CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Cedar Key, FL Daily Water Report — August 28, 2026

Sailing is your best bet today, with a score of 8.6 that handily beats yesterday’s 5.3—and that’s the headline. A full moon overhead and a steady westerly breeze around 12 knots, gusting to 14, set up a proper day for anyone who wants to move under canvas. The wind is consistent enough to keep a keelboat humming, though it’s not so piled-on that it’ll rattle a competent crew. Waves sit at a manageable half-meter, so you’re looking at a lumpy but workable afternoon session. The high tide at 14:42, just over 1.2 meters, will help clear some of the shallow flats around the grasslines, giving you a broader corridor to work with. Just be mindful of the rain window from 11:00 to 14:00—it’s forecast as light stuff, but that midday squall potential could briefly chop things up. Fishing also checks in strong at 8.2, a tick above yesterday’s 8.0, and the full moon plus the solunar major period peaking at 12:34 to 14:34 create a nice overlap with the outgoing tide before that high slack. The low around 08:47 is a solid target for working the edges of the creeks and oyster bars as water pulls off the marsh. The rising pressure at 1017 hPa and climbing suggests stable air, which often coaxes fish into a more predictable feed. Wildlife watchers get a 7.1—good but not great—with the wind pushing some chop into the shallows where you’d normally spot wading birds and rays working the dropping tide. Boating rates a 7.5, down from yesterday’s 8.2 and well off the 9.6 from three days ago. That west wind at 12 knots with gusts to 14 is going to put some roll into a run across open water, especially around the afternoon high. It’s doable, but it’s not a glassy day—better for a center console with a deep V than a jon boat. Kayaking scores a 6.5, a notable drop from the 8.5 and 9.5 of recent days, and that’s purely the wind talking. If you paddle, stick to the lee of the islands south of the main channel or hit the early morning low at dawn before the breeze builds. Surfing remains middling at 5.1—the 0.26-meter swell from 235 degrees is short-period and won’t hold a face, but the slight uptick over yesterday is at least moving in the right direction. Compared to the 4.9 and 4.5 scores from earlier this week, that’s trivial progress. Diving has no score again today—same as yesterday—likely due to missing or incomplete water clarity data, so don’t bank on a submerged adventure. Looking ahead, Friday brings lighter waves at 0.1 to 0.2 meters and peak winds near 12 knots, so sailing should hold steady. Saturday sees a jump in precipitation chance to 54% and temperatures climbing toward 33.5°C, with winds easing slightly. Sunday looks even calmer—waves down to 0.1 meters, wind barely 5 knots—which could