Hilton Head Island Tide Charts & Fishing
Wednesday, November 4 · NOAA station 8668918 (Skull Creek, north entrance, Hilton Head Island)
Tides live · forecast as of 8:57 PM ET
Tide chart and current conditions
Tide now
2.4 ft
▼ Falling · 1.5 ft/hr
Next high
5:13 AM
7.3 ft · in 8h 15m
Next low
10:45 PM
0.8 ft · in 1h 47m
Wind
5 mph SE
Light breeze · gusts 12
Fishing score
86 /100
Excellent
drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom · hover for detail
| Day | Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Nov 4 | High | 4:13 AM | 7.0 ft |
| Wed, Nov 4 | Low | 10:17 AM | 1.0 ft |
| Wed, Nov 4 | High | 4:38 PM | 7.2 ft |
| Wed, Nov 4 | Low | 10:45 PM | 0.8 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | High | 5:13 AM | 7.3 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Low | 11:12 AM | 0.9 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | High | 5:34 PM | 7.2 ft |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Low | 11:34 PM | 0.6 ft |
Today's Tide Times in Hilton Head Island
Today in Hilton Head Island, high tide arrives at 4:13 AM (7.0 ft) and again at 4:38 PM (7.2 ft), and low tide bottoms out at 10:17 AM (1.0 ft) and again at 10:45 PM (0.8 ft). That's a 6.4-foot swing — big, fast-moving water that concentrates feeding fish.
The sun rises at 6:42 AM and sets at 5:30 PM, under a waning crescent (24% illuminated). With the moon near a quarter phase, tidal movement is on the mild side this week.
Tomorrow starts with a high tide at 5:13 AM (7.3 ft) — see the 7-day outlook below to plan the week.
Fishing Score · Now
76/ 100
Best windows today
- 6:00 AM – 8:00 AMExcellent
- 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMExcellent
strong outgoing tide · dawn bite window · light wind
Sun & Moon
- Sunrise
- 6:42 AM
- Sunset
- 5:30 PM
Waning Crescent
24% illuminated
Neap tides — gentler water movement. Fish the dawn and dusk windows.
Conditions
70°F
Overcast
- Wind
- 5 mph SEgusts 12
- Waves
- 2.0 ft @ 6s
- Water temp
- 71°F
Light breeze — Great fishing conditions
7-Day Fishing Outlook
Today
80° / 68°
Excellent
Best: 6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Thu, Nov 5
80° / 66°
Excellent
Best: 7:00 AM–9:00 AM
Fri, Nov 6
81° / 62°
Excellent
Best: 8:00 AM–10:00 AM
Sat, Nov 7
75° / 56°
Excellent
Best: 8:30 AM–10:30 AM
Sun, Nov 8
69° / 54°
Excellent
Best: 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Mon, Nov 9
71° / 57°
Excellent
Best: 4:30 AM–6:30 AM
Tue, Nov 10
65° / 56°
Excellent
Best: 5:00 AM–7:00 AM
7-Day Tide Table for Hilton Head Island
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 8668918; local time.
| Day | Tides | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| TodayWed, Nov 4 |
| ↑ 6:42 AM↓ 5:30 PM |
| TomorrowThu, Nov 5 |
| ↑ 6:43 AM↓ 5:29 PM |
| Fri, Nov 6 |
| ↑ 6:44 AM↓ 5:28 PM |
| Sat, Nov 7 |
| ↑ 6:45 AM↓ 5:27 PM |
| Sun, Nov 8 |
| ↑ 6:46 AM↓ 5:27 PM |
| Mon, Nov 9 |
| ↑ 6:46 AM↓ 5:26 PM |
| Tue, Nov 10 |
| ↑ 6:47 AM↓ 5:25 PM |
What's Biting at Hilton Head Island
Activity ratings reflect typical feeding seasons — not legal seasons. Regulations, closures, and size/bag limits change; always check current SCDNR 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.
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.
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.
Cobia
Rachycentron canadum
Season: Spring migration along the beaches, again in the fall
Baits: Live eels, Live pinfish or menhaden, Big bucktail jigs
A sight-fishing target that cruises just under the surface along the beach, often shadowing rays, turtles or buoys. From a pier or jetty, watch the up-current side and have a heavy jig ready to pitch. They follow a hooked fish to the boat and can be caught in pairs.
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 Hilton Head Island 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 →
Hilton Head Island Tide & Fishing FAQ
›What time is high tide in Hilton Head Island today?
High tide in Hilton Head Island today is at 4:13 AM (7.0 ft) and again at 4:38 PM (7.2 ft), measured at NOAA station 8668918 (Skull Creek, north entrance, Hilton Head Island).
›What time is low tide in Hilton Head Island today?
Low tide in Hilton Head Island today is at 10:17 AM (1.0 ft) and again at 10:45 PM (0.8 ft).
›When is the best time to fish in Hilton Head Island today?
Today's best fishing window at Hilton Head Island 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 Hilton Head Island in November?
In November, the most active species at Hilton Head Island are Redfish, Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder. See the species section above for baits, techniques, and seasons.
›How accurate is this Hilton Head Island tide chart?
Predictions come directly from NOAA CO-OPS harmonic predictions for station 8668918 (Skull Creek, north entrance, Hilton Head Island) 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 Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head sits between Port Royal Sound and Calibogue Sound, two of the widest, deepest sounds on the South Atlantic coast, with tides of seven feet and more pushing through them. That current is why the island is known for its spring cobia run and its summer tarpon, both fished from boats in the sounds. From shore, the creeks and docks behind the island are redfish, trout and flounder water, and the beaches hold whiting and the odd bluefish school in spring and fall.