Coastal conditions
Harbor · U.S. Virgin Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands / St. John / Cruz Bay
Cruz Bay is a St. John harbor fishery where protected waterfront, rocky island shoreline, reef edges, and nearby passages create a compact tropical inshore setting. Tarpon, jacks, and snapper provide the principal gamefish opportunities, with the harbor identity kept distinct from broader Virgin Islands offshore water.
Rip Current Statement
Severity: Moderate
Rip Current Statement issued October 20 at 4:04AM AST until October 21 at 6:00PM AST by NWS San Juan PR
Begins Oct 20, 2026, 6:00 PM · Ends Oct 21, 2026, 6:00 PM
There is a high risk of rip currents. Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore, which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as groins, jetties and piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards, b…
Fair · 71
BetaConditions are fair, but confidence is reduced because some coastal inputs are partial or prediction-based.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Trip conditions only. Target-species activity and seasonal fishery patterns are not yet included.
Consider
Trip conditions may be workable, but important cautions or data limitations remain.
Medium confidence — The recommendation is usable, but one or more inputs are regional, proxied, stale, or incomplete.
Evaluates trip conditions using weather, tides, currents, waves, daylight, and active alerts.
Degraded
Coastal conditions are partial, stale, or predictions-only.
Tuesday · 10:00 AM–1:00 PM AST
Window score
81
Coastal conditions can change quickly. Review official alerts and current conditions before heading out.
Updated Oct 20, 2026, 7:38 AM
NOAA Station
NOAA Station selected
No sufficiently recent observations are available for this source.
Some observation sources are temporarily unavailable.
NOAA Station
NOAA Station selected
Water level
Window Oct 13, 2026, 7:38 AM – Oct 20, 2026, 7:38 AM (rolling 168 hours)
Water level over the past 7 days. 1662 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 7:42 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 5:48 AM Range 0.4 ft MLLW to 3.1 ft MLLW.
Readings decreased over the available period.
1662 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 7:42 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 5:48 AM
U.S. Virgin Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands / St. Thomas / Red Hook · Harbor
Approximately 3.8 miles away
U.S. Virgin Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands / St. Thomas / Charlotte Amalie · Harbor
Approximately 9 miles away
U.S. Virgin Islands · St. Thomas North Drop shelf-edge · Offshore
Approximately 13.6 miles away
Falling
Next low tide
Oct 20, 2026, 8:30 AM
In 52 min
0.4 ft MLLW
Previous
High · Oct 19, 2026, 4:14 PM · 1.0 ft MLLW
Following
High · Oct 20, 2026, 4:47 PM · 1.0 ft MLLW
Tide prediction proxy
Lameshur Bay · NOAA 9751381
This nearby station is used for tide timing. Predicted height does not represent exact water depth or exposed-flat conditions at this destination.
Tidal-current predictions are not available for this destination.
Tidal-current timing can differ from high and low tide timing.
Cruz Bay VINP harbor, reef, and flats overlay fishery
A Cruz Bay, St. John harbor, reef, and flats-overlay fishery. Yellowtail, barracuda, tarpon, bonefish, and permit use VINP waters around the island hub.
Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Sep 1, 2026
Not a live bite forecast.
Yellowtail snapper and barracuda are year-round. VINP and federal closures are legal.
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
Yellowtail snapper
PrimaryOcyurus chrysurus
Also called colirrubia
No seasonal pulse known
Year-round reef fishing around St. John. Federal snapper closures are legal overlays.
Great barracuda
PrimarySphyraena barracuda
Also called Barracuda
No seasonal pulse known
Ubiquitous inshore predator around harbor and reef.
Tarpon
SecondaryMegalops atlanticus
No seasonal pulse known
Harbor and mangrove-edge fishing. Harvest dates follow the current regulations.
Bonefish
SecondaryAlbula vulpes
No seasonal pulse known
St. John flats overlay. Harvest dates follow the current regulations.
Crevalle jack
SecondaryCaranx hippos
No seasonal pulse known
Harbor and reef edges.
Permit
SeasonalTrachinotus falcatus
No seasonal pulse known
Flats and reef overlay.
Seasonal timing is not defined for every target.
Cruz Bay is the St. John hub. Virgin Islands National Park fishing rules apply in park waters. A USVI recreational license is administered through GoOutdoorsUSVI. Confirm current DPNR, VINP, and federal Caribbean rules. Confirm the current license requirement before fishing.
Coral, heat, and thunderstorms. Missing waves are not calm.
Size limits, seasons, and possession rules change. Verify the current official regulations before fishing.
Editorial and agency sources supporting this fishery profile. Live and predicted conditions use the separate Data Sources section.
Harbor · U.S. Virgin Islands
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.
Tide predictions, water level, wind
Tide prediction proxy
Regional marine observations
Nearby marine station · 6.0 mi from destination
Coastal and marine hazard alerts
Planning limitation
Coastal conditions can vary over short distances. Predictions and remote observations are planning information, not guarantees of access or safety.