Fishing Calendar for 2024

The Maori Fishing Calendar was, around the 1990s and 2000s our
publication, and researched what was previously a loose body of
knowledge, popularised by Bill Hohepa and handed down by some
tribes from generation to generation. Because of extensive tribal
conflicts, and differing traditions, it became just a general term.
With the coming of the internet, our calendars have appeared
online. This year again the reader will find not only the best bite
times for each day, but also which coast, west or east, to go to for best results each
day throughout 2024. The reasons are also given. There are tidal graphs at the end.

Contents

The Moon
Time of the month
Time of the day
Tides
Time of year
The weather
Universal fishing calendar
Basic chart
For Auckland, NZ, west or east coast
Best times of coasts
Charts of tides
The Moon
There are no perfect fishing spots. Good fishing depends on timing. The timing depends on
the Moon. It has less to do with tide times, and more to do with the Moon's position and
phase. The Moon exerts a gravitational pull on the land and the daily water tide is where water
levels end up when the land expands and contracts. The land tide holding the ocean, therefore
controls the sea tide.
The Moon affects currents, and together with tide times, currents become sea surface
currents which influence sea surface temperatures. These feed sea surface winds and become
air pressure zones. As currents influence wind, so the wind affects weather. The Moon's
closeness speeds the currents and exaggerates all the tides, in the air, sea and land. It is why
storms mostly arrive at kingtide times.

The Moon moves between latitudes returning to the same position every 27.3 days. This is
called the “declination” cycle. What latitude the Moon is at between its northern and
southern hemisphere peaks, influences the levels fish tend to feed at, be it bottom feeding,
mid ocean or surface feeding. When the moon is approaching southern declination, in the
southern hemisphere currents ascend in the ocean, and fishing is better near the surface, so
trolling and net fishing are favoured. Approaching northern declination it is better to chase
bottom feeders and the deeper species. Currents move faster when the moon is crossing the
equator, akin to the midpoint of a pendulum. Smaller fish travel in the safety of schools on
the faster currents, and their predators are more numerous at those times.

Fish are territorial. Small creatures work against tidal fluctuations in their environments to
stay where they are familiar, and this makes them use energy. This energy must be
replenished by food. It is why feeding times follow the orbits of the Moon. When the Moon is
full or new, there is more water coming in and tides are higher, it means faster flows and more
energy expended, more crud is floating around and churned out, which brings the curious
small creatures out to investigate. Bigger creatures come out to feed on the smaller ones, and
even bigger creatures come out to eat them. The result is a general feeding time which
translates into a best fishing and hunting time.

New moons in summer bring a different pattern to new moons in winter. The waters are
warmer around summer full moons and cooler around winter new moons. Waters are cooler
but new moon currents are stronger. On the way to the fishing grounds, check to see what
animals are eating. If cows are pulling grass, if dogs and cats are foraging, if birds are diving
into the sea, chances are that the fish will be biting also.

The Maori Fishing Calendar was essentially the same all over the world. A careful examination
of the Canadian Rockies Hunting Calendar, the traditional calendars in coastal Asian, Eastern
and African hunting and fishing-based cultures, and Australian Aboriginal folklore show the
same principles, adapted for each different set of geographical circumstances. It seems that
the world over, humans have long noticed that out in the wild, the Moon controls best food-
gathering times.

We can all fish around in the kitchen cupboard for a tin of sardines. But to get the real thing,
fresh, you might want to check out some basics. Fishing is what New Zealanders want to do
as soon as they see a piece of coastline. However just putting a line in the water can be a
waste of time if you don't know when and where to be.
The whole system repeats roughly every two weeks, just like tide times. What is true for the
west is mostly the same all the way down the west side of NZ, Wanganui, Westport, all the
way down to Bruce Bay, and it's the reverse on the other side of the country. What is for
Auckland is much the same for Tauranga and Wellington, and Christchurch and Timaru, with
local variations added, along with daylight saving adjustment when necessary.

