Shorebite

Wilmington Beach tide chart

North Carolina · Carolina Beach · NOAA station 8658559 · times in local time (EDT)

Tides today, Sunday, October 11

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM2:07 AM · 0.2 ft8:37 AM · 5.6 ft2:51 PM · 0.2 ft8:56 PM · 4.5 ft5.6 ft
  • Low 2:07 AM 0.2 ft
  • High 8:37 AM 5.6 ft
  • Low 2:51 PM 0.2 ft
  • High 8:56 PM 4.5 ft

Sunrise 7:14 AM · Sunset 6:44 PM · New moon (0%)

Fishing forecast

Hour by hour at Wilmington Beach
81Excellent

Best times

1:00 PM–2:00 PM and 6:00 PM–7:00 PM

New moon (0% lit)

    Biting around here in October

    • Red drum (redfish) In seasonFlooded grass on high tide; creek mouths on the falling tide
    • Spotted seatrout In seasonMoving water around oyster bars, dawn and dusk
    • Southern flounder In seasonCreek mouths on the outgoing tide
    • Black drum In seasonBottom baits near structure
    • King mackerel In seasonNearshore and piers when water is warm

    General seasonal guide for Southeast. Seasons, sizes and limits vary, so check your state rules before keeping fish.

    Weather and conditions at Wilmington Beach

    Loading the National Weather Service forecast… Open it on weather.gov.

    Marine forecast: Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm

    Loading the latest National Weather Service forecast… Open it on weather.gov.

    Marine radio: weather channels and VHF

    NOAA Weather Radio

    • 162.550 MHz WX1 KHB31, Winnabow, NC (18 mi)

    To get alerts on a weather alert radio, program county code 037129 (New Hanover).

    VHF marine channels

    • Ch 16 Distress, safety and calling
    • Ch 9 Boater-to-boater calling
    • Ch 22A Coast Guard safety broadcasts
    • Ch 13 Bridge-to-bridge (big ships, drawbridges)
    • Ch 68, 69, 71, 72, 78A Recreational chat

    Weather radio broadcasts are continuous; VHF channels are the US standard. Local harbors and bridges may use others, so check your chart.

    Live readings from NOAA and the National Weather Service, loaded when you open this page.

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    Recent reports

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    Reports are from visitors and may be wrong. Inappropriate ones are removed.

    Tide times this week

    DayHigh and low tidesSunrise / sunsetMoon
    Sun Oct 11L 2:07 AM 0.2 ftH 8:37 AM 5.6 ftL 2:51 PM 0.2 ftH 8:56 PM 4.5 ft7:14 AM / 6:44 PMNew moon (0%)
    Mon Oct 12L 2:44 AM 0.3 ftH 9:17 AM 5.6 ftL 3:35 PM 0.4 ftH 9:35 PM 4.3 ft7:15 AM / 6:42 PMNew moon (2%)
    Tue Oct 13L 3:19 AM 0.4 ftH 9:56 AM 5.4 ftL 4:18 PM 0.6 ftH 10:14 PM 4.0 ft7:15 AM / 6:41 PMWaxing crescent (6%)
    Wed Oct 14L 3:56 AM 0.6 ftH 10:37 AM 5.2 ftL 5:02 PM 0.8 ftH 10:54 PM 3.8 ft7:16 AM / 6:40 PMWaxing crescent (12%)
    Thu Oct 15L 4:35 AM 0.8 ftH 11:20 AM 5.0 ftL 5:49 PM 1.0 ftH 11:38 PM 3.5 ft7:17 AM / 6:39 PMWaxing crescent (19%)
    Fri Oct 16L 5:18 AM 1.0 ftH 12:08 PM 4.7 ftL 6:41 PM 1.2 ft7:18 AM / 6:37 PMWaxing crescent (28%)
    Sat Oct 17H 12:28 AM 3.4 ftL 6:08 AM 1.1 ftH 1:03 PM 4.5 ftL 7:39 PM 1.3 ft7:19 AM / 6:36 PMFirst quarter (38%)

    Tidal currents near Wilmington Beach

    From NOAA's current predictions for Snows Cut, ICW at 3 ft depth, 1.7 miles away. Slack is when the current turns and the water is calmest; flood runs in with the rising tide and ebb runs out with the falling tide. Times are the peak of each run, in knots. The flood runs toward the ENE (73°) and the ebb toward the WSW (254°). The strongest current this week is 1.9 knots.

