Sea surface temperature guide
Wahoo sea surface temperature guide.
- Acanthocybium solandri
- Pelagic
- Agency-reported threshold data
Wahoo are temperature-break specialists — they hunt where two water masses meet. They tolerate a wider SST range than mahi but key on the edge itself, not just the absolute temperature.
SST threshold gauge
The temperature ranges that matter.
The water temperature ranges that determine where wahoo hold and feed. Hard thresholds (dashed lines) are values outside which fish actively depart or become inactive.
Depth profile & SST reliability
Typical depth
30–600 feet
SST as locator
Moderate — SST is a partial signal
Wahoo feed throughout the water column and frequently suspend deep in the warm side of the thermocline. Surface SST is a partial signal — also study sub-surface temperature charts when available.
Current systems & structure
Wahoo hunt aggressively at temperature breaks where bait concentrates. They're less tied to weed lines than mahi but follow the same warm-water edges.
Best zones now
Where wahoo are in range — June.
Zones where typical June SST falls in wahoo's preferred range.
- Mid-AtlanticNorfolk & Washington CanyonsTypical SST: 68–78°F
- Mid-AtlanticCape Hatteras & Point OffshoreTypical SST: 74–82°F
- South AtlanticOnslow Bay & Morehead City OffshoreTypical SST: 74–82°F
- South AtlanticLong Bay & Myrtle Beach OffshoreTypical SST: 76–84°F
- South AtlanticCharleston Offshore & Georgia BightTypical SST: 78–84°F
- South AtlanticNortheast Florida Offshore & St. AugustineTypical SST: 80–84°F
- South AtlanticSoutheast Florida Gulf Stream AccessTypical SST: 80–84°F
- Gulf of MexicoFlorida Middle Grounds & Tampa OffshoreTypical SST: 80–84°F
- Gulf of MexicoDestin & Pensacola OffshoreTypical SST: 80–84°F
- Gulf of MexicoAlabama & Mississippi Canyon OffshoreTypical SST: 80–84°F
- Gulf of MexicoLouisiana Deepwater & RigsTypical SST: 80–84°F
- Gulf of MexicoTexas Offshore & Flower Garden BanksTypical SST: 80–84°F
Zone-by-zone calendar
Overlap charts by zone.
For each zone where wahoo are present, the chart overlays the zone's typical monthly SST range with the species' preferred and optimal ranges. Months where the bands overlap are when fish are in range.
Mid-Atlantic
Best months
July, August
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44–52°F | Outside |
| Feb | 44–50°F | Outside |
| Mar | 44–52°F | Outside |
| Apr | 46–56°F | Outside |
| May | 54–64°F | Outside |
| Junnow | 62–72°F | Fishable |
| Jul | 68–78°F | Peak |
| Aug | 70–80°F | Peak |
| Sep | 66–74°F | Fishable |
| Oct | 58–66°F | Outside |
| Nov | 52–60°F | Outside |
| Dec | 46–54°F | Outside |
Best months
July, August
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46–54°F | Outside |
| Feb | 46–54°F | Outside |
| Mar | 48–56°F | Outside |
| Apr | 50–60°F | Outside |
| May | 56–66°F | Outside |
| Junnow | 64–74°F | Fishable |
| Jul | 70–80°F | Peak |
| Aug | 72–82°F | Peak |
| Sep | 68–76°F | Fishable |
| Oct | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Nov | 54–62°F | Outside |
| Dec | 48–56°F | Outside |
Best months
June, July, August, September
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48–58°F | Outside |
| Feb | 48–56°F | Outside |
| Mar | 50–60°F | Outside |
| Apr | 54–64°F | Outside |
| May | 60–70°F | Outside |
| Junnow | 68–78°F | Peak |
| Jul | 72–82°F | Peak |
| Aug | 74–84°F | Peak |
| Sep | 70–80°F | Peak |
| Oct | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Nov | 56–64°F | Outside |
| Dec | 50–60°F | Outside |
Best months
June, July, August, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58–66°F | Outside |
| Feb | 56–64°F | Outside |
| Mar | 58–66°F | Outside |
| Apr | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| May | 68–76°F | Fishable |
| Junnow | 74–82°F | Peak |
| Jul | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Aug | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Sep | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Oct | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Nov | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 60–68°F | Outside |
South Atlantic
Best months
May, June, July, August, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58–66°F | Outside |
| Feb | 56–64°F | Outside |
| Mar | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Apr | 66–74°F | Fishable |
| May | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 74–82°F | Peak |
| Jul | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Aug | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Sep | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Oct | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Nov | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 60–68°F | Outside |
Best months
May, June, July, August, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Feb | 58–66°F | Outside |