Time-of-month
Fish bite best around full and new moons, and bite well but to a slightly lesser degree around
the first and last quarter phases. For best results, allow a day or so on either side of, and
including these phase positions. Also, fish tend to be out there in good numbers just before
bad weather. It is because sudden cooling of waters bring the bad weather conditions, and
fish eat to store energy; but they tend to be less interested in biting if the waters warm up.
They are curious creatures, which is why they are so attracted to jiggling bait on a hook. Be
wary of “perigee”, when the Moon is closest to earth in about 27 days, and embrace “apogee”,
which is when Moon is furthest away.

Fish either side of both perigee and apogee. Be mindful of these days for coastal fishing,
because over perigee (moon closest for month and time of most swell turbulance) the fish
won't come in close. Perhaps they get sand in their gills due to the action of the bigger waves.
Perigees send fish into deeper waters out at sea, so if fishing from a boat try longer traces
over perigee. Apogee can bring extreme calm or turbulence because the Moon is being acted
on the most by earth's gravity instead of the Moon as in perigee.

Time-of-day
The mid-moon is the best, when the Moon is in the sky over north or directly underfoot on
the opposite side of the earth. The second best time is when the Moon is on the horizon either
at moonrise or moonset. These positions slowly advance by approximately 48 minutes each
day. To find out these rise/set times, consult your local newspaper.

Tides
Tides only matter when they coincide with Moon positions. For instance, in Auckland's
Waitemata harbour, best fishing starts 4 hours after high tide (midmoon), and second best
starts 4-hrs after low tide (moon rise/set). On the Manukau, best time to start is 1 hr after
high tide (midmoon) and second; 1 hr after low tide (moon rise/set). But further down the
coast at Gisborne, best fishing time starts at low tide (midmoon) and lasts to one hour later,
with second best starting at high tide(moon rise/set) and finishing one hour later. Even further
south at Nelson, best fishing starts 1.5 hour after high tide (midmoon) while the second best
fishing hour of the day starts 1.5 hours after low tide.

Time-of-year
Some fish come into fresh water to spawn in particular months, for instance the kahawai in
February on the North Is. East Coast, which go up the warmer waters of the river outlets to
lay their eggs. After that they get into a feeding frenzy and the sea can boil with kahawai at
that time. Most coastal and inland fish have a season, for instance whitebait. Of course, one
should be there at that time. You would not go hunting rabbits if there were none around.
However, most fish in deep water are there throughout the year. Larger fish like marlin have
an approximately 19-year periodicity, due to the cycle of water temperatures.

Weather
Those who live or spend recreational time outside know that after a while one a of sixth sense
about changes either imminent or happening in the environment, just as a mechanic does
when listening to an engine. Familiarity breeds intuition. The sky 'speaks' to the trees and to
animals, the vegetation 'speaks' to the birds, the insects pick up on where their predators, like
birds, are likely to be.

Everything in nature is in some sort of intercommunication and operates in a series of waves

which we recognise as rhythms. People have known for thousands of years that these are
controlled for the most part by the Moon, which raises or lowers flexible fluids; water, air and
land. Most creatures are largely made up of water and have internal tides. What controls
weather and tides also controls us. Weather is as much tied to the Moon as are feeding cycles,
energy cycles, and other agricultural factors like ground saturation.

Watch the barometer. The best weather is just before the weather turns bad, when the
atmospheric pressure is dropping fast. But if you leave it too long, and the wind comes up,
and starts to get strong, the fish stop biting. Equally they don’t like currents or wind coming
from the east, where the water tends to be warmer. West is best, from the cooler southern
ocean.

UNIVERSAL FISHING CALENDAR

The calendar was called the Maori Fishing Calendar when early settlers were shown it, and in
NZ we still call it that because it was preserved in original form from whence it was brought
here, either from Asia or the Middle East. For many years famous fishing guru Bill Hohepa did
more to popularise the concept than anyone.

My own tutor was the late Herbie Careen, an elderly farming relative who fished almost every
day of his life at Tutekehua on the upper reaches of the Hokianga River. It was always a joy to
go fishing with him as he was a walking encyclopaedia. He has now passed but is not
forgotten.

The Calendar, also called the solunar calendar has been worked out averagely true to the
Moon's midmoon movement from day to day between latitudes 45N and 45S, where most of
the world's population lives. The reader may ask, how can that be, after all, the weather isn't
the same for all places. But the whole earth revolves under the Moon once every 24 hours.
That means the same phase of the Moon applies everywhere at local time.

