea closes the beaches. |
| Tides | 12 | The bigger tides around the new and full moon mean more current, and more feeding. |
| Rain | 10 | Heavy rain colours the water. Good for bream and mulloway, bad for squid. |
| Water temperature | 9 | A sudden drop over three days slows the bite. A warm push brings pelagics in. |
| Pressure | 7 | Falling ahead of a front tends to help. Rising hard behind one tends not to. |
Then anything dangerous or miserable caps the total: strong wind, big gusts, a huge sea or heavy rain during the session. A perfect-on-paper summer morning in a 30 knot gale still scores badly.
On the bite lists five species that suit the time of year and today’s conditions, with general areas to try. Ocean beaches and boat water drop off the list when the swell or wind is up, so a rough day points you to sheltered water. It never suggests rock ledges: whether a ledge is safe depends on that ledge on that tide.
The score rates conditions. It can’t promise fish, and nothing can.
This month in Sydney
Spring firing up, with flathead waking up on the flats.
Usually in season this month, with sheltered water to try:
- Flathead: Botany Bay, Pittwater
- Kingfish: Sydney Harbour, Pittwater
- Snapper: Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay
- Squid: Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay
- Bream: Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay
Questions
Is it a good day to go fishing in Sydney?
Check the score at the top of this page. It's worked out every half hour from the wind, swell, tides, rain, water temperature and pressure for the next session, and anything dangerous pulls it right down.
What's biting in Sydney right now?
The On the bite list shows five species that suit today's conditions and the time of year, with general areas to try. It moves with the weather: after rain, bream and mulloway rise up the list, and in a big swell the beach species drop off.
When is the best time to fish in Sydney today?
Whichever session the report scores higher: first light or the evening. Wind usually builds through the day, so the morning is often the better bet.
How is the fishing score calculated?
Wind is worth 26 points, season 22, swell 14, tides 12, rain 10, water temperature 9 and pressure 7. Strong wind, big gusts, a huge sea or heavy rain then cap the total. It rates conditions, not your catch.
How often is the Sydney fishing report updated?
Every half hour, from live forecast data for the harbour mouth and the open water off the Heads.