| Mar | 62–70°F | Outside |
| Apr | 68–76°F | Fishable |
| May | 72–80°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 76–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 80–86°F | Peak |
| Aug | 80–86°F | Peak |
| Sep | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 72–80°F | Peak |
| Nov | 66–74°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 62–70°F | Outside |
Best months
May, June, July, August, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62–70°F | Outside |
| Feb | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Mar | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Apr | 70–76°F | Fishable |
| May | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 80–86°F | Peak |
| Aug | 80–86°F | Peak |
| Sep | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Nov | 68–76°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 64–72°F | Fishable |
Best months
April, May, June, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Feb | 64–70°F | Outside |
| Mar | 66–74°F | Fishable |
| Apr | 72–78°F | Peak |
| May | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Aug | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Sep | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Nov | 70–76°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 66–72°F | Fishable |
Best months
January, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72–78°F | Peak |
| Feb | 72–76°F | Fishable |
| Mar | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Apr | 76–80°F | Peak |
| May | 78–82°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Aug | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Sep | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 78–82°F | Peak |
| Nov | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Dec | 72–78°F | Peak |
Gulf of Mexico
Best months
May, June, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Feb | 60–66°F | Outside |
| Mar | 62–70°F | Outside |
| Apr | 70–76°F | Fishable |
| May | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Aug | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Sep | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Nov | 68–76°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 62–70°F | Outside |
Best months
April, May, June, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Feb | 60–66°F | Outside |
| Mar | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Apr | 70–78°F | Peak |
| May | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Aug | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Sep | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 72–78°F | Peak |
| Nov | 66–74°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 62–70°F | Outside |
Best months
April, May, June, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62–70°F | Outside |
| Feb | 62–68°F | Outside |
| Mar | 66–72°F | Fishable |
| Apr | 72–80°F | Peak |
| May | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Aug | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Sep | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 74–80°F | Peak |
| Nov | 68–76°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 64–72°F | Fishable |
Best months
April, May, June, September, October, November
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Feb | 64–70°F | Outside |
| Mar | 68–74°F | Fishable |
| Apr | 72–78°F | Peak |
| May | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Aug | 82–86°F | Fishable |
| Sep | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Nov | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Dec | 66–74°F | Fishable |
Best months
April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Feb | 64–70°F | Outside |
| Mar | 68–74°F | Fishable |
| Apr | 72–78°F | Peak |
| May | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Junnow | 80–84°F | Peak |
| Jul | 80–86°F | Peak |
| Aug | 80–86°F | Peak |
| Sep | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Oct | 74–82°F | Peak |
| Nov | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Dec | 66–74°F | Fishable |
Conservation & regulations
NOAA / SAFMC / GMFMC
Stable. Federally managed. Bag limit two per angler in most South Atlantic waters; verify current rule.
Stock assessment source →Troll high-speed planers and Yo-Zuri Bonitas at 13–18 knots through the warm side of a temperature break. Best windows are sunrise and sunset on a moving tide. Wahoo congregate on full moons in some regions.
Sources
SST threshold data is summarized from agency and research sources. Year-to-year ocean conditions vary; verify current SST imagery before each trip.
See live SST for your offshore zone.
Bield: Fish overlays NOAA CoastWatch SST imagery on your chartplotter view, highlights the temperature breaks that match wahoo thresholds, and alerts you when your home zone hits the 75–82°F window.
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