On the night of the Full moon, at exactly midnight the Moon is sitting above due-north if you
are in the southern hemisphere, and over due-south if you are in the northern hemisphere.
This is the midmoon on that particular night, once used as a directional night compass for
travellers. If you knew the time and the date you could find north and south from it Every
other Moon phase is experienced the same way all over the world, local time.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10715245&pnum
=2
The following is the basic chart, and
the bite times, am and pm, that give
the best chances.
Basic
chart
2024 JAN 1st Mon 4.30 10.30
A 2024 JAN 2nd Tue 5.00 11.00
2024 JAN 3rd Wed 5.30 11.30
3Q XhS 2024 JAN 4th Thur 6.00 12.00
2024 JAN 5th Fri 7.00 1.00
2024 JAN 6th Sat 8.00 2.00
2024 JAN 7th Sun 9.00 3.00
2024 JAN 8th Mon 10.00 4.00
2024 JAN 9th Tue 11.00 5.00
2024 JAN 10th Wed 11.30 5.30
N V 2024 JAN 11th Thur 12.00 6.00
2024 JAN 12th Fri 1.00 7.00
P8 2024 JAN 13th Sat 2.00 8.00
2024 JAN 14th Sun 3.00 9.00
2024 JAN 15th Mon 4.00 10.00
2024 JAN 16th Tue 5.00 11.00
XhN 2024 JAN 17th Wed 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 JAN 18th Thur 6.00 12.00
2024 JAN 19th Fri 7.00 1.00
2024 JAN 20th Sat 8.00 2.00
2024 JAN 21st Sun 9.00 3.00
2024 JAN 22nd Mon 10.00 4.00
2024 JAN 23rd Tue 10.30 4.30
^ 2024 JAN 24th Wed 11.00 5.00
2024 JAN 25th Thur 11.30 5.30
F 2024 JAN 26th Fri 12.00 6.00
2024 JAN 27th Sat 12.30 6.30
2024 JAN 28th Sun 1.00 7.00
A 2024 JAN 29th Mon 2.00 8.00
2024 JAN 30th Tue 3.00 9.00
XhS 2024 JAN 31st Wed 4.00 10.00
2024 FEB 1st Thur 5.00 11.00
2024 FEB 2nd Fri 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 FEB 3rd Sat 6.00 12.00
2024 FEB 4th Sun 7.00 1.00
2024 FEB 5th Mon 8.00 2.00
2024 FEB 6th Tue 9.00 3.00
V 2024 FEB 7th Wed 10.00 4.00
2024 FEB 8th Thur 11.00 5.00
2024 FEB 9th Fri 11.30 5.30
N 2024 FEB 10th Sat 12.00 6.00
P4 2024 FEB 11th Sun 1.00 7.00
2024 FEB 12th Mon 2.00 8.00
XhN 2024 FEB 13th Tue 2.30 8.30
2024 FEB 14th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 FEB 15th Thur 4.00 10.00
2024 FEB 16th Fri 5.00 11.00
1Q 2024 FEB 17th Sat 6.00 12.00
2024 FEB 18th Sun 7.00 1.00
2024 FEB 19th Mon 7.30 1.30
^ 2024 FEB 20th Tue 8.00 2.00
2024 FEB 21st Wed 9.00 3.00
2024 FEB 22nd Thur 10.00 4.00
2024 FEB 23rd Fri 11.00 5.00
F 2024 FEB 24th Sat 12.00 6.00
 2024 FEB 25th Sun 12.30 6.30
A 2024 FEB 26th Mon 1.00 7.00
XhS 2024 FEB 27th Tue 2.00 8.00
2024 FEB 28th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 FEB 29th Thur 4.00 10.00
