CatchWindow fishing intelligence

The Battery, NY Daily Water Report — August 28, 2026

Let's cut straight to it: Saturday delivers an excellent day for flat-water boating and paddling, good potential for divers, but only so-so conditions for fishermen and surfers. The biggest asset today is the wind. A light, steady northerly breeze holding mostly between two and five knots keeps the harbor surface predominantly calm through the afternoon, with wave heights barely scraping a quarter meter. That’s why kayakers and boaters earn scores of 8.4 and 8.3, respectively—well above what we saw for paddlers on Wednesday or Friday. The calmset window arrives near 7:00 PM, when the representative wave height hovers around 0.2 meters. For divers, the surface conditions are favorable and water temperature sits at 24.4°C, about a degree warmer than average for late August. The trade-off is the chlorophyll reading—very high at nearly 10 mg/m³, which suggests a bloom that may reduce underwater visibility despite the glassy surface. That keeps the diving score at a solid 7.6, identical to every day this past week, but note it’s more about conditions above than below. Surfers won’t find much; a 4.5 rating with a short-period swell under four seconds and zero wind-wave energy isn't worth the drive. Fisherman should temper expectations. The solunar timing is decent—morning minor peak at 6:27 AM and the major period stretching toward 1:00 PM—but the high barometric pressure and very high chlorophyll readings contribute to a middling 6.6 score, identical to yesterday. It’s not a washout, but it’s not the 6.9 we saw Thursday, either. Plan around the incoming tide between the low at 3:19 PM and the high at 9:08 PM if you’re wetting a line. Sunday looks similar, maybe even calmer on the wave front, with no rain expected and slightly warmer air. Monday brings a chance of showers and a bit more wind, but nothing disruptive. The best bet for this report period is clear: grab a kayak or small boat this afternoon and enjoy the quietest harbor surface you’ll see this week.