Sand Key Lighthouse Tide Charts & Fishing
Tuesday, September 29 · NOAA station 8724635 (Sand Key Lighthouse, Sand Key Channel)
Tides live · forecast as of 12:54 AM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
1.8 ft
▼ Falling · 0.4 ft/hr
Next high
11:50 AM
1.6 ft · in 10h 56m
Next low
5:33 AM
0.1 ft · in 4h 39m
Wind
13 mph WNW
Moderate breeze
Fishing score
52 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 5:33 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 11:50 AM | 1.6 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 4:55 PM | 0.8 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 11:16 PM | 2.4 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 6:23 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | High | 12:39 PM | 1.4 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 5:27 PM | 0.8 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Sand Key Lighthouse
Today in Sand Key Lighthouse, high tide arrives at 11:50 AM (1.6 ft) and again at 11:16 PM (2.4 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 5:33 AM (0.1 ft) and again at 4:55 PM (0.8 ft). That's a 2.3-foot swing — a gentle neap-cycle swing, so focus on dawn and dusk rather than mid-tide current.
The sun rises at 7:18 AM and sets at 7:16 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 6:23 AM (0.1 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
52/ 100
Best windows today
- 6:30 AM – 8:30 AMVery Good
- 6:30 PM – 8:30 PMGood
dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 7:18 AM
- Sunset
- 7:16 PM
Waning Gibbous
93% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
80°F
Overcast
- Wind
- 13 mph WNWgusts 13
- Waves
- 0.5 ft @ 4s
- Water temp
- 87°F
Moderate breeze — A little chop — very fishable
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
83° / 73°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Wed, Sep 30
82° / 77°
Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Thu, Oct 1
85° / 82°
Good
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Fri, Oct 2
85° / 84°
Good
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
Sat, Oct 3
85° / 84°
Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Sun, Oct 4
85° / 84°
Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Mon, Oct 5
84° / 83°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
What's Biting at Sand Key Lighthouse
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.
Bonefish
Albula vulpes
Season: Spring and fall, tide-dependent
Baits: Live shrimp, Small crabs, Bonefish jigs
Pole or wade the flats on a flooding tide and look for tails and nervous water. Long, quiet casts — the gray ghost spooks at shadows.
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.
Permit
Trachinotus falcatus
Season: Spring and fall on the flats
Baits: Live crabs, Crab flies, Small jigs
A live crab drifted ahead of a tailing fish is the classic play. The most maddening — and most rewarding — fish on the flats.
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.
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 Sand Key Lighthouse right now.
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 →
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 →
Nets & Landing
Attwood Fold-N-Stow Fishing Net — Medium
A flip of the handle opens it and locks it; pull the trigger and it collapses back down to something you can stow under a seat or strap to a pack.
$19.24Shop at TheAnglerStore →
Sand Key Lighthouse Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Sand Key Lighthouse today?
High tide in Sand Key Lighthouse today is at 11:50 AM (1.6 ft) and again at 11:16 PM (2.4 ft), measured at NOAA station 8724635 (Sand Key Lighthouse, Sand Key Channel).
›What time is low tide in Sand Key Lighthouse today?
Low tide in Sand Key Lighthouse today is at 5:33 AM (0.1 ft) and again at 4:55 PM (0.8 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Sand Key Lighthouse today?
Today's best fishing window at Sand Key Lighthouse is 6:30 AM–8:30 AM (rated Very Good, 68/100), driven by dawn bite window, light wind. The score blends tide movement, dawn/dusk light, moon phase, wind, and water temperature.
›What fish are biting in Sand Key Lighthouse in September?
In September, the most active species at Sand Key Lighthouse are Bonefish, Mangrove Snapper, Permit, Common Snook. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›How accurate is this Sand Key Lighthouse tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8724635 (Sand Key Lighthouse, Sand Key Channel) 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 Sand Key Lighthouse
Sand Key Lighthouse is one of the Florida Keys tide stations in NOAA's official prediction network. The chart above shows the live prediction for station 8724635 (Sand Key Lighthouse, Sand Key Channel) — the same harmonic data printed in official tide tables — paired with local weather, water conditions, and our fishing score so you can time a session here without cross-referencing three sites.