2024 MAR 1st Fri 4.30 10.30
2024 MAR 2nd Sat 5.00 11.00
2024 MAR 3rd Sun 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 MAR 4th Mon 6.00 12.00
2024 MAR 5th Tue 7.00 1.00
V 2024 MAR 6th Wed 8.00 2.00
2024 MAR 7th Thur 9.00 3.00
2024 MAR 8th Fri 10.00 4.00
2024 MAR 9th Sat 11.00 5.00
P1 N 2024 MAR 10th Sun 12.00 6.00
2024 MAR 11th Mon 1.00 7.00
XhN 2024 MAR 12th Tue 2.00 8.00
2024 MAR 13th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 MAR 14th Thur 4.00 10.00
2024 MAR 15th Fri 5.00 11.00
2024 MAR 16th Sat 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 MAR 17th Sun 6.00 12.00
^ 2024 MAR 18th Mon 7.00 1.00
2024 MAR 19th Tue 8.00 2.00
2024 MAR 20th Wed 9.00 3.00
2024 MAR 21st Thur 9.30 3.30
2024 MAR 22nd Fri 10.00 4.00
2024 MAR 23rd Sat 10.30 4.30
A 2024 MAR 24th Sun 11.00 5.00
F XhS 2024 MAR 25th Mon 12.00 6.00
2024 MAR 26th Tue 1.00 7.00
2024 MAR 27th Wed 2.00 8.00
2024 MAR 28th Thur 3.00 9.00
2024 MAR 29th Fri 4.00 10.00
2024 MAR 30th Sat 4.30 10.30
2024 MAR 31st Sun 5.00 11.00
2024 APR 1st Mon 5.30 11.30
3Q V 2024 APR 2nd Tue 6.00 12.00
2024 APR 3rd Wed 7.00 1.00
2024 APR 4th Thur 8.00 2.00
2024 APR 5th Fri 9.00 3.00
2024 APR 6th Sat 10.00 4.00
2024 APR 7th Sun 11.00 5.00
P5 XhN 2024 APR 8th Mon 11.30 5.30
N 2024 APR 9th Tue 12.00 6.00
2024 APR 10th Wed 1.00 7.00
2024 APR 11th Thur 2.00 8.00
2024 APR 12th Fri 3.00 9.00
2024 APR 13th Sat 4.00 10.00
^ 2024 APR 14th Sun 5.00 11.00
2024 APR 15th Mon 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 APR 16th Tue 6.00 12.00
2024 APR 17th Wed 7.00 1.00
2024 APR 18th Thur 8.00 2.00
 2024 APR 19th Fri 9.00 3.00
A 2024 APR 20th Sat 10.00 4.00
2024 APR 21st Sun 10.30 4.30
XhS 2024 APR 22nd Mon 11.00 5.00
2024 APR 23rd Tue 11.30 5.30
F 2024 APR 24th Wed 12.00 6.00
2024 APR 25th Thur 1.00 7.00
2024 APR 26th Fri 2.00 8.00
2024 APR 27th Sat 3.00 9.00
2024 APR 28th Sun 4.00 10.00
V 2024 APR 29th Mon 5.00 11.00
2024 APR 30th Tue 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 MAY 1st Wed 6.00 12.00
2024 MAY 2nd Thur 7.00 1.00
2024 MAY 3rd Fri 8.00 2.00
2024 MAY 4th Sat 9.00 3.00
2024 MAY 5th Sun 10.00 4.00
P9 XhN 2024 MAY 6th Mon 11.00 5.00
2024 MAY 7th Tue 11.30 5.30
N 2024 MAY 8th Wed 12.00 6.00
2024 MAY 9th Thur 1.00 7.00
2024 MAY 10th Fri 2.00 8.00
2024 MAY 11th Sat 3.00 9.00
2024 MAY 12th Sun 4.00 10.00
^ 2024 MAY 13th Mon 5.00 11.00
2024 MAY 14th Tue 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 MAY 15th Wed 6.00 12.00
2024 MAY 16th Thur 7.00 1.00
2024 MAY 17th Fri 8.00 2.00
A 2024 MAY 18th Sat 9.00 3.00
