Bald Head Tide Charts & Fishing
Thursday, November 5 · NOAA station 8658901 (Bald Head)
Tides live · forecast as of 3:11 AM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
5.0 ft
▲ Rising · 0.5 ft/hr
Next high
4:02 AM
5.2 ft · in 51m
Next low
9:56 AM
0.3 ft · in 6h 45m
Wind
6 mph ESE
Light breeze
Fishing score
62 /100
Good
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | High | 4:02 AM | 5.2 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Low | 9:56 AM | 0.3 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | High | 4:23 PM | 5.1 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Low | 10:21 PM | 0.0 ft |
| Fri, Nov 6 | High | 4:55 AM | 5.4 ft |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Low | 10:49 AM | 0.2 ft |
| Fri, Nov 6 | High | 5:11 PM | 5.0 ft |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Low | 11:07 PM | -0.1 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Bald Head
Today in Bald Head, high tide arrives at 4:02 AM (5.2 ft) and again at 4:23 PM (5.1 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 9:56 AM (0.3 ft) and again at 10:21 PM (0.0 ft). That's a 5.2-foot swing — big, fast-moving water that concentrates feeding fish.
The sun rises at 6:35 AM and sets at 5:15 PM, under a waning crescent (22% illuminated). Tidal range is in the middle of its two-week cycle.
Tomorrow starts with a high tide at 4:55 AM (5.4 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
59/ 100
Best windows today
- 6:00 AM – 8:00 AMExcellent
- 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMExcellent
strong outgoing tide · dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 6:35 AM
- Sunset
- 5:15 PM
Waning Crescent
22% illuminated
Neap tides — gentler water movement. Fish the dawn and dusk windows.
Conditions
69°F
Mostly clear
- Wind
- 6 mph ESEgusts 8
- Waves
- 3.0 ft @ 6s
- Water temp
- 69°F
Light breeze — Great fishing conditions
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
78° / 68°
Excellent
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Fri, Nov 6
73° / 66°
Excellent
Best: 7:00 AM–9:00 AM
Sat, Nov 7
72° / 53°
Excellent
Best: 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Sun, Nov 8
69° / 46°
Excellent
Best: 8:00 AM–10:00 AM
Mon, Nov 9
71° / 48°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Tue, Nov 10
69° / 47°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Wed, Nov 11
68° / 57°
Excellent
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
7-Day Tide Table for Bald Head
High and low tide times and heights for the next seven days, with sunrise (↑) and sunset (↓). Heights are relative to MLLW. NOAA predictions for station 8658901; local time.
| Day | Tides | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| TodayThu, Nov 5 |
| ↑ 6:35 AM↓ 5:15 PM |
| TomorrowFri, Nov 6 |
| ↑ 6:35 AM↓ 5:14 PM |
| Sat, Nov 7 |
| ↑ 6:36 AM↓ 5:14 PM |
| Sun, Nov 8 |
| ↑ 6:37 AM↓ 5:13 PM |
| Mon, Nov 9 |
| ↑ 6:38 AM↓ 5:12 PM |
| Tue, Nov 10 |
| ↑ 6:39 AM↓ 5:11 PM |
| Wed, Nov 11 |
| ↑ 6:40 AM↓ 5:11 PM |
What's Biting at Bald Head
Activity ratings reflect typical feeding seasons — not legal seasons. Regulations, closures, and size/bag limits change; always check current NC Marine Fisheries regulations before keeping any fish.
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.
Southern Flounder
Paralichthys lethostigma
Season: Spring and fall; the fall run to the passes is the event
Baits: Live mud minnows, Finger mullet, Gulp! shrimp on a jig head
Drag a bait slowly along the bottom at channel edges, jetty rocks and the down-current side of structure on an outgoing tide. In the fall, flounder stack in passes and inlets on their way to the Gulf or ocean; fish the drop-offs then.
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.
King Mackerel
Scomberomorus cavalla
Season: Spring and fall, when water is in the 70s
Baits: Live menhaden or bluefish, Slow-trolled ribbonfish, Spoons
From ocean piers, the classic setup is a live bait suspended off the end on a trolley rig under a float. Wire leader and treble stinger hooks; a king hits from behind and bites a bait in half. From a boat, slow-troll live baits along color changes and over nearshore structure.
Whiting (Southern Kingfish)
Menticirrhus americanus
Season: Spring through fall; the most reliable surf fish on the Gulf and South Atlantic
Baits: Fresh dead shrimp, Sand fleas, Cut squid
Small hooks, small baits, close in. Whiting feed in the first trough and the wash, often within a long cast of dry sand, on a rising tide. A two-hook bottom rig with a pyramid or bank sinker, left still, is all it takes. Good eating and no size pressure, so a great starter target.
Gear for These Conditions
TheAnglerStore →Matched to the species feeding at Bald Head 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 →
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 →
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 →
Bald Head Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Bald Head today?
High tide in Bald Head today is at 4:02 AM (5.2 ft) and again at 4:23 PM (5.1 ft), measured at NOAA station 8658901 (Bald Head).
›What time is low tide in Bald Head today?
Low tide in Bald Head today is at 9:56 AM (0.3 ft) and again at 10:21 PM (0.0 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Bald Head today?
Today's best fishing window at Bald Head is 6:00 AM–8:00 AM (rated Excellent, 93/100), 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 Bald Head in November?
In November, the most active species at Bald Head are Redfish, Southern Flounder, Spotted Seatrout, King Mackerel, Whiting (Southern Kingfish). See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›Is this the tide chart for Southport?
Yes — Bald Head (NOAA station 8658901) is the closest official tide prediction station to Southport, North Carolina, so these are the tide times anglers and boaters in Southport plan around.
›How accurate is this Bald Head tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8658901 (Bald Head) 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 Bald Head
This is the live tide dashboard for Bald Head, built on NOAA station 8658901 (Bald Head) on the cape-fear. Tide predictions update continuously, and the fishing score blends the tide swing with weather, light, and moon phase to point you at the best windows of the day. Bald Head is the closest NOAA tide station to Southport, North Carolina — if you fish, paddle, or boat out of Southport, these are the tide predictions to plan around.