    DaySlack water and peak currents
    Sun Oct 11Slack 3:28 AMEbb 5:41 AM 1.9 knSlack 9:20 AMFlood 12:29 PM 1.5 knSlack 4:18 PMEbb 6:14 PM 1.4 knSlack 9:31 PM
    Mon Oct 12Flood 12:27 AM 1.3 knSlack 4:21 AMEbb 6:37 AM 1.9 knSlack 10:09 AMFlood 1:14 PM 1.4 knSlack 5:10 PMEbb 7:03 PM 1.4 knSlack 10:18 PM
    Tue Oct 13Flood 1:09 AM 1.3 knSlack 5:13 AMEbb 7:23 AM 1.9 knSlack 10:57 AMFlood 1:56 PM 1.3 knSlack 5:58 PMEbb 7:45 PM 1.4 knSlack 11:04 PM
    Wed Oct 14Flood 1:46 AM 1.3 knSlack 6:02 AMEbb 8:06 AM 1.9 knSlack 11:45 AMFlood 2:43 PM 1.2 knSlack 6:44 PMEbb 8:28 PM 1.4 knSlack 11:49 PM
    Thu Oct 15Flood 2:24 AM 1.2 knSlack 6:48 AMEbb 8:51 AM 1.9 knSlack 12:31 PMFlood 3:36 PM 1.2 knSlack 7:28 PMEbb 9:13 PM 1.4 kn
    Fri Oct 16Slack 12:35 AMFlood 3:20 AM 1.2 knSlack 7:34 AMEbb 9:38 AM 1.8 knSlack 1:17 PMFlood 4:22 PM 1.2 knSlack 8:14 PMEbb 10:02 PM 1.4 kn
    Sat Oct 17Slack 1:23 AMFlood 4:14 AM 1.2 knSlack 8:23 AMEbb 10:28 AM 1.7 knSlack 2:04 PMFlood 4:54 PM 1.2 knSlack 9:00 PMEbb 10:51 PM 1.4 kn

    Current predictions can differ a lot over short distances: check the station location on NOAA before planning a passage.

    Best fishing times at Wilmington Beach

    The bite score (0 to 100) adds up what anglers watch most: moving water (a tide running harder than usual here scores higher), solunar periods (major periods of about two hours centred on the moon overhead or underfoot, minor periods of about an hour on moonrise and moonset), dawn and dusk light, and how close it is to the new or full moon. Best times are the stretches of the day scoring near that day's top.

    DayBite scoreBest timesMajor periodsMinor periods
    Sun Oct 1181 · Excellent1:00 PM–2:00 PM, 6:00 PM–7:00 PM12:24 AM–2:24 AM, 12:46 PM–2:46 PM7:50 AM–8:50 AM, 6:36 PM–7:36 PM
    Mon Oct 1269 · Good7:00 PM–8:00 PM, 2:00 PM–3:00 PM1:09 AM–3:09 AM, 1:33 PM–3:33 PM8:51 AM–9:51 AM, 7:09 PM–8:09 PM
    Tue Oct 1351 · Fair2:00 PM–4:00 PM, 6:00 AM–8:00 AM1:57 AM–3:57 AM, 2:21 PM–4:21 PM9:52 AM–10:52 AM, 7:46 PM–8:46 PM
    Wed Oct 1437 · Fair2:46 AM–4:46 AM, 3:11 PM–5:11 PM10:51 AM–11:51 AM, 8:28 PM–9:28 PM
    Thu Oct 1526 · Slow3:36 AM–5:36 AM, 4:02 PM–6:02 PM11:46 AM–12:46 PM, 9:17 PM–10:17 PM
    Fri Oct 1630 · Slow4:27 AM–6:27 AM, 4:52 PM–6:52 PM12:36 PM–1:36 PM, 10:10 PM–11:10 PM
    Sat Oct 1736 · Fair6:00 PM–7:00 PM5:17 AM–7:17 AM, 5:42 PM–7:42 PM1:20 PM–2:20 PM, 11:07 PM–12:07 AM

    A planning aid, not a guarantee. Wind, water clarity, bait and pressure changes matter too; the forecast above adds live wind and pressure when you open the page.

