Florida fishing intelligence — Daytona & Volusia


New Smyrna Beach Surf62
Window

New Smyrna Beach Surf

New Smyrna Beach

Wait for the best window around high tide thu 3:31 am

Conditions are close, but you will get paid more by timing than by grinding all day in the wrong water.

Best window around high tide Thu 3:31 AMFull read →

WaterNOAA CO-OPS 8721120
NearshoreNo buoy
WindClear
TideunknownNext high Thu 3:31 AM
Air78°FNWS hourly
SurfNWS surf

Surf + swell intelligence

Live surf report

Real buoy data, NWS surf product, and a derived fishability call so you do not waste a drive on blown-out water.

Data limitedNearshore buoy · live
Wave heightNDBC realtime
PeriodAwaiting data
Swell directionDirection pending
WindNWS hourly
NWS marine forecast

Today

Seas 1 to 2 feet

Detail east 2 feet at 4 seconds and east 1 foot at 8 seconds

East winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming northeast 10 to 15 knots late. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Wave detail: east 2 feet at 4 seconds and east 1 foot at 8 seconds. A moderate chop on the intracoastal waters. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms this morning.

Tonight

Seas 2 to 3 feet

Detail east 3 feet at 5 seconds and east 2 feet at 8 seconds

East winds 10 to 15 knots, diminishing to 5 to 10 knots after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail: east 3 feet at 5 seconds and east 2 feet at 8 seconds. A light chop on the intracoastal waters. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight.

Friday

Seas 2 to 3 feet

Detail east 3 feet at 8 seconds

East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail: east 3 feet at 8 seconds. A light chop on the intracoastal waters. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Solunar windows, barometric pressure.

Solunar windows

Prime bite hours today

  • 7:10 PM9:10 PMmoon overhead 8:10 PM
    Major
  • 1:00 AM2:00 AMmoonset 1:30 AM
    Minor
  • 7:40 AM9:40 AMmoon underfoot 8:40 AM
    Major · in 4h 13m
  • 3:30 PM4:30 PMmoonrise 4:00 PM
    Minor · in 12h 3m

Major windows ~2 hours; minor windows ~1 hour. Best when they overlap sunrise, sunset, or a tide change.

Barometric pressure steady
1017 hPa30.03 inHg+0.2 hPa over 6 h

Stable pressure. Fish what the tide and light tell you.


Markers pulse with the live score. Green means go, amber means window, red means hold.


Live scores for every Daytona & Volusia location. Tap any spot for the full read.

New Smyrna Beach Surf
New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach Surf

62

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Best window around high tide Thu 3:31 AMFull read →
Daytona Beach Pier
Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach Pier

62

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Best window around high tide Thu 3:31 AMFull read →
Ponce Inlet Jetty
Ponce Inlet

Ponce Inlet Jetty

58

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Best window around high tide Thu 3:31 AMFull read →

What is worth targeting in Daytona & Volusia right now, scored against live conditions.

Snook
Best: New Smyrna Beach Surf

Snook

68

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: 3/0-4/0 live-bait hook or paddletail on a 1/4-1/2 oz headBait: Live mullet, pilchards, or low-light soft plastics
Harvest closed right now; treat snook as a low-light catch-and-release target until the next east coast opening.
Jack Crevalle
Best: New Smyrna Beach Surf

Jack Crevalle

68

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: Medium-heavy spinning with topwater plugs or fast-retrieve spoonsBait: Topwater poppers, spoons, or live mullet when jacks are blitzing bait
No minimum size, no bag limit in Florida recreational waters.
Spanish Mackerel
Best: Daytona Beach Pier

Spanish Mackerel

68

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: Long-shank hook or wire leader with a fast-retrieve setupBait: Gotcha plugs, Clark spoons, or live pilchards and greenbacks under a float
FWC: 12" fork minimum, 15 per harvester. Open year-round.
Redfish
Best: Ponce Inlet Jetty

Redfish

64

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: 1/8-1/4 oz jighead, weedless paddletail, or a light live-shrimp rigBait: Live shrimp, mullet chunks, or soft plastics in the seam
Indian River Lagoon redfish are catch-and-release only, so this is a confidence signal more than a cooler plan.
Tarpon
Best: Ponce Inlet Jetty

Tarpon

64

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: Heavy spinning with 60-80 lb fluorocarbon leader, 5/0-7/0 circle hookBait: Live mullet, crabs, or threadfin herring; fly anglers use tarpon toads and black death patterns
Tarpon over 75" require a $50 harvest tag (one per person per year). Most are catch-and-release only.
Mangrove Snapper
Best: Ponce Inlet Jetty

Mangrove Snapper

64

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: Light fluorocarbon leader, small circle or live-bait hook, minimal weightBait: Live shrimp, pilchards, or small pieces of cut bait. Chum helps.
FWC: 10" total length minimum, 5 per harvester. Open year-round in state waters.
Florida Pompano
Best: New Smyrna Beach Surf

Florida Pompano

52

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: Double-drop pompano rig with a sputnik sinkerBait: Peeled shrimp, sand fleas, Fish Gum/Fishbites
FWC recreational rule set: 11" fork minimum, 6 per harvester, open year-round.
Whiting
Best: New Smyrna Beach Surf

Whiting

52

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Rig: Small double-drop rig with light wire and a sputnik or pyramid weightBait: Shrimp pieces, sand fleas, or Fishbites tipped with shrimp
Check current local limits before harvest; use this card as a trip cue, not your final legal source.

Real hours, real phone numbers for Daytona & Volusia. Call ahead for live bait.

NSB Bait and Tackle

Mon–Thu 5 AM – 10 PM · Fri–Sat 5 AM – 11 PM · Sun 5 AM – 10 PM
197 N Causeway, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
(386) 428-2841
Live shrimpSand fleasFinger mulletFrozen bait
Open in Maps →

The Fishin' Hole

Mon–Sat 7 AM – 6 PM · Sun 7 AM – 2 PM
450 N Beach Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
(386) 252-9804
Live baitCustom rigsPier tackleFrozen squid
Open in Maps →

Donald's Bait and Tackle

Mon–Thu 6 AM – 7 PM · Fri–Sat 5 AM – 8 PM · Sun 5 AM – 7 PM
96 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL 32127
(386) 760-1871
Live shrimpFiddler crabsFrozen mulletSurf rods
Open in Maps →

Trip-planning surface, not a legal substitute. Every rule links back to its source.

Port CanaveralJetty Park access rule

Port Canaveral rules say beach or shore fishing is prohibited in Jetty Park, but a license is not required from the pier.

Source →
FWCSnook window

FWC says east coast snook harvest is open Feb. 1-May 31 and Sept. 1-Dec. 14, with a permit required if you are taking snook.

Source →
FWCIndian River Lagoon redfish

FWC currently lists the Indian River Lagoon redfish region as catch-and-release only.

Source →
FWCPompano baseline

FWC recreational regulations list Florida pompano at 11" fork minimum, 6 per harvester, open year-round.

Source →
FWCShore-based shark permit

FWC requires the free shore-based shark fishing permit and course for shark targeting from shore, jetties, bridges, and piers.

Source →
CaptainAI Fishing Advisor
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