McKay Bay Entrance Tide Charts & Fishing
Tuesday, September 29 · NOAA station 8726667 (McKay Bay Entrance)
Tides live · forecast as of 12:54 AM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
2.5 ft
▲ Rising · 0.6 ft/hr
Next high
3:07 AM
3.2 ft · in 2h 12m
Next low
10:57 AM
0.2 ft · in 10h 2m
Wind
4 mph WSW
Calm
Fishing score
59 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 3:07 AM | 3.2 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 10:57 AM | 0.2 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 5:31 PM | 2.3 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 10:00 PM | 1.6 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | High | 3:37 AM | 3.4 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 11:51 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | High | 6:46 PM | 2.1 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 10:14 PM | 1.7 ft |
Today's Tide Times in McKay Bay Entrance
Today in McKay Bay Entrance, high tide arrives at 3:07 AM (3.2 ft) and again at 5:31 PM (2.3 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 10:57 AM (0.2 ft) and again at 10:00 PM (1.6 ft). That's a 3.0-foot swing — a gentle neap-cycle swing, so focus on dawn and dusk rather than mid-tide current.
The sun rises at 7:21 AM and sets at 7:17 PM, under a waning gibbous (93% illuminated). Tidal range is in the middle of its two-week cycle.
Tomorrow starts with a high tide at 3:37 AM (3.4 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
59/ 100
Best windows today
- 6:00 AM – 8:00 AMVery Good
- 6:30 PM – 8:30 PMVery Good
outgoing tide · dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 7:21 AM
- Sunset
- 7:17 PM
Waning Gibbous
93% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
75°F
Partly cloudy
- Wind
- 4 mph WSWgusts 6
- Waves
- 0.3 ft @ 2s
- Water temp
- 84°F
Calm — Glass — perfect for topwater
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
89° / 69°
Very Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Wed, Sep 30
86° / 71°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Thu, Oct 1
91° / 74°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Fri, Oct 2
93° / 76°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Sat, Oct 3
93° / 77°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Sun, Oct 4
94° / 75°
Very Good
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
Mon, Oct 5
92° / 79°
Very Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
What's Biting at McKay Bay Entrance
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.
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.
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.
Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Season: Winter – early spring
Baits: Fiddler crabs, Shrimp, Barnacles
Fish tight to pilings and rocks — the bite is a subtle tick. Set the hook the instant you feel weight; they steal baits for a living.
Gear for These Conditions
TheAnglerStore →Matched to the species feeding at McKay Bay Entrance 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 →
McKay Bay Entrance Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in McKay Bay Entrance today?
High tide in McKay Bay Entrance today is at 3:07 AM (3.2 ft) and again at 5:31 PM (2.3 ft), measured at NOAA station 8726667 (McKay Bay Entrance).
›What time is low tide in McKay Bay Entrance today?
Low tide in McKay Bay Entrance today is at 10:57 AM (0.2 ft) and again at 10:00 PM (1.6 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in McKay Bay Entrance today?
Today's best fishing window at McKay Bay Entrance is 6:00 AM–8:00 AM (rated Very Good, 75/100), driven by outgoing 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 McKay Bay Entrance in September?
In September, the most active species at McKay Bay Entrance are Common Snook, Redfish. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›Is this the tide chart for Tampa?
Yes — McKay Bay Entrance (NOAA station 8726667) is the closest official tide prediction station to Tampa, Florida, so these are the tide times anglers and boaters in Tampa plan around.
›How accurate is this McKay Bay Entrance tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8726667 (McKay Bay Entrance) 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 McKay Bay Entrance
NOAA maintains tide predictions for McKay Bay Entrance as part of its Gulf Coast station network. This page tracks station 8726667 (McKay Bay Entrance) live: today's highs and lows, the week ahead, sun and moon, and the conditions that decide whether it's worth wetting a line — all in one view. McKay Bay Entrance is the closest NOAA tide station to Tampa, Florida — if you fish, paddle, or boat out of Tampa, these are the tide predictions to plan around.