    Best daylight low tides in the next two weeks

    The lowest water that falls between sunrise and sunset, for tide pooling and beachcombing.

    1. 0.2 ft at 2:51 PM on Sunday, October 11
    2. 0.3 ft at 12:48 PM on Saturday, October 24
    3. 0.4 ft at 3:35 PM on Monday, October 12
    4. 0.5 ft at 12:01 PM on Friday, October 23
    5. 0.6 ft at 4:18 PM on Tuesday, October 13
    6. 0.8 ft at 11:12 AM on Thursday, October 22

    Tide table: October 11 to November 10, 2026

    Full 2026 tide table Full 2027 tide table

    DayHigh and low tidesSunrise / sunset
    Sun Oct 11L 2:07 AM 0.2 ftH 8:37 AM 5.6 ftL 2:51 PM 0.2 ftH 8:56 PM 4.5 ft7:14 AM / 6:44 PM
    Mon Oct 12L 2:44 AM 0.3 ftH 9:17 AM 5.6 ftL 3:35 PM 0.4 ftH 9:35 PM 4.3 ft7:15 AM / 6:42 PM
    Tue Oct 13L 3:19 AM 0.4 ftH 9:56 AM 5.4 ftL 4:18 PM 0.6 ftH 10:14 PM 4.0 ft7:15 AM / 6:41 PM
    Wed Oct 14L 3:56 AM 0.6 ftH 10:37 AM 5.2 ftL 5:02 PM 0.8 ftH 10:54 PM 3.8 ft7:16 AM / 6:40 PM
    Thu Oct 15L 4:35 AM 0.8 ftH 11:20 AM 5.0 ftL 5:49 PM 1.0 ftH 11:38 PM 3.5 ft7:17 AM / 6:39 PM
    Fri Oct 16L 5:18 AM 1.0 ftH 12:08 PM 4.7 ftL 6:41 PM 1.2 ft7:18 AM / 6:37 PM
    Sat Oct 17H 12:28 AM 3.4 ftL 6:08 AM 1.1 ftH 1:03 PM 4.5 ftL 7:39 PM 1.3 ft7:19 AM / 6:36 PM
    Sun Oct 18H 1:26 AM 3.3 ftL 7:07 AM 1.2 ftH 2:02 PM 4.4 ftL 8:38 PM 1.3 ft7:19 AM / 6:35 PM
    Mon Oct 19H 2:30 AM 3.4 ftL 8:13 AM 1.3 ftH 3:02 PM 4.3 ftL 9:31 PM 1.2 ft7:20 AM / 6:34 PM
    Tue Oct 20H 3:32 AM 3.6 ftL 9:19 AM 1.2 ftH 3:57 PM 4.4 ftL 10:17 PM 1.1 ft7:21 AM / 6:33 PM
    Wed Oct 21H 4:25 AM 3.9 ftL 10:18 AM 1.0 ftH 4:46 PM 4.5 ftL 10:57 PM 0.8 ft7:22 AM / 6:31 PM
    Thu Oct 22H 5:12 AM 4.3 ftL 11:12 AM 0.8 ftH 5:31 PM 4.6 ftL 11:34 PM 0.6 ft7:23 AM / 6:30 PM
    Fri Oct 23H 5:56 AM 4.8 ftL 12:01 PM 0.5 ftH 6:13 PM 4.6 ft7:24 AM / 6:29 PM
    Sat Oct 24L 12:11 AM 0.3 ftH 6:38 AM 5.3 ftL 12:48 PM 0.3 ftH 6:56 PM 4.7 ft7:25 AM / 6:28 PM
    Sun Oct 25L 12:49 AM 0.1 ftH 7:20 AM 5.7 ftL 1:35 PM 0.1 ftH 7:38 PM 4.7 ft7:25 AM / 6:27 PM
    Mon Oct 26L 1:29 AM -0.1 ftH 8:04 AM 6.0 ftL 2:22 PM 0.0 ftH 8:23 PM 4.6 ft7:26 AM / 6:26 PM
