West Tampa Tide Charts & Fishing
Tuesday, September 29 · NOAA station 8726711 (West Tampa, Hillsborough River)sample data — live feed unavailable
Tides live · forecast as of 12:54 AM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
2.1 ft
▲ Rising · 0.6 ft/hr
Next high
5:00 AM
4.4 ft · in 4h 5m
Next low
11:20 AM
0.4 ft · in 10h 25m
Wind
3 mph SW
Calm
Fishing score
60 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 5:00 AM | 4.4 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Low | 11:20 AM | 0.4 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | High | 5:50 PM | 4.9 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 12:10 AM | 1.2 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | High | 6:00 AM | 4.2 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Low | 12:00 PM | 0.8 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | High | 6:30 PM | 5.1 ft |
Today's Tide Times in West Tampa
Today in West Tampa, high tide arrives at 5:00 AM (4.4 ft) and again at 5:50 PM (4.9 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 11:20 AM (0.4 ft). That's a 4.6-foot swing — a solid mid-size swing with reliable current on each side of the extremes.
The sun rises at 7:21 AM and sets at 7:18 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 12:10 AM (1.2 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
60/ 100
Best windows today
- 6:30 AM – 8:30 AMExcellent
- 7:30 PM – 9:30 PMExcellent
strong outgoing tide · dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 7:21 AM
- Sunset
- 7:18 PM
Waning Gibbous
93% illuminated
Moderate tidal range this week.
Conditions
74°F
Partly cloudy
- Wind
- 3 mph SWgusts 6
- Waves
- 0.3 ft @ 2s
- Water temp
- 84°F
Calm — Glass — perfect for topwater
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
89° / 69°
Excellent
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
Wed, Sep 30
86° / 72°
Excellent
Best: 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Thu, Oct 1
91° / 74°
Very Good
Best: 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
Fri, Oct 2
93° / 76°
Very Good
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Sat, Oct 3
93° / 77°
Excellent
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
Sun, Oct 4
94° / 75°
Excellent
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Mon, Oct 5
92° / 79°
Excellent
Best: 6:30 AM–8:30 AM
What's Biting at West Tampa
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 West Tampa 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 →
West Tampa Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in West Tampa today?
High tide in West Tampa today is at 5:00 AM (4.4 ft) and again at 5:50 PM (4.9 ft), measured at NOAA station 8726711 (West Tampa, Hillsborough River).
›What time is low tide in West Tampa today?
Low tide in West Tampa today is at 11:20 AM (0.4 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in West Tampa today?
Today's best fishing window at West Tampa is 6:30 AM–8:30 AM (rated Excellent, 82/100), driven by strong 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 West Tampa in September?
In September, the most active species at West Tampa are Common Snook, Redfish. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›How accurate is this West Tampa tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8726711 (West Tampa, Hillsborough River) 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 West Tampa
West Tampa is one of the Gulf Coast tide stations in NOAA's official prediction network. The chart above shows the live prediction for station 8726711 (West Tampa, Hillsborough River) — 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.