Fort Matanzas Tide Charts & Fishing
Tuesday, September 29 · NOAA station 8720686 (Fort Matanzas, Matanzas River, ICWW)
Tides live · forecast as of 1:04 PM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
4.2 ft
▼ Falling · 0.7 ft/hr
Next high
11:44 PM
4.2 ft · in 10h 40m
Next low
6:11 PM
0.7 ft · in 5h 7m
Wind
12 mph E
Moderate breeze
Fishing score
64 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 5:33 AM | 0.2 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 11:22 AM | 4.8 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 6:11 PM | 0.7 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 11:44 PM | 4.2 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 6:18 AM | 0.3 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | High | 12:13 PM | 4.8 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 7:03 PM | 0.9 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Fort Matanzas
Today in Fort Matanzas, high tide arrives at 11:22 AM (4.8 ft) and again at 11:44 PM (4.2 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 5:33 AM (0.2 ft) and again at 6:11 PM (0.7 ft). That's a 4.6-foot swing — a solid mid-size swing with reliable current on each side of the extremes.
The sun rises at 7:17 AM and sets at 7:12 PM, under a waning gibbous (90% illuminated). Tidal range is in the middle of its two-week cycle.
Tomorrow starts with a low tide at 6:18 AM (0.3 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
64/ 100
Best windows today
- 7:30 AM – 9:30 AMExcellent
- 7:30 PM – 9:30 PMExcellent
strong incoming tide · dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 7:17 AM
- Sunset
- 7:12 PM
Waning Gibbous
90% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
84°F
Clear
- Wind
- 12 mph Egusts 14
- Waves
- 1.0 ft @ 9s
- Water temp
- 83°F
Moderate breeze — A little chop — very fishable
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
85° / 67°
Excellent
Best: 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Wed, Sep 30
82° / 73°
Excellent
Best: 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Thu, Oct 1
89° / 73°
Excellent
Best: 8:30 AM–10:30 AM
Fri, Oct 2
92° / 76°
Very Good
Best: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Sat, Oct 3
90° / 75°
Very Good
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
Sun, Oct 4
93° / 75°
Very Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Mon, Oct 5
82° / 74°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
What's Biting at Fort Matanzas
Activity ratings reflect typical feeding seasons — not legal seasons. Regulations, closures, and size/bag limits change; always check current FWC regulations before keeping any fish.
Common Snook
Centropomus undecimalis
Season: March – October (check season closures)
Baits: Live pilchards, Swimbaits, Topwater plugs
Work dock lights, mangrove edges, and passes on moving water. Summer beach snook cruise the first trough at first light.
Spanish Mackerel
Scomberomorus maculatus
Season: Spring and fall runs
Baits: Silver spoons, Gotcha plugs, Live pilchards
Find birds working bait and cast fast-moving metal through the frenzy. Wire or heavy fluoro — their teeth are scissors.
Mangrove Snapper
Lutjanus griseus
Season: Year-round, best in summer
Baits: Live shrimp, Pilchards, Cut bait on light leader
Fish structure — docks, bridges, mangrove roots — with the lightest leader you can get away with. They see everything.
Florida Pompano
Trachinotus carolinus
Season: Fall – spring surf runs
Baits: Sand fleas, Fresh shrimp, Pompano jigs
Surf fish the troughs on an incoming tide with sand fleas — the Florida winter classic. Look for diving birds over sandbars.
Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
Season: April – August migration
Baits: Live crabs, Threadfin herring, Swimbaits
Stake out passes and beaches during the spring migration — hill tides in the Keys are legendary. Bow to the king when it jumps.
Gear for These Conditions
TheAnglerStore →Matched to the species feeding at Fort Matanzas right now.
Surf Rods
Okuma Tundra Surf Spinning Rod — 7 ft, 2-Piece
Okuma build the Tundra as a surf series and say so themselves — they describe it as favoured by catfish anglers and cost-conscious surf anglers.
$25.95Shop 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 →
Line & Leader
Sufix Wind-On Fluorocarbon Leader — 50 lb, 11 yd
A braided loop on one end means you connect to your main line without a knot or a swivel, and the leader winds straight through the guides onto the reel.
$15.49Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Soft Baits
Zoom Fluke 4" — Smokin' Shad, 10-Pack
Same darting soft-jerkbait profile in the standard body, in a translucent shad pattern that covers most clear-water situations.
$3.99Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Fort Matanzas Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Fort Matanzas today?
High tide in Fort Matanzas today is at 11:22 AM (4.8 ft) and again at 11:44 PM (4.2 ft), measured at NOAA station 8720686 (Fort Matanzas, Matanzas River, ICWW).
›What time is low tide in Fort Matanzas today?
Low tide in Fort Matanzas today is at 5:33 AM (0.2 ft) and again at 6:11 PM (0.7 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Fort Matanzas today?
Today's best fishing window at Fort Matanzas is 7:30 AM–9:30 AM (rated Excellent, 88/100), driven by strong incoming tide, dawn bite window, light wind. The score blends tide movement, dawn/dusk light, moon phase, wind, and water temperature.
›What fish are biting in Fort Matanzas in September?
In September, the most active species at Fort Matanzas are Common Snook, Spanish Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›Is this the tide chart for Palm Coast?
Yes — Fort Matanzas (NOAA station 8720686) is the closest official tide prediction station to Palm Coast, Florida, so these are the tide times anglers and boaters in Palm Coast plan around.
›How accurate is this Fort Matanzas tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8720686 (Fort Matanzas, Matanzas River, ICWW) 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 Fort Matanzas
This is the live tide dashboard for Fort Matanzas, built on NOAA station 8720686 (Fort Matanzas, Matanzas River, ICWW) on the Atlantic Coast. Tide predictions update continuously, and the fishing score blends the tide swing with weather, light, and moon phase to point you at the best windows of the day. Fort Matanzas is the closest NOAA tide station to Palm Coast, Florida — if you fish, paddle, or boat out of Palm Coast, these are the tide predictions to plan around.