XhS 2024 MAY 19th Sun 9.30 3.30
2024 MAY 20th Mon 10.00 4.00
2024 MAY 21st Tue 10.30 4.30
2024 MAY 22nd Wed 11.00 5.00
2024 MAY 23rd Thur 11.30 5.30
F 2024 MAY 24th Fri 12.00 6.00
2024 MAY 25th Sat 1.00 7.00
V 2024 MAY 26th Sun 2.00 8.00
2024 MAY 27th Mon 3.00 9.00
2024 MAY 28th Tue 4.00 10.00
2024 MAY 29th Wed 5.00 11.00
2024 MAY 30th Thur 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 MAY 31st Fri 6.00 12.00
2024 JUN 1st Sat 7.00 1.00
P12 XhN 2024 JUN 2nd Sun 8.00 2.00
2024 JUN 3rd Mon 9.00 3.00
2024 JUN 4th Tue 10.00 4.00
2024 JUN 5th Wed 11.00 5.00
2024 JUN 6th Thur 11.30 5.30
N 2024 JUN 7th Fri 12.00 6.00
^ 2024 JUN 8th Sat 1.00 7.00
2024 JUN 9th Sun 2.00 8.00
2024 JUN 10th Mon 3.00 9.00
2024 JUN 11th Tue 4.00 10.00
 2024 JUN 12th Wed 5.00 11.00
2024 JUN 13th Thur 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 JUN 14th Fri 6.00 12.00
A XhS 2024 JUN 15th Sat 7.00 1.00
2024 JUN 16th Sun 8.00 2.00
2024 JUN 17th Mon 9.00 3.00
2024 JUN 18th Tue 10.00 4.00
2024 JUN 19th Wed 10.30 4.30
2024 JUN 20th Thur 11.00 5.00
2024 JUN 21st Fri 11.30 5.30
F 2024 JUN 22nd Sat 12.00 6.00
V 2024 JUN 23rd Sun 1.00 7.00
2024 JUN 24th Mon 2.00 8.00
2024 JUN 25th Tue 3.00 9.00
2024 JUN 26th Wed 4.00 10.00
P13 2024 JUN 27th Thur 5.00 11.00
2024 JUN 28th Fri 5.30 11.30
3Q XhN 2024 JUN 29th Sat 6.00 12.00
2024 JUN 30th Sun 7.00 1.00
2024 JUL 1st Mon 8.00 2.00
2024 JUL 2nd Tue 9.00 3.00
2024 JUL 3rd Wed 10.00 4.00
2024 JUL 4th Thur 11.00 5.00
2024 JUL 5th Fri 11.30 5.30
N ^ 2024 JUL 6th Sat 12.00 6.00
2024 JUL 7th Sun 1.00 7.00
2024 JUL 8th Mon 2.00 8.00
2024 JUL 9th Tue 3.00 9.00
2024 JUL 10th Wed 4.00 10.00
2024 JUL 11th Thur 4.30 10.30
A 2024 JUL 12th Fri 5.00 11.00
XhS 2024 JUL 13th Sat 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 JUL 14th Sun 6.00 12.00
2024 JUL 15th Mon 7.00 1.00
2024 JUL 16th Tue 8.00 2.00
2024 JUL 17th Wed 9.00 3.00
2024 JUL 18th Thur 10.00 4.00
2024 JUL 19th Fri 11.00 5.00
V 2024 JUL 20th Sat 11.30 5.30
F 2024 JUL 21st Sun 12.00 6.00
2024 JUL 22nd Mon 1.00 7.00
2024 JUL 23rd Tue 2.00 8.00
P10 2024 JUL 24th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 JUL 25th Thur 4.00 10.00
XhN 2024 JUL 26th Fri 5.00 11.00
2024 JUL 27th Sat 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 JUL 28th Sun 6.00 12.00
2024 JUL 29th Mon 7.00 1.00
2024 JUL 30th Tue 8.00 2.00
2024 JUL 31st Wed 9.00 3.00
2024 AUG 1st Thur 10.00 4.00
^ 2024 AUG 2nd Fri 11.00 5.00
2024 AUG 3rd Sat 11.30 5.30
N 2024 AUG 4th Sun 12.00 6.00
 2024 AUG 5th Mon 1.00 7.00
