Minimal winter tide?

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relicshunter
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Joined: July 22nd, 2013, 9:14 pm

Minimal winter tide?

Post by relicshunter »

I am still somewhere on the learning curve for winter fishing. I was doing great until end of Dec. then poof.
Next weekend the high tide going to low tide has a tiny drop. Most places I am considering are 2.1 to 1.5. that would be very little water movement. Is it worth giving it a go or just save the gas money for a better day? My other thought was to go way back into the far back of kings bay figuring the tide has little effect back there anyway.
What do you think? Am I missing some clues?
DixieReb
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by DixieReb »

If there's not much water movement, you generally won't catch much. I like a high tide close to mid day But like they say, you never know! :roll:
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Steve Stinson
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by Steve Stinson »

More tide is generally better with the exception of the morning after the full moon. The morning after a real bright moon, for some reason I can never catch much and will wait until the afternoon tide.

The winter time low tides up here are more drastic than other times of the year, so be careful you don't get into someplace you can't get out of.

I generally like the incoming tide more than outgoing, but will fish either.

If you have a low tide of 1.0 feet above sea level or less do not try to run the Aucilla River unless you are very familiar with it. Sometimes even if you are very familiar with it you will still make shrapnel out of a perfectly good outboard. :o

There you have my insight to tides in a nutshell. :thumbup:

Good Fishin' - Steve
relicshunter
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Joined: July 22nd, 2013, 9:14 pm

Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by relicshunter »

I generally prefer an incoming tide also, but for some reason the only bites I am getting the last month have been on the outgoing, mid day. And those were all under sized fish. The morning low tide is negative so the incoming would move some water, but the out going is pitiful. Some of the reports are showing a short bite during the out going in the late afternoon.
Salty Gator
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by Salty Gator »

relicshunter wrote:I generally prefer an incoming tide also, but for some reason the only bites I am getting the last month have been on the outgoing, mid day. And those were all under sized fish. The morning low tide is negative so the incoming would move some water, but the out going is pitiful. Some of the reports are showing a short bite during the out going in the late afternoon.
Quarter moon tide
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Pirate
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by Pirate »

Like most people, I check the tide close and try to fish on the one that I have had the best luck with in that area most recently. Last spring and also around Memorial Day I happened to be fishing and had some terrible tides as far as water movement goes. Since I was there to fish we said what the heck, lets get on the water. The tide tables that show the best fishing time said "stay home". On three different days we actually had the best days as far as size and numbers we had EVER had. We were shocked and puzzled. I did learn from these trips to get on the water when you can, no matter what the tide conditions are. I have been trying to figure out how and why this happened but still don't have the answer.
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silverking
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by silverking »

As others have mentioned, the best time to go is any time you can. I've always preferred a new moon, few days before and after a full and quarter moons in that order. Water flow is the key.

For winter tides specifically, the middle of the incoming after a negative low can be good when fishing around oyster bars, mud flats and rocky areas since the sun helps warm up those heat-absorbing features and can make a degree or two difference in water temps. A shallow draft and extreme caution are required to access said areas, however.

I've had great days when the solunar tables said the bite would be going off and some not-so great. I've also had times when those same tables were calling for average or mediocre fishing and it was spectacular. So take all with a grain of sea salt and go whenever you can. It's a learning experience always and the fish have to eat sometime to survive, so you never know until you go.
"Sun rise and sun sets. Since the beginning, it hasn't changed yet." Little Feat
Apalachee Inshore
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by Apalachee Inshore »

Just go. Watch you winters lows for sure and don’t get yourself in a bad spot but as far as tide flow just go see for yourself that’s how you learn.
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onefishtwofish
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by onefishtwofish »

Since no one mentioned, also watch the wind. It will affect the tides as well. Fished once this year and it barely came in due to a hard Nor'easter.
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GaryDroze
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Re: Minimal winter tide?

Post by GaryDroze »

This past Saturday featured a pretty lame tidal flow difference between low and high. I went anyway, cuz I had a rare Saturday off. Hit Stoney Bayou right at the start of a mellow incoming tide at 7:10am. By 7:45am, I pulled in a limit of seatrout from 17 to 22 inches.

Lesson: Just go fish. You get smarter every time you go. You'll eventually learn the tide patterns, but the learning curve is related to the number of trips to the coast.
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