Stuart Tide Schedule: Friday, May 15

The tides around Stuart on Friday set up a textbook late-spring pattern — wide swings, a deep negative low, and a commanding evening push that will move serious water through every inlet and flat on the Treasure Coast.

TODAY: A mild overnight low of 0.1 ft at 1:12 a.m. gives way to a moderate morning high of 2.8 ft at 7:05 a.m. — enough to push bait and predators onto the grass flats early. The afternoon low drops to -0.5 ft at 1:17 p.m., a negative tide that will expose oyster bars and concentrate fish in the deepest channels of the St. Lucie River and Manatee Pocket. By evening, the tide surges back to 3.5 ft at 7:50 p.m., the strongest water movement of the day.

TONIGHT: The 3.5 ft evening high peaks just before dark, according to NOAA CO-OPS data, making the outgoing tide through the St. Lucie Inlet active well into the night. Anglers targeting snook around lighted docks and bridge pilings will find favorable current through at least 10 p.m.

THIS WEEK — CONTEXT: Friday's tidal range of four feet — from -0.5 ft to 3.5 ft — is larger than the 2.5 ft average range recorded during the same mid-May week in 2025, when a flatter neap cycle muted flow through local passes. Bigger swings mean stronger currents, which means better bait movement and more aggressive feeding windows.

ON THE WATER: The negative afternoon low at 1:17 p.m. is the tactical key on Friday. As water drains from the flats, mullet, pilchards, and glass minnows stack up at channel edges and deeper cuts — and snook, redfish, and tarpon follow. Fish the last two hours of the outgoing tide (roughly noon to 1:30 p.m.) with live pilchards or white bucktail jigs along the deeper bends of the South Fork of the St. Lucie River near Leighton Park, where the bottom drops sharply and current accelerates on the drain. Then reposition for the incoming surge ahead of the 7:50 p.m. high, working lighted dock pilings along the St. Lucie waterfront — the rising water will push snook into ambush positions just after sunset.

ALERTS: No active NWS watches, warnings, or advisories are in effect for Martin County at this time, according to NOAA. Officials said

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