Timing the tides

[ccm]

Hey guys,
I need a little tide education from those who know more about tides than me (pretty much everyone on this board).

When looking at the tide tables, for picking a day to go fishing, what would be the very best time of day for a high tide and a low tide? I know the old saying that "the best time to go fishing is when you can" but I live over six hours from the coast so I don't have the luxury of just going and hoping for the best.

Thanks to all who reply.

Charlie

[swampman46]

Any tide movement really, I find upcoming tide better for fishing, but casting for shrimp outgoing tide is best.

[Goooh]

Just as long as its moving, and you can find ideal habitat coupled with the moving water. The predictions aren't always accurate, wind direction and strength play a roll in how the tide will act too.

If you don't catch, blame the moon and have a good time.


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[Goooh]

Ezfshn.com will give daily primary and secondary feeding predictions based on the moon phase and stuff, I don't know if they are accurate though.


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[duckman1911]

Only have a couple of surf fishing trips under my belt but the fishing seems to die off at peak high and low tides. First trip the rising and falling was slow with short peaks in eithet direction and the fishing was good. Next trip the rise and fall was fast with long periods of peak high and low and the fishing wasnt as good. This is just what i've learned in my lil bit of experience and using La. Sportsmans tide guide. I fish right in the surf so I have no idea how the tide effects inland water. For what its worth to you. J

[Ferraridriver2]

I believe that when the charts give a time for high or low, that it means that this Is he time of day or night that the tide is not moving at all and is shifting directions from reaching the peak or low of that tide. In my opinion, those are the times that I feel the fish stop biting. Moving water is a key ingredient that predator fish use to hunt and feed. The tides can shift several times a day but you should look for the actual amount of drop there will be and fish when the tide is dropping the most distance or dropping at the fastest pace. I find that I see the biggest drop off of feeding for about a half hour before and after the stated "high or low" tides for that area. There are a couple "fishing times" apps that give the best feeding times based on the strength of the tides. Hope this helps.

[Gottogo49]

Originally Posted by Ferraridriver2

I believe that when the charts give a time for high or low, that it means that this Is he time of day or night that the tide is not moving at all and is shifting directions from reaching the peak or low of that tide. In my opinion, those are the times that I feel the fish stop biting. Moving water is a key ingredient that predator fish use to hunt and feed. The tides can shift several times a day but you should look for the actual amount of drop there will be and fish when the tide is dropping the most distance or dropping at the fastest pace. I find that I see the biggest drop off of feeding for about a half hour before and after the stated "high or low" tides for that area. There are a couple "fishing times" apps that give the best feeding times based on the strength of the tides. Hope this helps.

See link below:
http://www.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov...type=Composite

This shows the currents to be the highest when the tide is at it's highest and it's lowest. I asked the technical support guy at NOAA and he said that the parameters for Calcasieu Lake cause this. Most systems are like you explained but not Calcasieu. It's like a lot of things - more complicated than what you would think logically.

[ccm]

Thanks to all who replied. Your input does help and is appreciated.

Charlie

[mr crab]

Wells fishing forecast is a great tool

[bigoledude]

My favorite tide variable is when it goes from a slack tide and just begins to move again. That first hour of tide movement is best for me.