Fort Walton Beach Tide Charts & Fishing
Monday, September 28 · NOAA station 8729572 (Mary Esther, Santa Rosa Sound)sample data — live feed unavailable
Tides live · forecast as of 11:55 PM CT
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
3.1 ft
▼ Falling · 0.8 ft/hr
Next high
8:30 AM
4.3 ft · in 8h 35m
Next low
2:50 AM
1.6 ft · in 2h 55m
Wind
5 mph N
Light breeze · gusts 10
Fishing score
67 /100
Very Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Sep 28 | Low | 1:50 AM | 1.4 ft |
| Mon, Sep 28 | High | 7:50 AM | 4.6 ft |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Low | 2:20 PM | 0.3 ft |
| Mon, Sep 28 | High | 8:50 PM | 4.8 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 2:50 AM | 1.6 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 8:30 AM | 4.3 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 3:00 PM | 0.1 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 9:50 PM | 5.2 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Fort Walton Beach
Today in Fort Walton Beach, high tide arrives at 7:50 AM (4.6 ft) and again at 8:50 PM (4.8 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 1:50 AM (1.4 ft) and again at 2:20 PM (0.3 ft). That's a 4.5-foot swing — a solid mid-size swing with reliable current on each side of the extremes.
The sun rises at 6:38 AM and sets at 6:35 PM, under a waning gibbous (93% illuminated). Tidal range is in the middle of its two-week cycle.
Tomorrow starts with a low tide at 2:50 AM (1.6 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
67/ 100
Best windows today
- 4:30 AM – 6:30 AMVery Good
- 4:30 PM – 6:30 PMExcellent
strong incoming tide · dusk bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 6:38 AM
- Sunset
- 6:35 PM
Waning Gibbous
93% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
69°F
Clear
- Wind
- 5 mph Ngusts 10
- Waves
- 0.5 ft @ 6s
- Water temp
- 85°F
Light breeze — Great fishing conditions
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
86° / 63°
Excellent
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Tue, Sep 29
85° / 65°
Excellent
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Wed, Sep 30
86° / 70°
Excellent
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Thu, Oct 1
88° / 78°
Excellent
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Fri, Oct 2
82° / 77°
Excellent
Best: 1:30 PM–3:30 PM
Sat, Oct 3
87° / 76°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Sun, Oct 4
85° / 75°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
What's Biting at Mary Esther
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.
Redfish
Sciaenops ocellatus
Season: Year-round, best in fall
Baits: Cut mullet, Live shrimp, Gold spoons
Sight-fish tailing reds on shallow flats on a flooding tide. Fall schools push bait against oyster bars and grass edges.
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.
Gulf Flounder
Paralichthys albigutta
Season: Spring and fall, best in the fall run
Baits: Bull minnows, Live shrimp, Gulp on a jighead
Drag baits slowly across sandy potholes and channel edges. Count to three on the bite before setting — they chew first.
Spotted Seatrout
Cynoscion nebulosus
Season: Year-round, best in cooler months
Baits: Live shrimp under a popping cork, Soft plastics, Topwaters
Drift grass flats in 2–6 feet with a popping cork ahead of the drift. Gator trout hunt alone in skinny water at dawn.
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.
Gear for These Conditions
TheAnglerStore →Matched to the species feeding at Mary Esther 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 →
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 →
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 →
Tools
Rapala 8" Super Stainless Steel Pliers
Eight inches of stainless with an internal spring that holds the jaws open, so you can work one-handed while the other hand is busy holding a fish.
$32.99Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Mary Esther Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Fort Walton Beach today?
High tide in Fort Walton Beach today is at 7:50 AM (4.6 ft) and again at 8:50 PM (4.8 ft), measured at NOAA station 8729572 (Mary Esther, Santa Rosa Sound).
›What time is low tide in Fort Walton Beach today?
Low tide in Fort Walton Beach today is at 1:50 AM (1.4 ft) and again at 2:20 PM (0.3 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Fort Walton Beach today?
Today's best fishing window at Fort Walton Beach is 4:30 PM–6:30 PM (rated Excellent, 86/100), driven by strong incoming tide, dusk bite window, light wind. The score blends tide movement, dawn/dusk light, moon phase, wind, and water temperature.
›What fish are biting in Fort Walton Beach in September?
In September, the most active species at Fort Walton Beach are Redfish, Spanish Mackerel, Gulf Flounder. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›Is this the tide chart for Fort Walton Beach?
Yes — Mary Esther (NOAA station 8729572) is the closest official tide prediction station to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, so these are the tide times anglers and boaters in Fort Walton Beach plan around.
›How accurate is this Fort Walton Beach tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8729572 (Mary Esther, Santa Rosa Sound) 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 Mary Esther
This is the live tide dashboard for Mary Esther, built on NOAA station 8729572 (Mary Esther, Santa Rosa Sound) on the Florida Panhandle. 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. Mary Esther is the closest NOAA tide station to Fort Walton Beach, Florida — if you fish, paddle, or boat out of Fort Walton Beach, these are the tide predictions to plan around.