FishCondishCedar Key, FL Fishing Report & Live Conditions
Cedar Key, FL fishing report
Cedar Key's Big Bend backcountry is primarily redfish, trout, and flounder country — not striped bass, bluefish, or tautog water. That said, the seasonality here is distinct. Warmer months push spotted seatrout onto shallow grass flats and oyster bars, while redfish school in tidal creeks and along mangrove edges. As water cools into fall and winter, trout move deeper into channels and cuts, and flounder stage near creek mouths before their offshore migration. Sheepshead and black drum become reliable cold-weather targets around structure.
Fish moving tides hard — incoming water pushes baitfish and shrimp onto the flats, and predators follow. A falling tide concentrates fish at creek mouths and deeper potholes. Soft plastics on light jigheads, weedless gold spoons, and live shrimp all produce here. Watch water temperature closely — trout and reds feed aggressively in the mid-60s to low-70s Fahrenheit range. Persistent wind out of the north muddies the shallow flats quickly, so seek leeward shorelines and deeper protected drains on those days.
Cedar Key, FL tide times
The closest NOAA tide station to Cedar Key, FL is Cedar Key (station 8727520), about 0.3 miles away. The mean tide range at this station is 2.8 ft. Predictions below are referenced to MLLW in local time.
| Date | Tides |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 1 | ▲ High 4:40 AM 3.5 ft▼ Low 10:25 AM 1.3 ft▲ High 4:11 PM 4 ft▼ Low 10:53 PM 0.4 ft |
| Sun, Aug 2 | ▲ High 5:05 AM 3.7 ft▼ Low 11:07 AM 1.1 ft▲ High 4:57 PM 3.9 ft▼ Low 11:26 PM 0.6 ft |
| Mon, Aug 3 | ▲ High 5:32 AM 3.8 ft▼ Low 11:53 AM 0.9 ft▲ High 5:48 PM 3.7 ft |
| Tue, Aug 4 | ▼ Low 12:00 AM 0.9 ft▲ High 6:04 AM 4 ft▼ Low 12:42 PM 0.8 ft▲ High 6:45 PM 3.4 ft |
| Wed, Aug 5 | ▼ Low 12:36 AM 1.2 ft▲ High 6:40 AM 4.1 ft▼ Low 1:40 PM 0.6 ft▲ High 7:52 PM 3.1 ft |
| Thu, Aug 6 | ▼ Low 1:17 AM 1.6 ft▲ High 7:23 AM 4.2 ft▼ Low 2:50 PM 0.5 ft▲ High 9:22 PM 2.9 ft |
| Fri, Aug 7 | ▼ Low 2:09 AM 2 ft▲ High 8:18 AM 4.2 ft▼ Low 4:09 PM 0.4 ft▲ High 11:02 PM 2.8 ft |
| Sat, Aug 8 | ▼ Low 3:23 AM 2.3 ft▲ High 9:26 AM 4.3 ft▼ Low 5:25 PM 0.1 ft |
| Sun, Aug 9 | ▲ High 12:28 AM 3 ft▼ Low 4:43 AM 2.3 ft▲ High 10:39 AM 4.3 ft▼ Low 6:35 PM -0.1 ft |
| Mon, Aug 10 | ▲ High 1:32 AM 3.1 ft▼ Low 5:57 AM 2.2 ft▲ High 11:50 AM 4.4 ft▼ Low 7:34 PM -0.2 ft |
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS, regenerated daily. For the live water level, wind, and today's fishing score, open the Cedar Key, FL dashboard.
What's biting near Cedar Key, FL
The species most likely to be feeding the Big Bend backcountry: striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish. FishCondish grades every hour of the day for Cedar Key, FL and gives each species its own bite forecast, so you can see which window is worth fishing before you load the truck.
Cedar Key, FL fishing FAQ
What fish can you catch at Cedar Key, FL?
The species bite forecast for Cedar Key, FL covers what's likely feeding there, including striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish — and updates with the live conditions.
What's the best time of day to fish Cedar Key, FL?
Dawn and dusk are usually the strongest windows at Cedar Key, FL, especially when they line up with moving water around a tide change. FishCondish grades every hour of the day so you can pick the best one.
When is the best season to fish Cedar Key, FL?
Spring and fall typically bring the most active fishing along the Big Bend backcountry as fish migrate and feed heavily, with summer steady for warm-water species. It varies year to year, so check the live score before you head out.
How do I know if it's a good day to fish Cedar Key, FL?
FishCondish combines wind, tide movement, water temperature, pressure trend, and moon phase into a single 1–10 fishing score for Cedar Key, FL, updated in real time — a quick go/no-go read before you make the trip.
Fishing tips for Cedar Key, FL
New to these waters? Start with these beginner-friendly guides: