Outgoing TideFishing · Tides · Conditions
Northeast Florida
Build a St. Augustine fishing plan around the water you will actually use: downtown Matanzas Bay, Salt Run, the Tolomato River, St. Augustine Inlet, the marshes south of State Road 312, the beaches, or Atlantic structure. This guide combines a City Dock tide reference with local wind exposure, seasonal choices, and official checks for the route.
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NOAA station: St. Augustine, City Dock
Daylight
Local times appear when the live snapshot is available.
Dawn and dusk can help break a tie between otherwise safe fishing windows.
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St. Augustine is not one uniform fishing area. The City Dock gauge sits beside downtown Matanzas Bay and the Bridge of Lions. North of the bridge, the Tolomato River and Vilano shoreline lead toward the inlet; east of downtown, Salt Run lies behind Anastasia Island; south of the bridge, the Matanzas River threads past marsh creeks toward the State Road 312 crossing, Crescent Beach, and Fort Matanzas. A useful plan names the exact shoreline, creek, bridge, inlet edge, beach, or offshore destination before interpreting a tide or wind forecast.
Cool-season fronts can compress the safe weather window and make wind direction more important than the afternoon temperature. During spring and fall transitions, compare the morning wind with the forecast change instead of assuming the launch conditions will last. Warm-season planning should include heat, lightning, fast-building thunderstorms, and a short route back to shelter. Redfish, trout, flounder, black drum, tarpon, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, and bottom species do not share one calendar, so check the current Florida season, size, bag, gear, and area rules for the species you intend to keep.
Treat NOAA station 8720576 at City Dock as a downtown water-level reference, not a clock for every creek. Water near the inlet, inside Salt Run, north toward Vilano, and south through the Matanzas marsh can reach the same stage at different times. On repeat trips, compare the City Dock prediction with what you actually see at the ramp and fishing spot, then record whether that location tends to lead or trail the station. Never transfer an offset from one creek or inlet edge to another without checking it again.
An onshore wind can make the Atlantic beach and inlet approach uncomfortable while a shoreline inside the estuary looks comparatively protected. A west wind can reverse which bank offers a lee, and a long open reach of the Tolomato or Matanzas can still build chop even when the launch basin is calm. Salt Run and small marsh creeks may reduce fetch, but shallow water, oyster edges, current, and the route back remain part of the decision.
Check both the wind at departure and the forecast trend for the return. St. Augustine sits at the boundary between two National Weather Service inner-coastal zones, so a run north or south of the inlet can move into a different zone forecast. Offshore plans also need the appropriate outer-waters forecast rather than an inland weather summary.
St. Augustine Inlet is a navigation decision, not simply another fishing spot on the tide list. Shoaling, breaking waves, current, vessel traffic, and aids to navigation can change. Consult current charts and Coast Guard Local Notices to Mariners, observe the inlet, and turn back when the route does not match the vessel, crew, or conditions. The tide time on this page never establishes that the inlet is passable.
For an inshore trip, confirm the launch owner’s current hours, parking and trailer rules, water depth at the ramp, and the route from the ramp to the intended shoreline. Around downtown, also distinguish public access from marina, seawall, park, and privately controlled property; posted rules can differ even when two areas appear connected on a map.
Suppose the plan is to leave the downtown area, fish an inshore shoreline, and decide later whether to approach St. Augustine Inlet. First, use the City Dock prediction to identify whether downtown water is generally rising or falling during the trip. Next, compare the live wind and the National Weather Service inner-coastal forecast with the shoreline exposure and expected return leg. At the water, check the observed level, current, visibility, traffic, and any Coast Guard notice. If the inlet is rough, markers are in question, or the return forecast is deteriorating, keep the trip inside protected water or postpone it; do not let a favorable tide time override direct observation.
Planning only: Weather and tide feeds can be delayed or unavailable, and a station prediction does not describe every inlet, bay, creek, or offshore area. Verify actual conditions and never use this page for navigation.