Fort Pierce Hits Zero-Foot Low Tide Friday Night

The tide window Friday opens early and closes dramatically — and the anglers who know Fort Pierce Inlet know exactly what a 0.0-foot evening low means.

NOAA CO-OPS tide predictions for Fort Pierce on April 24, 2026, show four tidal stages:

HIGH: 2:53 a.m. — 2.8 ft LOW: 9:12 a.m. — 0.2 ft HIGH: 3:17 p.m. — 2.4 ft LOW: 9:25 p.m. — 0.0 ft

The day's first high tide arrives before most residents are awake, cresting at 2.8 feet just before three a.m. — the largest swing of the day. By mid-morning, the water drops to a shallow 0.2 feet, exposing grass flats and oyster bars along the Indian River Lagoon and creating a productive feeding window for snook, redfish, and trout as baitfish concentrate in draining channels.

The afternoon high at 3:17 p.m. reaches 2.4 feet, a slightly lower crest than the overnight peak — a typical mixed semidiurnal pattern for the Treasure Coast, where successive high tides differ in height due to the moon's angle relative to Earth. Diurnal inequality, the difference in successive tide heights, explains why Fort Pierce's morning and evening conditions can feel like two different days on the water.

The evening's standout feature is the 9:25 p.m. low, predicted at exactly 0.0 feet — dead flat. Waders, clammers, and night-fishing guides along the St. Lucie County shoreline should note that exposed structure near the inlet and along Pepper Park will be at its most accessible around that hour.

The outgoing tide from roughly 3:30 p.m. through 9:25 p.m. offers a sustained afternoon-into-evening fishing window, particularly around dock lights and channel edges as the current picks up speed through the inlet. Boaters should plan departures to clear the inlet near the 3:17 p.m. high for the most forgiving passage.

Friday's tidal range — 2.8 feet at its peak — is moderate for Fort Pierce, consistent with neap-to-spring transition conditions typical of late April. The bottom line for St. Lucie County residents: the evening low is the day's defining event, and the outgoing current that builds through the afternoon gives inshore anglers their best shot of the day.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.