Don'tfishblind
FORECAST DECODER
BIGAME NEWS · RULES
EADAbu Dhabi recreational fishing licence: AED 120 a year or AED 30 a week, issued on TAMM. Holders must be 18 or older.EADProtected in Abu Dhabi: whales, dugongs, dolphins, all sharks and rays, sea turtles, parrotfish, yellowfin hind, red coral and Indo-Pacific sailfish.EADNo fishing in marked no-fishing zones, protected areas, navigation channels, under sea bridges, or near military, oil and residential sites.EADDaily limits, shore angler / boat: kingfish 3 / 12, orange-spotted grouper 2 / 8, cobia 5 / 20, blackspot snapper 10 / 40.EADCatch may not be sold or thrown away while sailing. Show your licence and catch when an inspector asks.EADSpearfishing from a boat: at least three licensed people on board and the international diving flag raised.UAEMinimum legal fish sizes follow Ministerial Resolution No. 580 of 2015.VISIT ABU DHABINylon fishing nets are prohibited. Emperor fish and rabbitfish are closed to fishing during their breeding seasons.VISIT ABU DHABIBest months are October and April for cooler water; fish early morning and late afternoon.DUBAIDubai recreational fishing licences are applied for online through Dubai Municipality: have your Emirates ID, a photo and your boat licence ready.
EADAbu Dhabi recreational fishing licence: AED 120 a year or AED 30 a week, issued on TAMM. Holders must be 18 or older.EADProtected in Abu Dhabi: whales, dugongs, dolphins, all sharks and rays, sea turtles, parrotfish, yellowfin hind, red coral and Indo-Pacific sailfish.EADNo fishing in marked no-fishing zones, protected areas, navigation channels, under sea bridges, or near military, oil and residential sites.EADDaily limits, shore angler / boat: kingfish 3 / 12, orange-spotted grouper 2 / 8, cobia 5 / 20, blackspot snapper 10 / 40.EADCatch may not be sold or thrown away while sailing. Show your licence and catch when an inspector asks.EADSpearfishing from a boat: at least three licensed people on board and the international diving flag raised.UAEMinimum legal fish sizes follow Ministerial Resolution No. 580 of 2015.VISIT ABU DHABINylon fishing nets are prohibited. Emperor fish and rabbitfish are closed to fishing during their breeding seasons.VISIT ABU DHABIBest months are October and April for cooler water; fish early morning and late afternoon.DUBAIDubai recreational fishing licences are applied for online through Dubai Municipality: have your Emirates ID, a photo and your boat licence ready.
ANGLER TIPS
After a cold snap, drop your bait lower and slow the retrieve.Best solunar days: about 3 days either side of the full and new moon.Grey sky? Switch to search baits: poppers, stickbaits, fast minnows.Bright sun and clear water: go natural colours and a lighter leader.Moving tide feeds fish. The hour around slack water is usually quiet.Wind against tide stacks up short, steep waves. Plan your run home.UAE summer: fish first light, then go deeper as the water heats up.Birds diving and bait jumping means tuna or queenfish on a school. Cast past it, never into it.Pressure falling slowly before a front often switches the bite on.Shamal day in the Gulf? The east coast is often the calmer option.Kill the engine early and drift onto your mark. Noise pushes fish off.Check the licence rules for the emirate before you wet a line.
After a cold snap, drop your bait lower and slow the retrieve.Best solunar days: about 3 days either side of the full and new moon.Grey sky? Switch to search baits: poppers, stickbaits, fast minnows.Bright sun and clear water: go natural colours and a lighter leader.Moving tide feeds fish. The hour around slack water is usually quiet.Wind against tide stacks up short, steep waves. Plan your run home.UAE summer: fish first light, then go deeper as the water heats up.Birds diving and bait jumping means tuna or queenfish on a school. Cast past it, never into it.Pressure falling slowly before a front often switches the bite on.Shamal day in the Gulf? The east coast is often the calmer option.Kill the engine early and drift onto your mark. Noise pushes fish off.Check the licence rules for the emirate before you wet a line.
FISHING FORECAST DECODER
Don't fish blind.
Know the conditions.
What the weather really means for your bite. Every card turns a forecast number into a decision: go, go carefully, or stay home.
Wind, in plain words
knots (kt) · 1 kt = 1.85 km/h0 to 7 ktGood to go3 kt is glassy water. Perfect for kayak, jet ski, popping and sight casting.
8 to 14 ktTake it easy11 kt puts a chop on. Fine for boats, kayaks stay close to shore and in the lee.
15 to 21 ktExperts onlyWhitecaps everywhere. Small craft stay in. Bigger boats fish sheltered water.
