Bunnie's Web (BW)Jacksonville Beach
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Vessel wreck with ~3.5 m relief; shallowest option; boat entry.
Google MapsJacksonville Beach spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras
5.3
wave 0.7 m head-on
visibility3m
Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and visibility.
Sources: IPMA · NDBC · Copernicus — high confidence · data 18:27
Sources & confidence
- Sources
- IPMA · NDBC buoys · Copernicus Marine
- Method
- Model consensus, read per window
- Freshness
- Re-read every hour, per coast
Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine
The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.
How we score the water
Our own model
Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.
- Swell & wave memory
- Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
- Wind & gusts
- Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
- Tide phase
- Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
- Water temperature
- Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
- Currents & outflow
- Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
- Rain runoff & air clarity
- Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
- Coast shape & exposure
- How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.
Safety gates
- Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
- An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
- Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
- Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
- Night hours — forced red; the window is closed after dark.
It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.
A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.
Where to get in, where to hunt
Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground
Surface
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
spearo.app
calmupdated 18:27
Jacksonville Beach — solo, off the rocks
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
wave 0.7 m head-onwind 24, gusts 33 km/hvisibility ~4 mwindow 18:00–21:00
today, best window 18:00–21:00
fish · Visibility 4 m · Water 30.3°C
confidence low · verdict for the selected day
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day
Windows, hours
and the day's trends.
The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.
Wednesday · today2026-07-22
06:38–20:25 · first quarter
▲ 03:00▼ 09:00▲ 15:00▼ 22:00mid-range tides · 1.4 m
Hours (06→20)
18
Day's trends
Tide-0.87 m
Wave0.78 m
Wind24 km/h
Water30 °C
fish activity: moonset 00:55 · moderate · moon underfoot 07:50 · high · moonrise 15:00 · moderate · moon overhead 20:10 · high
Conditions window18:00–21:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 0.74 mperiod 3.9 s head-onwind 24→33surge 0.4viz 3 m
0.74 mup to ~1.48 · 103° head-on
3.9 sswell moderate
24→33gusts 33 km/h
0.4weak surge
0.11m/s
3 mrecent swell
30.3°C5 mm + hood
▼22:00tide falling
Atmosphere18 kmlandmarks visible
highmoon overhead
- steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
- strong wind 24 km/h, gusts 33 — caution
- ebb — weaker inshore
confidence lowtwilight
The water column
Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.
What it is
A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.
spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.
Now live: 1152 spots across 189 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
See all spotsThe seabed
Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.
On the rock
The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.
The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.
Entry points
Where to get in
off the rocks.
Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.
Open the seafloor map
Charles H. Kirbo ReefJacksonville Beach
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Module field, 2.5 m relief; snapper; boat entry.
Google MapsJW Site - MTC 120 BargeJacksonville Beach
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Sunken barge, 2.5 m relief; boat entry.
Google MapsSOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.
Surfacing
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live
Look at the water
right now.
Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».
Reference
What's in season,
what the law says.
In season now
- sheepshead
- mangrove/mutton snapper
- gag/red grouperSeason is state-set — check before you go.
- hogfish
- cobia
- flounder
Law
- ✓Florida: saltwater licence $17 res / $47 non-res; reef fish need the free State Reef Fish Angler (SRFS) designation. NC: CRFL; SC/GA: saltwater licence.
- ✓Distances (FL): 100 yd from beaches/piers/bridges, 100 ft from the above-water part of a jetty. banned in FL and SC; rebreathers are illegal for spearfishing in FL.
- ✓SC: gamefish (red drum/seatrout/cobia/tarpon/striped bass) hook-and-line only (§50-5-1700). GA: speargun doubtful in state water — real hunting on federal reefs.
- ⛔ 🚫 Do not spear (FL FAC 68B-20.005): snook, red drum, spotted seatrout, tarpon, bonefish, pompano, goliath/Nassau grouper, billfish, sharks, rays + ornamental reef families.
- ⛔ 🚫 Spiny lobster/stone crab — hand-take only (no puncturing). banned in FL and SC. Monroe County (Long Key north to the Miami-Dade line — incl. Key Largo): spearfishing banned; the lionfish licence exemption does NOT override it — hand-held nets only there.
US spearfishing law is state-by-state. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and distances vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, the Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances.
