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Coastal conditions

Beaufort Inlet

Inlet · North Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Crystal Coast

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Location Snapshot

Beaufort Inlet is a Crystal Coast fishery where Core and Bogue sounds meet the Atlantic through deep channels, shoals, jetties, and nearby beaches. Red drum, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, and southern flounder are the principal supported targets.

Active coastal or marine alerts

  • Small Craft Advisory

    Severity: Minor

    Small Craft Advisory issued October 20 at 3:00AM EDT until October 25 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

    Begins Oct 20, 2026, 3:00 AM · Ends Oct 25, 2026, 8:00 AM

    Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.

    Official NWS alert

Current Coastal Rating

Poor · 48

Beta

Conditions are poor. Review the details below before heading out.

Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.

Should I Go?

Trip conditions only. Target-species activity and seasonal fishery patterns are not yet included.

Wait

Trip conditions may improve later. Review the recommended window and the reason for waiting.

High confidence in the evaluated inputs — observational coverage is partial. — Required data sources were available and the key inputs were current.

Evaluates trip conditions using weather, tides, currents, waves, daylight, and active alerts.

  • This coastal rating is in public beta.
  • Missing waves are not calm. Forecast is not an observation. Prediction is not an observation.
  • Because this rating is in public beta, recommendations are capped at Consider when evidence is limited.

Best later window

Tuesday · 11:00 AM–2:00 PM EDT

Window score

73

Max wind
16 mph
Max gust
26 mph
Daylight
100% of window
Tide state
rising

Why

  • A later window scores 73 vs near-term 48; wait for the stronger period.

Watch for

  • An active caution-level alert applies to this destination.

Coastal conditions can change quickly. Review official alerts and current conditions before heading out.

Current Readings

Updated Oct 20, 2026, 5:56 AM

NOAA Station

NOAA Station selected

Source

  • NOAA CO-OPS
  • Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab station
  • 0.0 mi from destination
Water level
3.6 ft MLLW

Updated 9 min ago

Water temperature
63°F

Updated 9 min ago

Wind
N · 6 mph

Updated 9 min ago

Wind gust
13 mph

Updated 9 min ago

Past 7 Days

NOAA Station

NOAA Station selected

Water level

Window Oct 13, 2026, 5:56 AM – Oct 20, 2026, 5:56 AM (rolling 168 hours)

Water level over the past 7 days. 1679 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 6:00 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 5:48 AM Range 1.1 ft MLLW to 4.9 ft MLLW.

Readings increased over the available period.

1679 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 6:00 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 5:48 AM

  • NOAA CO-OPS · Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab · Station 8656483
  • Station at destination
  • Approximately 0.0 mi from destination
  • Observation type: observed
  • Unit: ft
  • Datum: MLLW

Nearby coastal destinations

  • Atlantic Beach / Oceanana Pier4 mi

    North Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Crystal Coast · Shore

    Approximately 4 miles away

  • Cape Lookout Shoals17.9 mi

    North Carolina · Cape Lookout Shoals / Crystal Coast offshore · Offshore

    Approximately 17.9 miles away

  • Bogue Inlet Pier24.6 mi

    North Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Crystal Coast / Emerald Isle · Shore

    Approximately 24.6 miles away

Predicted Tides

Predicted

Falling

Next low tide

Oct 20, 2026, 9:38 AM

In 3 hr 41 min

0.9 ft MLLW

Previous

High · Oct 20, 2026, 3:23 AM · 2.9 ft MLLW

Following

High · Oct 20, 2026, 3:58 PM · 3.4 ft MLLW

Tide station at destination

Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab · NOAA 8656483

Predicted Tidal Current

Predicted

Tidal-current predictions are not available for this destination.

Tidal-current timing can differ from high and low tide timing.

Fishery Profile

Fishery Overview

Beaufort Inlet / Crystal Coast jetty fishery

A Crystal Coast Atlantic inlet fishery at Beaufort Inlet between Bogue Banks and Shackleford Banks. Fort Macon jetties and the inlet throat are the bounded.

Fishery type
  • Jetty inlet pass
Fishing modes
  • Shore
  • Inshore boat
Habitat and structure
Fort Macon / Beaufort Inlet jetties · Inlet exchange between Bogue Sound and the Atlantic

Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Aug 23, 2026

Not a live bite forecast.

Fishery Targets

Red drum, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, and southern flounder are representative Crystal Coast inlet targets. Seasonal timing varies by species.

This reflects typical biological/fishery timing, not a legal open season. Check current regulations before fishing.

Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency and editorial sources. About fish illustrations

  • Red drum illustration

    Red drum

    Primary

    Sciaenops ocellatus

    Also called Redfish

    Typical seasonal opportunity: SPRING AND FALL

    May also be present outside this peak window.

    Crystal Coast inlet and adjacent surf fishing.

  • Spotted seatrout illustration

    Spotted seatrout

    Primary

    Cynoscion nebulosus

    No seasonal pulse known

    Inlet and sound-edge fishing.

  • Sheepshead illustration

    Sheepshead

    Secondary

    Archosargus probatocephalus

    No seasonal pulse known

    Jetty rock and piling structure.

  • Southern flounder illustration

    Southern flounder

    SecondaryRegulations vary annually

    Paralichthys lethostigma

    Typical seasonal opportunity: FALL

    Inlet sand and channel edges.

Typical Seasonal Targets

  • Red drum — SPRING AND FALL
  • Southern flounder — FALL

Seasonal presence is general guidance and does not indicate current fish activity.

Access, Safety and Regulations

Access

Public access includes Fort Macon State Park jetties and nearby ramps. Confirm North Carolina State Parks and town rules. This destination is not Morehead City harbor interior.

Primary hazards

Inlet current and ocean swell at the jetty ends are the main hazards. Nearby Beaufort harbor water is not the ocean jetty.

Fishery considerations

  • No qualified interval inlet-throat current is registered.
  • Onshore wind steepens the bar. Missing waves are not calm. Forecast is not an observation.

Regulations

Size limits, seasons, and possession rules change. Verify the current official regulations before fishing.

View current recreational saltwater regulations (opens in a new tab)

Location and Access

Inlet · North Carolina

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Get Directions to Map Location (opens in a new tab)View Official Access Information (opens in a new tab)

The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.

Data Sources

Planning limitation

Coastal conditions can vary over short distances. Predictions and remote observations are planning information, not guarantees of access or safety.

  • This is a Crystal Coast / Beaufort Inlet identity, not Cape Lookout generic and not Beaufort SC.
  • Waves are unsupported. Nearby buoys are not the inlet throat.
  • Tidal-current predictions are not available for this inlet.