22 kt and upStay home28 kt is a shamal day. Rig your tackle, watch the videos, fish tomorrow.
YOUR CRAFTGOCAREFULSTAY IN
Shore / breakwater0 to 1516 to 2223+ or spray over rocks
Kayak0 to 89 to 1213+
Jet ski0 to 1011 to 1516+
Boat under 25 ft0 to 1213 to 1819+
Boat over 25 ft0 to 1516 to 2223+
Gusts count more than the average. Offshore wind blows you away from land: halve these numbers on a kayak.Learn more
Wave height
under 0.5 mFlat. Everyone goes, kayaks included.
0.5 to 1.0 mComfortable for boats. Kayak and jet ski: inshore only.
1.0 to 1.5 mBumpy. Boats only, short runs, jigging gets hard.
over 1.5 mStay home, or fish from a sheltered shore.
Watch the period too: Gulf waves are short and steep. 1 m at 4 seconds feels far worse than 1 m at 9 seconds.
Tide: moving water feeds fish
Most UAE coasts see two highs and two lows a day. Fish the green band: the two hours before and after the turn. Spring tides (new and full moon) run hardest; neap tides (quarter moons) are gentle. Creek mouths and channel edges fire on the falling tide as bait is pushed out. Abu Dhabi tide tables
1 inHg = 33.86 hPa
Barometric pressure
below 29.8 inHg
below 1009 hPaLow. Fish roam and feed more, often just before the weather turns. 29.9 to 30.1 inHg
1012 to 1019 hPaPrime bite zone. Stable, comfortable fish. above 30.2 inHg
above 1022 hPaHigh. Fish hunker down near structure. Slow down, fish deeper.
The trend beats the number. Slowly falling: bite switches on. Rising fast after a front: expect 24 to 48 quiet hours.
below 1009 hPaLow. Fish roam and feed more, often just before the weather turns. 29.9 to 30.1 inHg
1012 to 1019 hPaPrime bite zone. Stable, comfortable fish. above 30.2 inHg
above 1022 hPaHigh. Fish hunker down near structure. Slow down, fish deeper.
Temperature, for anglers
WARMING WATER
Fish move shallow and feed hard. Work flats, reef edges and breakwaters.
COLD FRONT
Fish get sluggish and sink deep. Slow jigs, bait on the bottom.
UAE SUMMER HEAT
Surface water passes 32°C. Fish first light and after dark, or go deep.
Gulf sea surface, typical yearabout 21°C winter · 33°C August
Tip: after a cold snap, drop your bait lower and slow your retrieve. After a hot spell, the first 90 minutes of light is worth the whole afternoon.
Moon phase
BEST: 3 DAYS BEFORE AND AFTER A FULL OR NEW MOONNewSubtle bites, cautious fish. Strong spring tides.
Waxing crescentStill in the window. Dawn bite strong.
First quarterNeap tides, gentle current. Good for kayaks.
Waxing gibbousBite builds toward full. Evenings improve.
FullNight feeders go wild. Days can be slower.
Waning gibbousLate-night moonrise. Early mornings fire.
Last quarterNeap again. Fish the tide changes hard.
Waning crescentEntering the new-moon window. Get ready.
Solunar majors last about 2 hours, when the moon is overhead or underfoot. Plan your best drift here.
Solunar minors last about 1 hour, at moonrise and moonset. A major that lands on sunrise is gold.
Full-moon nights: fish the day after with darker lures deeper down; fish fed all night. Solunar tables
Cloud and light
SUNNYFish hold tight to cover and shade. Natural colours, slower presentations.OVERCASTFish roam and chase. Cover water with poppers, stickbaits and fast minnows.GREY + RAINBright or dark silhouettes, noise and flash.
Learn more
Humidity and visibility
Humidity barely moves fish, but it makes fog. UAE winter mornings often bring dense coastal fog; shamal winds lift dust and haze.
over 5 kmClear run.1 to 5 kmSlow down, radar and AIS on.under 1 kmDo not run offshore.
Forecast guide (PDF)
Sun and UV
UV in the UAE sits at 10 and above for much of the year, and the water doubles it back at you.
UV 6 to 7UPF 50 shirt, cap, glasses.UV 8 to 10Add buff, gloves, wide hat.UV 11+Full cover, shade breaks, 1 L water per hour.
Hourly forecast
WHERE DOES YOUR DAY STAND?
Tick your conditions
BITE WINDOW
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Example: 30.0 inHg, warm front, overcast skies, waxing moon near full, tide running at dawn. All green means the bite window is ON.