    Tue Oct 27L 2:11 AM -0.2 ftH 8:50 AM 6.2 ftL 3:11 PM 0.0 ftH 9:08 PM 4.5 ft7:27 AM / 6:25 PM
    Wed Oct 28L 2:56 AM -0.2 ftH 9:39 AM 6.2 ftL 4:02 PM 0.1 ftH 9:57 PM 4.3 ft7:28 AM / 6:24 PM
    Thu Oct 29L 3:44 AM -0.1 ftH 10:31 AM 6.1 ftL 4:57 PM 0.2 ftH 10:51 PM 4.1 ft7:29 AM / 6:23 PM
    Fri Oct 30L 4:38 AM 0.0 ftH 11:27 AM 5.8 ftL 5:55 PM 0.4 ftH 11:50 PM 4.0 ft7:30 AM / 6:22 PM
    Sat Oct 31L 5:38 AM 0.2 ftH 12:28 PM 5.5 ftL 6:58 PM 0.5 ft7:31 AM / 6:21 PM
    Sun Nov 1H 12:57 AM 3.9 ftL 5:46 AM 0.4 ftH 12:35 PM 5.2 ftL 7:03 PM 0.6 ft6:32 AM / 5:20 PM
    Mon Nov 2H 1:10 AM 4.0 ftL 7:01 AM 0.6 ftH 1:42 PM 5.0 ftL 8:06 PM 0.5 ft6:33 AM / 5:19 PM
    Tue Nov 3H 2:21 AM 4.2 ftL 8:17 AM 0.6 ftH 2:47 PM 4.8 ftL 9:03 PM 0.5 ft6:33 AM / 5:18 PM
    Wed Nov 4H 3:25 AM 4.5 ftL 9:27 AM 0.6 ftH 3:46 PM 4.7 ftL 9:53 PM 0.3 ft6:34 AM / 5:17 PM
    Thu Nov 5H 4:21 AM 4.9 ftL 10:28 AM 0.5 ftH 4:39 PM 4.5 ftL 10:38 PM 0.2 ft6:35 AM / 5:16 PM
    Fri Nov 6H 5:10 AM 5.2 ftL 11:21 AM 0.3 ftH 5:26 PM 4.4 ftL 11:20 PM 0.2 ft6:36 AM / 5:15 PM
    Sat Nov 7H 5:54 AM 5.4 ftL 12:09 PM 0.3 ftH 6:10 PM 4.3 ftL 11:58 PM 0.2 ft6:37 AM / 5:15 PM
    Sun Nov 8H 6:35 AM 5.5 ftL 12:54 PM 0.3 ftH 6:51 PM 4.1 ft6:38 AM / 5:14 PM
    Mon Nov 9L 12:35 AM 0.2 ftH 7:14 AM 5.5 ftL 1:35 PM 0.3 ftH 7:31 PM 4.0 ft6:39 AM / 5:13 PM
    Tue Nov 10L 1:11 AM 0.3 ftH 7:52 AM 5.4 ftL 2:16 PM 0.4 ftH 8:09 PM 3.8 ft6:40 AM / 5:12 PM

    Heights are in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero line on most US nautical charts. A minus height means the water drops below that line.

    Around Wilmington Beach

    Beaches

    Boat ramps

    Fishing piers and docks

    Distances from the tide station. Places from © OpenStreetMap contributors; links open in Google Maps.

    Fish in the waters around Wilmington Beach

    40 kinds of fish, sharks and rays have been recorded within 15 km (about 9 miles) of this spot, most often American Shad, Blueback Herring, Skilletfish. The bar shows how many records each has.

