Shell Key Tide Charts & Fishing
Saturday, August 15 · NOAA station 8723807 (Shell Key, northwest side, Lignumvitae Basin)
Updated 6:47 AM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
0.2 ft
▼ Falling · 0.1 ft/hr
Next high
1:06 PM
0.9 ft · in 6h 19m
Next low
7:46 AM
0.1 ft · in 59m
Wind
14 mph ESE
Fresh breeze
Fishing score
59 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 15 | High | 12:51 AM | 0.8 ft |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Low | 7:46 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Sat, Aug 15 | High | 1:06 PM | 0.9 ft |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Low | 8:21 PM | 0.2 ft |
| Sun, Aug 16 | High | 1:25 AM | 0.8 ft |
| Sun, Aug 16 | Low | 8:40 AM | 0.1 ft |
| Sun, Aug 16 | High | 1:51 PM | 0.8 ft |
| Sun, Aug 16 | Low | 8:55 PM | 0.2 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Shell Key
Today in Shell Key, high tide arrives at 12:51 AM (0.8 ft) and again at 1:06 PM (0.9 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 7:46 AM (0.1 ft) and again at 8:21 PM (0.2 ft). That's a 0.8-foot swing — a gentle neap-cycle swing, so focus on dawn and dusk rather than mid-tide current.
The sun rises at 6:56 AM and sets at 7:57 PM, under a waxing crescent (5% illuminated). With the moon near its spring-tide phase, expect stronger-than-average water movement all week.
Tomorrow starts with a high tide at 1:25 AM (0.8 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
59/ 100
Best windows today
- 5:30 AM – 7:30 AMGood
- 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMGood
dawn bite window
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 6:56 AM
- Sunset
- 7:57 PM
Waxing Crescent
5% illuminated
Spring tides — strong water movement. Prime solunar days.
Conditions
86°F
Clear
- Wind
- 14 mph ESEgusts 14
- Waves
- 2.1 ft @ 4s
- Water temp
- 89°F
Fresh breeze — Casting gets harder — fish the lee
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
87° / 84°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Sun, Aug 16
86° / 85°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Mon, Aug 17
86° / 85°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Tue, Aug 18
87° / 85°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Wed, Aug 19
86° / 85°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Thu, Aug 20
85° / 84°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
Fri, Aug 21
87° / 85°
Good
Best: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM
What's Biting at Shell 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gear for These Conditions
TheAnglerStore →Matched to the species feeding at Shell Key right now.
Surf Rods
Daiwa FT Surf Spinning Rod — 10', 2-Piece Medium
Ten feet is the length most surfcasters land on: enough to clear the first break and keep a bait out past it, still short enough to cast all day without your…
$34.99Shop 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 →
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 →
Shell Key Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Shell Key today?
High tide in Shell Key today is at 12:51 AM (0.8 ft) and again at 1:06 PM (0.9 ft), measured at NOAA station 8723807 (Shell Key, northwest side, Lignumvitae Basin).
›What time is low tide in Shell Key today?
Low tide in Shell Key today is at 7:46 AM (0.1 ft) and again at 8:21 PM (0.2 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Shell Key today?
Today's best fishing window at Shell Key is 5:30 AM–7:30 AM (rated Good, 60/100), driven by dawn bite window. The score blends tide movement, dawn/dusk light, moon phase, wind, and water temperature.
›What fish are biting in Shell Key in August?
In August, the most active species at Shell Key are Tarpon, Mangrove Snapper, Common Snook. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›Is this the tide chart for Islamorada?
Yes — Shell Key (NOAA station 8723807) is the closest official tide prediction station to Islamorada, Florida, so these are the tide times anglers and boaters in Islamorada plan around.
›How accurate is this Shell Key tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8723807 (Shell Key, northwest side, Lignumvitae Basin) 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 Shell Key
Shell Key is one of the Florida Keys tide stations in NOAA's official prediction network. The chart above shows the live prediction for station 8723807 (Shell Key, northwest side, Lignumvitae Basin) — 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. Shell Key is the closest NOAA tide station to Islamorada, Florida — if you fish, paddle, or boat out of Islamorada, these are the tide predictions to plan around.