Fort Walton Beach Tide Charts & Fishing
Friday, November 13 · NOAA station 8729572 (Mary Esther, Santa Rosa Sound)sample data — live feed unavailable
Tides live · forecast as of 8:51 AM CT
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
3.3 ft
· Slack water
Next high
10:30 PM
6.2 ft · in 13h 38m
Next low
3:00 PM
-0.3 ft · in 6h 8m
Wind
8 mph NNW
Light breeze · gusts 13
Fishing score
61 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 13 | Low | 4:10 AM | 1.8 ft |
| Fri, Nov 13 | High | 8:50 AM | 3.3 ft |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Low | 3:00 PM | -0.3 ft |
| Fri, Nov 13 | High | 10:30 PM | 6.2 ft |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Low | 5:10 AM | 1.8 ft |
| Sat, Nov 14 | High | 9:40 AM | 3.2 ft |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Low | 3:50 PM | -0.3 ft |
| Sat, Nov 14 | High | 11:10 PM | 6.2 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Fort Walton Beach
Today in Fort Walton Beach, high tide arrives at 8:50 AM (3.3 ft) and again at 10:30 PM (6.2 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 4:10 AM (1.8 ft) and again at 3:00 PM (-0.3 ft). That's a 6.5-foot swing — big, fast-moving water that concentrates feeding fish.
The sun rises at 6:10 AM and sets at 4:50 PM, under a waxing crescent (15% illuminated). Tidal range is in the middle of its two-week cycle.
Tomorrow starts with a low tide at 5:10 AM (1.8 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
55/ 100
Best windows today
- 5:30 AM – 7:30 AMVery Good
- 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMExcellent
strong incoming tide · dusk bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 6:10 AM
- Sunset
- 4:50 PM
Waxing Crescent
15% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
59°F
Clear
- Wind
- 8 mph NNWgusts 13
- Waves
- 0.8 ft @ 4s
- Water temp
- 74°F
Light breeze — Great fishing conditions
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
66° / 44°
Excellent
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Sat, Nov 14
59° / 39°
Excellent
Best: 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
Sun, Nov 15
64° / 43°
Excellent
Best: 1:30 PM–3:30 PM
Mon, Nov 16
57° / 49°
Very Good
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Tue, Nov 17
61° / 47°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Wed, Nov 18
69° / 55°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Thu, Nov 19
76° / 59°
Excellent
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
7-Day Tide Table for Fort Walton Beach
High and low tide times and heights for the next seven days, with sunrise (↑) and sunset (↓). Heights are relative to MLLW. NOAA predictions for station 8729572; local time.
| Day | Tides | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| TodayFri, Nov 13 |
| ↑ 6:10 AM↓ 4:50 PM |
| TomorrowSat, Nov 14 |
| ↑ 6:11 AM↓ 4:50 PM |
| Sun, Nov 15 |
| ↑ 6:12 AM↓ 4:49 PM |
| Mon, Nov 16 |
| ↑ 6:13 AM↓ 4:49 PM |
| Tue, Nov 17 |
| ↑ 6:14 AM↓ 4:48 PM |
| Wed, Nov 18 |
| ↑ 6:14 AM↓ 4:48 PM |
| Thu, Nov 19 |
| ↑ 6:15 AM↓ 4:47 PM |
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.
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.
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.
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 8:50 AM (3.3 ft) and again at 10:30 PM (6.2 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 4:10 AM (1.8 ft) and again at 3:00 PM (-0.3 ft). Today includes a minus tide — a good window for exploring structure that's normally underwater.
›When is the best time to fish in Fort Walton Beach today?
Today's best fishing window at Fort Walton Beach is 5:00 PM–7:00 PM (rated Excellent, 90/100), 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 November?
In November, the most active species at Fort Walton Beach are Redfish, Spotted Seatrout, Florida Pompano, 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.