2024 AUG 6th Tue 2.00 8.00
2024 AUG 7th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 AUG 8th Thur 3.30 9.30
A XhS 2024 AUG 9th Fri 4.00 10.00
2024 AUG 10th Sat 4.30 10.30
2024 AUG 11th Sun 5.00 11.00
2024 AUG 12th Mon 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 AUG 13th Tue 6.00 12.00
2024 AUG 14th Wed 7.00 1.00
2024 AUG 15th Thur 8.00 2.00
V 2024 AUG 16th Fri 9.00 3.00
2024 AUG 17th Sat 10.00 4.00
2024 AUG 18th Sun 11.00 5.00
2024 AUG 19th Mon 11.30 5.30
F 2024 AUG 20th Tue 12.00 6.00
P7 2024 AUG 21st Wed 1.00 7.00
2024 AUG 22nd Thur 2.00 8.00
XhN 2024 AUG 23rd Fri 3.00 9.00
2024 AUG 24th Sat 4.00 10.00
2024 AUG 25th Sun 5.00 11.00
3Q 2024 AUG 26th Mon 6.00 12.00
2024 AUG 27th Tue 7.00 1.00
2024 AUG 28th Wed 8.00 2.00
^ 2024 AUG 29th Thur 9.00 3.00
2024 AUG 30th Fri 10.00 4.00
2024 AUG 31st Sat 10.30 4.30
2024 SEP 1st Sun 11.00 5.00
2024 SEP 2nd Mon 11.30 5.30
N 2024 SEP 3rd Tue 12.00 6.00
2024 SEP 4th Wed 1.00 7.00
XhS 2024 SEP 5th Thur 2.00 8.00
A 2024 SEP 6th Fri 3.00 9.00
2024 SEP 7th Sat 4.00 10.00
2024 SEP 8th Sun 4.30 10.30
2024 SEP 9th Mon 5.00 11.00
2024 SEP 10th Tue 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 SEP 11th Wed 6.00 12.00
2024 SEP 12th Thur 7.00 1.00
V 2024 SEP 13th Fri 8.00 2.00
2024 SEP 14th Sat 9.00 3.00
2024 SEP 15th Sun 10.00 4.00
2024 SEP 16th Mon 11.00 5.00
2024 SEP 17th Tue 11.30 5.30
F 2024 SEP 18th Wed 12.00 6.00
P3 XhN 2024 SEP 19th Thur 1.00 7.00
2024 SEP 20th Fri 2.00 8.00
2024 SEP 21st Sat 3.00 9.00
2024 SEP 22nd Sun 4.00 10.00
2024 SEP 23rd Mon 5.00 11.00
2024 SEP 24th Tue 5.30 11.30
3Q ^ 2024 SEP 25th Wed 6.00 12.00
2024 SEP 26th Thur 7.00 1.00
2024 SEP 27th Fri 8.00 2.00
 2024 SEP 28th Sat 9.00 3.00
2024 SEP 29th Sun 10.00 4.00
2024 SEP 30th Mon 10.30 4.30
2024 OCT 1st Tue 11.00 5.00
XhS 2024 OCT 2nd Wed 11.30 5.30
A N 2024 OCT 3rd Thur 12.00 6.00
2024 OCT 4th Fri 1.00 7.00
2024 OCT 5th Sat 2.00 8.00
2024 OCT 6th Sun 3.00 9.00
2024 OCT 7th Mon 4.00 10.00
2024 OCT 8th Tue 4.30 10.30
2024 OCT 9th Wed 5.00 11.00
2024 OCT 10th Thur 5.30 11.30
1Q V 2024 OCT 11th Fri 6.00 12.00
2024 OCT 12th Sat 7.00 1.00
2024 OCT 13th Sun 8.00 2.00
2024 OCT 14th Mon 9.00 3.00
2024 OCT 15th Tue 10.00 4.00
2024 OCT 16th Wed 11.00 5.00
P2 F XhN 2024 OCT 17th Thur 12.00 6.00
2024 OCT 18th Fri 1.00 7.00
2024 OCT 19th Sat 2.00 8.00
2024 OCT 20th Sun 3.00 9.00
2024 OCT 21st Mon 4.00 10.00
2024 OCT 22nd Tue 5.00 11.00
^ 2024 OCT 23rd Wed 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 OCT 24th Thur 6.00 12.00
2024 OCT 25th Fri 7.00 1.00
