Atlantic Bluefin Tuna water temperature at Gulf of Maine & Stellwagen Bank.
Typical May SST in Gulf of Maine & Stellwagen Bank is 46–56°F. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna prefer 50–75°F with peak activity in 59–72°F.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna SST threshold
Year-round overlap with Gulf of Maine & Stellwagen Bank SST
Where the Gulf of Maine & Stellwagen Bank typical monthly SST band overlaps with atlantic bluefin tuna's preferred and optimal ranges, the species is in range.
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38–44°F | Outside |
| Feb | 38–44°F | Outside |
| Mar | 40–46°F | Outside |
| Apr | 42–50°F | Outside |
| Maynow | 46–56°F | Fishable |
| Jun | 54–64°F | Peak |
| Jul | 58–66°F | Peak |
| Aug | 60–68°F | Peak |
| Sep | 58–66°F | Peak |
| Oct | 52–60°F | Fishable |
| Nov | 46–54°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 40–48°F | Outside |
June, July, August, September
Spring bluefin chase sand eels, butterfish, and herring in the 50–62°F band. Troll Rapalas and stickbaits along temperature breaks. Summer fishing focuses on canyon edges and chunking butterfish on the warm-cool boundary.
These ranges are climatological norms. Actual SST varies year over year — get an SST satellite shot the day before you run.
Live SST imagery for Gulf of Maine & Stellwagen Bank.
Bield: Fish overlays current NOAA CoastWatch SST onto your chartplotter view and alerts you when Gulf of Maine & Stellwagen Bank hits atlantic bluefin tuna's optimal 59–72°F window.