Safety protocol
- Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
- Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
- Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
- Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
- Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
- Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
- UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
- Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Spearfishing in Jacksonville Beach: spots, seasons and rules
Spearfishing Jacksonville Beach is a Duval County offshore program. The beach itself is not the main play because Florida distance rules, pier traffic and surf make nearshore hunting awkward. Most serious dives leave through Mayport toward barges, module fields and wrecks in roughly 11 to 21 m of water. Bunnie's Web is the shallowest listed option; the JW barge and Charles H. Kirbo Reef add structure for snapper, sheepshead and grouper checks. For Jacksonville Beach water visibility, wait for west wind, small east swell and a calm NOAA 41117 read.
TL;DR
- Jacksonville Beach spearfishing is mainly a Mayport boat run to artificial structure, not a casual beach-entry plan.
- Bunnie's Web, the JW Site MTC 120 Barge, and Charles H. Kirbo Reef give low to moderate relief for snapper, sheepshead, grouper checks and flounder.
- The coast faces east; light west wind and low Atlantic swell are the clean-water pattern, while NOAA station 41117 helps screen the offshore window.
- Florida rules are strict: license first, State Reef Fish Angler designation for reef fish, no powerheads, no rebreathers, and a long no-spear species list.
Best spearfishing spots near Jacksonville Beach
All three spots below are boat entries. They are exposed Atlantic structures, so the decision should be made at the dock, not after a long run into lumpy water. Carry a flag, assign a live boat or pickup plan, and avoid anchoring directly where divers will surface.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunnie's Web (BW) | Vessel wreck | Shallowest of the listed offshore options | Boat crew, intermediate | Boat from Mayport or Jacksonville area ramps | About 3.5 m of relief, useful when deeper reef runs are too ambitious. Expect sheepshead, snapper and flounder checks. |
| JW Site - MTC 120 Barge | Sunken barge | Moderate artificial reef depth | Boat crew, intermediate | Boat only | Low relief around 2.5 m means fish can sit tight. Work slowly and keep the diver-down signal obvious to passing traffic. |
| Charles H. Kirbo Reef | Module field | Moderate reef depth | Boat crew, intermediate | Boat only | Snapper and reef fish structure with roughly 2.5 m relief. It is better on a clean-water west-wind morning. |
What conditions make Jacksonville Beach clear?
The Northeast Florida shelf is sandy and easily stirred, so visibility often improves offshore before it improves along the beach. A light west or southwest wind can knock down surface texture without pushing dirty surf over the reef line. East and northeast swell are the problem directions, especially when the period is long enough to move bottom. NOAA station 41117 sits far enough offshore to show whether the sea is truly easing or only hidden by morning calm near the pier.
What fish can spearos target from Mayport?
Florida-legal reef and wreck targets include sheepshead, mangrove or mutton snapper, hogfish where present, cobia under current rules, and flounder. Gag and red grouper are possible but season-controlled, so do not load a grouper into the box without checking the day. Florida specifically blocks spearing snook, red drum, spotted seatrout, tarpon, bonefish, pompano, goliath and Nassau grouper, billfish, sharks, rays and ornamental reef families. Spiny lobster and stone crab are hand-take only.
Which Florida rules matter here?
A saltwater fishing license is the baseline unless an exemption applies, and reef fish require the free State Reef Fish Angler designation. Florida also bars spearfishing within 100 yards of public swimming beaches, commercial or public fishing piers, and bridges where fishing is allowed; jetties have a 100 ft above-water-part buffer. Powerheads are banned for recreational spearfishing, and rebreathers are not allowed. Jacksonville is north of Monroe County, so the Keys county ban does not apply, but Florida's protected-species list still does.
FAQ
Is Jacksonville Beach a shore spearfishing town?
Not really. The practical hunting is by boat on reefs and wrecks outside the surf and distance buffers.
Which NOAA station is useful?
NOAA NDBC station 41117 is the listed offshore reference near the Jacksonville Beach run.
Do I need the State Reef Fish Angler designation?
Yes, for Florida reef fish if you are otherwise required to hold a saltwater license.
Can powerheads be used here?
No. Florida bans powerheads for recreational spearfishing.
What is the cleanest wind pattern?
Light west wind with low east swell is usually the best starting point for offshore visibility.
Sources
Nearby towns
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