Sands Key Tide Charts & Fishing
Monday, September 28 · NOAA station 8723372 (Sands Key, northwest point, Biscayne Bay)
Tides live · forecast as of 6:48 PM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
0.3 ft
▲ Rising · 0.1 ft/hr
Next high
11:59 PM
1.9 ft · in 5h 10m
Next low
6:47 AM
0.1 ft · in 11h 58m
Wind
11 mph S
Moderate breeze
Fishing score
59 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Sep 28 | Low | 6:04 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Mon, Sep 28 | High | 11:52 AM | 2.0 ft |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Low | 6:31 PM | 0.3 ft |
| Mon, Sep 28 | High | 11:59 PM | 1.9 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 6:47 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 12:38 PM | 2.0 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 7:16 PM | 0.4 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Sands Key
Today in Sands Key, high tide arrives at 11:52 AM (2.0 ft) and again at 11:59 PM (1.9 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 6:04 AM (0.1 ft) and again at 6:31 PM (0.3 ft). That's a 1.9-foot swing — a gentle neap-cycle swing, so focus on dawn and dusk rather than mid-tide current.
The sun rises at 7:11 AM and sets at 7:10 PM, under a waning gibbous (94% illuminated). Tidal range is in the middle of its two-week cycle.
Tomorrow starts with a low tide at 6:47 AM (0.1 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
59/ 100
Best windows today
- 6:30 AM – 8:30 AMVery Good
- 7:30 PM – 9:30 PMGood
incoming tide · dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 7:11 AM
- Sunset
- 7:10 PM
Waning Gibbous
94% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
84°F
Overcast
- Wind
- 11 mph Sgusts 11
- Waves
- 0.7 ft @ 7s
- Water temp
- 86°F
Moderate breeze — A little chop — very fishable
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
84° / 80°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Tue, Sep 29
83° / 74°
Very Good
Best: 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Wed, Sep 30
82° / 77°
Very Good
Best: 8:00 AM–10:00 AM
Thu, Oct 1
85° / 81°
Good
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Fri, Oct 2
87° / 83°
Good
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
Sat, Oct 3
86° / 82°
Very Good
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Sun, Oct 4
87° / 82°
Very Good
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
What's Biting at Sands Key
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 Sands Key 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 →
Sands Key Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Sands Key today?
High tide in Sands Key today is at 11:52 AM (2.0 ft) and again at 11:59 PM (1.9 ft), measured at NOAA station 8723372 (Sands Key, northwest point, Biscayne Bay).
›What time is low tide in Sands Key today?
Low tide in Sands Key today is at 6:04 AM (0.1 ft) and again at 6:31 PM (0.3 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Sands Key today?
Today's best fishing window at Sands Key is 6:30 AM–8:30 AM (rated Very Good, 70/100), driven by 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 Sands Key in September?
In September, the most active species at Sands Key are Common Snook, Spanish Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›How accurate is this Sands Key tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8723372 (Sands Key, northwest point, Biscayne Bay) 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 Sands Key
Sands Key is one of the Atlantic Coast tide stations in NOAA's official prediction network. The chart above shows the live prediction for station 8723372 (Sands Key, northwest point, Biscayne Bay) — 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.