Those mythical 10 percent of the fishermen who catch 90 percent of the fish depend upon several factors for their success, not the least of which is attention to tides and currents.
Most experienced saltwater anglers fish in waters less than eight feet in depth on a rising or falling tide. A moving flow of water is vital to their prosperity.
Since small finfish, crustaceans, shrimp, and marine plant life is most abundant in shallow tidal areas, isn't it logical that larger game fish will also be found near this food supply?
Under normal weather conditions the bulk of small marine life will be found in shallow water and quite near to grassy cover, rocks, and other obstructions that offer protection from predators. Where there is sufficient water near grass cover or flooded marshes, you can bet the egg money that baitfish will be nearby.
One rule-of-thumb is to fish two hours on a rising tide to the high tide stand, and another two hours on a falling tide, especially in bays, tidal rivers, and shallow grass flats out from shore.
This "two plus two" situation takes in the period when waters are highest and currents are usually more pronounced. Keep in mind, however, there are days when an incoming and high tide may vary in length, sometimes by as much as four hours or more.
These diurnal tide days can be dismal due to a lack of moving water. A long high tide stand with little or no water movement is not conducive to optimal fishing conditions.
Currents are particularly important in shallow-water situations because food scents are carried for considerable distances. Most all fish species, including sharks, redfish, trout, tarpon, and snook, use noses from a lesser to a major degree to zero in on food sources. If this weren't true, how do you suppose they can find a meal in murky water where visibility is reduced to mere inches?
In dusky or dim water it's often advantageous to use chum or some type of hook additive to help a fish find the lure. When putting out a chum line, it's best to do so from an anchored boat while drifters--or those moving through an area with an electric motor--are probably better off adding a hook scent of some type.
Though it's generally accepted that a rising or high falling tide is best, anglers can also score when the tide is low or slack by fishing channel drop-offs and deeper holes where game fish retire until able to move back onto grassy flats where bait is abundant.
Copyright (c) 1996 Herb Allen. All rights reserved.
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