Best Time to Fish in Virginia Beach
Virginia · Friday, September 11
🌅
6:44 AM
Sunrise
🌇
7:19 PM
Sunset
🌙
0%
Moon
The next 7 days in Virginia Beach
| Day | Dawn window | Dusk window | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 6:14 AM – 7:44 AM | 5:49 PM – 7:49 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 0% |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 6:14 AM – 7:44 AM | 5:48 PM – 7:48 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 1% |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 6:15 AM – 7:45 AM | 5:46 PM – 7:46 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 5% |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6:16 AM – 7:46 AM | 5:45 PM – 7:45 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 10% |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6:17 AM – 7:47 AM | 5:43 PM – 7:43 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 17% |
| Wed, Sep 16 | 6:18 AM – 7:48 AM | 5:42 PM – 7:42 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 26% |
| Thu, Sep 17 | 6:18 AM – 7:48 AM | 5:40 PM – 7:40 PM | 🌓 First Quarter · 36% |
Dawn and dusk windows are computed from sunrise/sunset for Virginia Beach; times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's best windows in Virginia Beach
🌅 Dawn — 6:14 AM to 7:44 AM
The first light window is the most reliable bite of the day for most species — fish move shallow to feed before the sun gets high.
🌇 Dusk — 5:49 PM to 7:49 PM
The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.
🌙 Moon — New Moon (0% lit)
Solunar feeding activity peaks around the new and full moons. Overlap a solunar period with dawn or dusk and you have the best window of the day.
Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase are computed for Virginia Beach (Virginia); times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's tides in Virginia Beach
| Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 2:18 AM | 0.1 ft |
| High | 8:30 AM | 4.5 ft |
| Low | 2:39 PM | 0.2 ft |
| High | 8:45 PM | 4.3 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station 8639168 (Virginia Beach), about 1 mi from Virginia Beach. Times in local time, heights relative to MLLW.
Get the precise solunar + tide forecast for your spot
Dawn and dusk are the reliable daily answer, but the exact solunar major/minor periods and the tides for the specific water you're fishing shift day to day. The MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner pulls live NOAA, USGS, and solunar data to score the best times for your exact Virginia Beach spot.
See the AI Trip Planner →Best season to fish Virginia Beach
Striped bass fishing peaks in the cooler months, with the trophy migratory rockfish showing up in late fall and early winter as they move down the coast. Cobia arrive in the bay in summer (roughly June through August) and are sight-cast from the bow on calm days — a signature Virginia Beach fishery. Flounder and speckled trout fish the warm months around the inlets and the CBBT, and red drum run the bay and surf, with big bull reds in spring and fall. Offshore canyon fishing for tuna and mahi peaks in summer. Winter tautog fishing around the CBBT and wrecks fills the cold months.
Best time to fish in Virginia Beach — FAQ
What is the best time of day to fish in Virginia Beach?
The most reliable windows are the low-light hours around sunrise and sunset. Today in Virginia Beach, sunrise is about 6:44 AM and sunset about 7:19 PM, so the dawn and dusk windows either side of those are your best bets — especially on an overcast day or a moving tide.
Does the moon affect fishing in Virginia Beach?
Yes. The strongest solunar feeding periods and biggest tides come around the new and full moons. The moon is currently a New Moon (0% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.
What is the best season to fish in Virginia Beach?
Striped bass fishing peaks in the cooler months, with the trophy migratory rockfish showing up in late fall and early winter as they move down the coast. Cobia arrive in the bay in summer (roughly June through August) and are sight-cast from the bow on calm days — a signature Virginia Beach fishery. Flounder and speckled trout fish the warm months around the inlets and the CBBT, and red drum run the bay and surf, with big bull reds in spring and fall. Offshore canyon fishing for tuna and mahi peaks in summer. Winter tautog fishing around the CBBT and wrecks fills the cold months.
Do I need a fishing license to fish in Virginia Beach?
Yes — most adult anglers need a Virginia fishing license. See the Virginia fishing license guide for 2026 resident and non-resident prices, who's exempt, and where to buy.
What tide is best for fishing in Virginia Beach?
Moving water usually beats slack tide — fish the hour or so around a tide change, when current is strongest and sweeps bait past structure. See today's tide times for Virginia Beach above to plan around the next high or low.
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