The Morehead City, NC marine forecast covers live wind speed and gusts, tide predictions, wave conditions, and major and minor solunar feeding times, updated continuously from NOAA and Open-Meteo. The strongest fishing windows usually line up with the moving tide and the solunar periods shown below — check current conditions before you head out.
By Steve Wilson, lifelong angler & founder of My Marine Forecast
Last updated: Aug 1, 2026, 8:01 AM
On Saturday, August 1, Morehead City, NC sees high tide at 10:24 AM (3.1 ft) and 10:41 PM (3.5 ft), low tide at 4:14 AM (0.3 ft) and 4:18 PM (0.3 ft). Winds 5–13 mph from the SE gusting to 23 mph. Air temperatures 76–87°F. Current water temperature is about 84°F. The strongest fishing windows line up with the moving water around each tide change, roughly an hour on either side.
Today's Tides · Station 8656483
| Low tide | 4:14 AM | 0.3 ft |
| High tide | 10:24 AM | 3.1 ft |
| Low tide | 4:18 PM | 0.3 ft |
| High tide | 10:41 PM | 3.5 ft |
Wind
5–13 mph SE
Gusts
23 mph
Air Temp
76–87°F
Water Temp
84°F
Tides from NOAA Station 8656483 · wind & temperature from Open-Meteo. Open the live forecast for hourly charts and the 7-day outlook.
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Tide data sourced from NOAA Station 8656483
Morehead City is the sportfishing capital of North Carolina, home to one of the Southeast's most active charter fleets and renowned for world-class offshore fishing. Beaufort Inlet provides direct access to the Atlantic, and the Gulf Stream is just 30–40 miles offshore, making this one of the most accessible billfish and pelagic fishing destinations on the East Coast.
Inshore around Morehead City, the Core Sound, Back Sound, and the Neuse River estuary hold abundant red drum, spotted seatrout, and flounder. The shallow grass flats behind the barrier islands are productive for sight-fishing reds in clear water. The beaches of Cape Lookout National Seashore — accessible only by boat — offer pristine surf fishing for channel bass and pompano.
The Morehead City offshore fleet targets blue and white marlin, sailfish, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna during summer and fall. The area is also known for its excellent bottom fishing on the deep reefs for golden tilefish and large grouper. The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, held each June, is one of the most prestigious fishing tournaments on the East Coast.
Spring: Atlantic bonito arrive on nearshore wrecks and rips in April, a bite this port is known for, followed by Spanish mackerel and bluefish by early May. Sea mullet and gray trout come up the beach and into the turning basin. Redfish spread through the marshes behind the banks, and the first kings show at the Cape Lookout shoals.
Summer: Spanish mackerel work the tide lines off Beaufort Inlet every morning with kings on the reefs just beyond. The Big Rock draws blue marlin, mahi and wahoo crews offshore in June. Sight-casting to tarpon and big red drum picks up in the sounds, and flounder settle around the port wall, bridges and nearshore live bottom.
Fall: False albacore blitzing bait off Cape Lookout from October into December define fall here, drawing fly and light-tackle anglers from everywhere. Big red drum school around the shoals and Beaufort Inlet in September. Speckled trout fill the creeks off the Newport River, and king mackerel stack within sight of the beach chasing bait balls.
Winter: Speckled trout hold deep in the Haystacks marsh and creek bends, biting on midday sun. Sea mullet and black drum bite in the turning basin and channel edges on mild days. Offshore, the wahoo bite stays viable between blows, and giant bluefin tuna pass within range of the port most winters.
Cape Lookout and its shoals sit a short run from Beaufort Inlet, holding everything from albacore blitzes to big red drum. The Morehead City turning basin and state port wall are famous fall albie and trout water inside the harbor. The Haystacks, the marsh maze behind Morehead between the Newport River and the ICW, is prime trout and redfish territory. The Oceanana Pier at Atlantic Beach covers the surf crowd, and Shackleford Banks offers wadeable beach and inlet fishing across the channel.