2024 OCT 26th Sat 8.00 2.00
2024 OCT 27th Sun 9.00 3.00
2024 OCT 28th Mon 9.30 3.30
2024 OCT 29th Tue 10.00 4.00
A XhS 2024 OCT 30th Wed 10.30 4.30
2024 OCT 31st Thur 11.00 5.00
2024 NOV 1st Fri 11.30 5.30
N 2024 NOV 2nd Sat 12.00 6.00
2024 NOV 3rd Sun 1.00 7.00
2024 NOV 4th Mon 2.00 8.00
2024 NOV 5th Tue 3.00 9.00
V 2024 NOV 6th Wed 4.00 10.00
2024 NOV 7th Thur 5.00 11.00
2024 NOV 8th Fri 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 NOV 9th Sat 6.00 12.00
2024 NOV 10th Sun 7.00 1.00
2024 NOV 11th Mon 8.00 2.00
2024 NOV 12th Tue 9.00 3.00
 XhN 2024 NOV 13th Wed 10.00 4.00
P6 2024 NOV 14th Thur 11.00 5.00
2024 NOV 15th Fri 11.30 5.30
F 2024 NOV 16th Sat 12.00 6.00
2024 NOV 17th Sun 1.00 7.00
2024 NOV 18th Mon 2.00 8.00
^ 2024 NOV 19th Tue 3.00 9.00
2024 NOV 20th Wed 4.00 10.00
2024 NOV 21st Thur 5.00 11.00
2024 NOV 22nd Fri 5.30 11.30
3Q 2024 NOV 23rd Sat 6.00 12.00
2024 NOV 24th Sun 7.00 1.00
2024 NOV 25th Mon 8.00 2.00
A XhS 2024 NOV 26th Tue 9.00 3.00
2024 NOV 27th Wed 10.00 4.00
2024 NOV 28th Thur 10.30 4.30
2024 NOV 29th Fri 11.00 5.00
2024 NOV 30th Sat 11.30 5.30
N 2024 DEC 1st Sun 12.00 6.00
2024 DEC 2nd Mon 1.00 7.00
V 2024 DEC 3rd Tue 2.00 8.00
2024 DEC 4th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 DEC 5th Thur 4.00 10.00
2024 DEC 6th Fri 4.30 10.30
2024 DEC 7th Sat 5.00 11.00
2024 DEC 8th Sun 5.30 11.30
1Q 2024 DEC 9th Mon 6.00 12.00
XhN 2024 DEC 10th Tue 7.00 1.00
2024 DEC 11th Wed 8.00 2.00
2024 DEC 12th Thur 9.00 3.00
P11 2024 DEC 13th Fri 10.00 4.00
2024 DEC 14th Sat 11.00 5.00
F 2024 DEC 15th Sun 12.00 6.00
^ 2024 DEC 16th Mon 1.00 7.00
2024 DEC 17th Tue 2.00 8.00
2024 DEC 18th Wed 3.00 9.00
2024 DEC 19th Thur 4.00 10.00
2024 DEC 20th Fri 4.30 10.30
2024 DEC 21st Sat 5.00 11.00
2024 DEC 22nd Sun 5.30 11.30
3Q XhS 2024 DEC 23rd Mon 6.00 12.00
A 2024 DEC 24th Tue 7.00 1.00
2024 DEC 25th Wed 8.00 2.00
2024 DEC 26th Thur 9.00 3.00
2024 DEC 27th Fri 10.00 4.00
2024 DEC 28th Sat 10.30 4.30
2024 DEC 29th Sun 11.00 5.00
2024 DEC 30th Mon 11.30 5.30
N V 2024 DEC 31st Tue 12.00 6.00
Moon clocks
In each case the more settled period, weather-wise, is 2-6, and the most potentially
unsettled is 8-2. It does not matter exactly when the sea tides occur, and although they are
tiny and specific, the true tide is the one of the incredibly large atmospheric interplay
between thousands of miles of ocean, and thousands of miles of the air, that answers to the
moon. That can only be changed by extraterrestrial forces, operating on a vast scale, and not
by man.

For Auckland, NZ, west or east coast?

Hints on best bite times, am and pm, according to the
moon.
New moon
12 and 6, gives us lunchtime, as the best in the west, and secondarily in the east on the
incoming morning and evening tide until about 7pm. It makes good fishing as fish feed more
on the incoming tide. In the east the tide will be half out at lunchtime and going down fast.

Between NM and 1st Quarter

3 and 9, that's am and pm, and as to which harbour in Auckland, probably it's 9am in the
east because the water is incoming on the Waitemata Harbour and the fish get active, with
high tide at 11am. Low tide on the Waitemata is 5pm so the 3pm tide is getting a bit late. So,
morning on the Waitemata is fine but not the afternoon. On the Manukau it's the reverse,
morning low tide, so no point going out in morning. But with high tide at 2pm it means the
3pm slot could be on the Manukau's outgoing tide. It means Waitemata before lunch and
Manukau mid- afternoon and you'll be hitting it exactly right. We're lucky in Auckland to
have two harbour options to choose from. So, fishing will be best on the east just after lunch
or just before dinnertime on the west.

1st Quarter
6 and 12 means morning in the west on the outgoing tide and until about 9am, and
afternoon in the west around 2pm on the next incoming tide. If you're fishing in the east,
then best time is just after lunch around 2pm which will be full tide. So, you have two
chances on the Manukau and the rest of the west but only one time on the east side of the
country.

Between 1st Quarter-FM

9 and 3, that's both am and pm, which means morning in the west on the outgoing tide and
until about 10am, and afternoon in the east just before and leading up to full tide. On the
Waitemata the low tide is just after 11am at this lunar phase so really the afternoon is better
in the east as the tide is coming up to full. Small variations of course, but basically, morning
fishing on the west coast and afternoon fishing on the east coast.

Full moon
12 and 6, means in the west around lunchtime just after high tide, so once today in the west.
In the east it's good around 6pm, coming up to their high tide, because around lunchtime
will be the low tide on the east coast, which means much less water in and the fish are
resting. So it's the west just after lunch, and the east the dawn hours and around dinner
time for best fishing. With the full moon we get a king tide, meaning greater energies by the
fish which must be replenished, so fishing picks up. Full moon king tides in summer months
bring warmer sea surface temperatures, which lead to more rain, warmer temperatures and
sometimes a stronger cyclone season.

Between FM-Last Quarter

3 and 9, am and pm means best is in the west just after the early afternoon high tide, and
secondarily in the east at 9 on the incoming morning and evening tides. It means two fishing
chances on the east, but the catch may be less.

Last Quarter
6 and 12 bite times mean in the west at dawn on the outgoing tide and again in the evening
after the full tide. In the east, fishing is best around lunchtime on the incoming tide, because
around 6pm the tides may be too low, which means difficulty launching the boat. So there
are two chances today in the west.

Between Last Quarter and NM

9 and 3 bite times mean that on the Waitemata it'll be nearly low tide at 9am, so nothing
much will be biting then. But 3pm will be almost high tide there, so the afternoon is the time
to fish in the east. In the west the outgoing tide e.g. in the Manukau is at around 9am, so
that's fine, and the outgoing evening tide around 9pm. So that means only afternoon hours
on the Auckland harbour side and the Hauraki Gulf.

Best times of coasts

The bite times are in two categories; best and second best.
Figures are hours am and pm, but need adjusting for daylight saving. For example 3.3 means
3.30am and 3.30pm.

To read the chart, on 1 January the best fishing times would be around 4.30am and pm in
the west, and 10.30am and pm in the east (adjust for daylight saving) However chances on
that day are only average.

The first excellent day of the year is 8 January around lunchtime in the west on the outgoing
tide, and then the dusk in the east on the incoming tide.

On 11 March and 10 April (at low tide) are the best days this year for diving.

Tidal variation is similar all the way down the west side of NZ, Wanganui, Westport, and to
Bruce Bay, and it's the reverse on the other side of the country. What is for Auckland is
much the same for Tauranga and Wellington, Christchurch and Timaru, with local variations
added. Variations in tidal times are dependent on the shape of the coastline.

Abbreviations for moon:

1stQ = day of first quarter phase,
3rd = day of last quarter phase,
P = perigee, moon closest to earth for 27.5-day month, (e.g. P#4=fourth closest for the year),
A = apogee, moon furthest from earth for 27.5-day month
XhS = moon crossing equator heading south, for the 27.3-day declination cycle of the moon
changing hemispheres
XhN =moon crossing equator heading north, for the 27.3-day declination cycle of the moon
changing hemispheres
^ = northern declination, moon furthest north in declination cycle
V = southern declination, moon furthest south in declination cycle
Tides 2024 (Cornwallis)
For further queries, email [email protected]

© Ken Ring 2023