Santa Cruz Tide Charts & Fishing
Thursday, September 17 · NOAA station 9413745 (Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay)
Tides live · forecast as of 6:30 AM PT
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
3.3 ft
▼ Falling · 0.1 ft/hr
Next high
2:53 PM
4.7 ft · in 8h 23m
Next low
8:04 AM
3.2 ft · in 1h 34m
Wind
3 mph ESE
Calm
Fishing score
60 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sep 17 | High | 5:10 AM | 3.3 ft |
| Thu, Sep 17 | Low | 8:04 AM | 3.2 ft |
| Thu, Sep 17 | High | 2:53 PM | 4.7 ft |
| Thu, Sep 17 | Low | 10:56 PM | 0.9 ft |
| Fri, Sep 18 | High | 7:11 AM | 3.4 ft |
| Fri, Sep 18 | Low | 9:11 AM | 3.4 ft |
| Fri, Sep 18 | High | 4:00 PM | 4.6 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Santa Cruz
Today in Santa Cruz, high tide arrives at 5:10 AM (3.3 ft) and again at 2:53 PM (4.7 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 8:04 AM (3.2 ft) and again at 10:56 PM (0.9 ft). That's a 3.8-foot swing — a solid mid-size swing with reliable current on each side of the extremes.
The sun rises at 6:52 AM and sets at 7:12 PM, under a first quarter (33% illuminated). With the moon near a quarter phase, tidal movement is on the mild side this week.
Tomorrow starts with a high tide at 7:11 AM (3.4 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
60/ 100
Best windows today
- 5:30 AM – 7:30 AMGood
- 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMVery Good
outgoing tide · dusk bite window
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 6:52 AM
- Sunset
- 7:12 PM
First Quarter
33% illuminated
Neap tides — gentler water movement. Fish the dawn and dusk windows.
Conditions
58°F
Overcast
- Wind
- 3 mph ESEgusts 5
- Waves
- 3.3 ft @ 10s
- Water temp
- 62°F
Calm — Glass — perfect for topwater
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
67° / 56°
Very Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Fri, Sep 18
72° / 54°
Very Good
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Sat, Sep 19
71° / 59°
Very Good
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Sun, Sep 20
70° / 57°
Very Good
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Mon, Sep 21
68° / 58°
Very Good
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Tue, Sep 22
66° / 57°
Very Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Wed, Sep 23
74° / 61°
Excellent
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
What's Biting at Santa Cruz
Activity ratings reflect typical feeding seasons — not legal seasons. Regulations, closures, and size/bag limits change; always check current CDFW regulations before keeping any fish.
California Halibut
Paralichthys californicus
Season: April – September
Baits: Live anchovies, Swimbaits, Hair raisers
Drag baits slowly along sandy bottom near structure edges. Slow retrieve — halibut ambush from below.
Rockfish
Sebastes spp.
Season: April – December (check regs)
Baits: Shrimp flies, Metal jigs, Squid strips
Fish vertically over reef and kelp. Keep the bait just off bottom to dodge snags and hook quality grade.
Lingcod
Ophiodon elongatus
Season: April – November
Baits: Large swimbaits, Metal jigs, Live mackerel
Big baits, rocky bottom, and patience. Lings follow hooked fish up — keep a net ready at the surface.
Barred Surfperch
Amphistichus argenteus
Season: Year-round, best in winter–spring
Baits: Sand crabs, Gulp! sandworms, Motor oil grubs
Carolina rig in the first trough behind the shorebreak. Follow the tide in — perch feed where sand crabs wash out.
White Seabass
Atractoscion nobilis
Season: March – July
Baits: Live squid, Big swimbaits, Iron jigs
Find the squid, find the seabass. Fish structure and kelp edges at dawn, gray light, and tide swings.
Gear for These Conditions
TheAnglerStore →Matched to the species feeding at Santa Cruz right now.
Rod & Reel Combos
Daiwa D-Wave Saltwater Spinning Combo — 8 ft, 2-Piece Medium
Eight feet is the honest middle: long enough to keep line above the wash on a gentle beach, short enough to fish from a pier or a boat without apologising to anyone.
$59.99Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Line & Leader
Sufix 832 Advanced Superline Braid — 20 lb, 300 yd
Seven HMPE fibers plus one GORE Performance Fiber, braided at 32 picks per inch. The GORE fiber is what makes this line quiet through the guides and stubborn…
$34.99Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Terminal Tackle
Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Offset Circle Sea Hook — 4/0, 50-Pack
The circle hook does the work for you: no strike, just let the rod load and the hook finds the corner of the jaw on its own.
$15.97Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Terminal Tackle
MO's Bank Sinkers — 4 oz, 20-Pack
Four ounces is the weight most 9 to 11 foot surf rods are built to throw, and the one to reach for when the water is moving hard enough that a 3 oz starts walking.
$32.99Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Santa Cruz Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Santa Cruz today?
High tide in Santa Cruz today is at 5:10 AM (3.3 ft) and again at 2:53 PM (4.7 ft), measured at NOAA station 9413745 (Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay).
›What time is low tide in Santa Cruz today?
Low tide in Santa Cruz today is at 8:04 AM (3.2 ft) and again at 10:56 PM (0.9 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Santa Cruz today?
Today's best fishing window at Santa Cruz is 6:00 PM–8:00 PM (rated Very Good, 77/100), driven by outgoing tide, dusk bite window. The score blends tide movement, dawn/dusk light, moon phase, wind, and water temperature.
›What fish are biting in Santa Cruz in September?
In September, the most active species at Santa Cruz are California Halibut, Rockfish, Lingcod. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›How accurate is this Santa Cruz tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 9413745 (Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay) and are the same data used in official tide tables. Actual water levels can vary with storms and barometric pressure, so treat predictions as planning guidance, not navigation data.
About Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz fishes the sheltered north corner of Monterey Bay. The municipal wharf is a family favorite for mackerel and perch, kelp beds off Lighthouse Point hold kelp bass and rockfish, and live-bait drifts on the flats produce quality halibut all summer.