    • American Shad Alosa sapidissimaSalt water · 119 records
    • Blueback Herring Alosa aestivalisSalt water · 115 records
    • Skilletfish Gobiesox strumosusSalt water · 92 records
    • Southern Codling Urophycis floridanaSalt water · 92 records
    • Crested Cusk-eel Ophidion josephiSalt water · 86 records
    • Spotted Hake Urophycis regiaSalt water · 63 records
    • Chain Pipefish Syngnathus louisianaeSalt water · 52 records
    • Crevalle Jack Caranx hipposSalt water · 46 records
    • Hickory Shad Alosa mediocrisSalt water · 43 records
    • Spot Croaker Leiostomus xanthurusSalt water · 42 records
    • Northern Pipefish Syngnathus fuscusSalt water · 39 records
    • Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannusSalt water · 35 records
    • Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianumSalt water · 32 records
    • American Eel Anguilla rostrataSalt water · 32 records
    • Shrimp Eel Ophichthus gomesiiSalt water · 32 records
    • Eastern Mosquitofish Gambusia holbrookiBrackish water · 27 records
    • Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosusSalt water · 27 records
    • Ladyfish Elops saurusSalt water · 27 records
    • Lookdown Selene vomerSalt water · 26 records
    • White Catfish Ameiurus catusBrackish water · 24 records
    • Weakfish Cynoscion regalisSalt water · 24 records
    • Alewife Alosa pseudoharengusSalt water · 20 records
    • Flathead Grey Mullet Mugil cephalusSalt water · 20 records
    • Freshwater Goby Ctenogobius shufeldtiBrackish water · 19 records
    • Butterfish Peprilus triacanthusSalt water · 19 records
    • Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigmaSalt water · 19 records
    • Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchusSalt water · 19 records
    • Pinfish Lagodon rhomboidesSalt water · 18 records
    • Striped Burrfish Chilomycterus schoepfiiSalt water · 17 records
    • Atlantic Silverside Menidia menidiaSalt water · 17 records
    • Hardhead Catfish Ariopsis felisSalt water · 17 records
    • Inshore Lizardfish Synodus foetensSalt water · 16 records
    • Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatusSalt water · 15 records
    • White Mullet Mugil curemaSalt water · 15 records
    • Speckled Worm Eel Myrophis punctatusSalt water · 15 records
    • Bank Cusk-eel Ophidion holbrookiiSalt water · 15 records
    • Mummichog Fundulus heteroclitusSalt water · 15 records
    • Rock Sea Bass Centropristis philadelphicaSalt water · 14 records
    • Threadfin Shad Dorosoma petenenseSalt water · 14 records
    • Blackcheek Tonguefish Symphurus plagiusaSalt water · 13 records

    Records from GBIF datasets released under CC0 or CC BY 4.0 (museum collections, surveys and community sightings). It shows what has been found here, not a complete list. Check your state rules before keeping fish.

    About the tides at Wilmington Beach

    Wilmington Beach gets two high tides and two low tides most days, but one high is clearly higher than the other (and one low clearly lower), which is called a mixed tide. Over the next month the water typically rises or falls about 4.2 ft between a high and the next low.

    The biggest swings in this window come around Wednesday, October 28, when the day's range reaches 6.4 ft, and again around Sunday, October 11 (5.5 ft). Here the biggest ranges depend on the moon's phase and on how far north or south of the equator it is, so they don't always line up with the new and full moon. The calmest day is Monday, October 19, with only 3.1 ft between the day's highest and lowest water.

    The lowest tide of the month is -0.2 ft at 2:56 AM on Wednesday, October 28. There are 6 minus tides (lows below the chart's zero line) in this window: the best times for tide pools, clamming and walking the flats.

    The highest predicted tide is 6.2 ft at 9:39 AM on Wednesday, October 28. Onshore wind or a storm can push the real water level above that.

    This is a subordinate station: NOAA calculates its times and heights by adjusting a nearby reference station, so expect them to be a few minutes or a few tenths of a foot off on any given day.

    Station details

    Reference station: Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier.

    Nearby tide stations

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