Learn to fish the tides in tidal creeks (TDO)

[mjsigns]

Learn to fish the tides in tidal creeks

Posted on Fri, Jan. 21, 2005 Tallahassee Democrat
By Rick Farren
DEMOCRAT WRITER

One of the worst-kept secrets among saltwater anglers is how productive coastal tidal creeks can be this time of year. Of course, knowing and doing are two completely different things. There are hundreds of winding creeks and branches, and the variety of names used to describe them can be baffling.

My wife and I approached the problem many years ago by spending numerous days slowly, and I mean slowly, exploring the coast - finding and learning about new spots and paying close attention to where and how more experienced anglers fished the areas.

For example, we like to fish a creek we named Fred's Hole because of how we found it. We had been sitting about a half-mile offshore, scanning the shoreline with binoculars when we spotted a friend and excellent fishermen, the late Fred Mukoyama, in a small boat with another angler. They were moving slowly along the marshgrass-covered shoreline.

Suddenly they disappeared, only to reappear sometime later farther down the coast. It wasn't magic; they had just entered in one creek and come out of another. Upon closer inspection, we found a hidden creek mouth that led into a narrow creek with exceptionally deep water, the perfect situation for winter fishing.

Over the years we continued our coastal exploration from the St.Marks River to the Aucilla and we found many other "personal spots" that we gave names like Hidden Creek, Two Palms Creek and Rock Grass Creek.

Of course, locating seldom-used creeks, even through questionable tactics, is only half the battle. We also had to learn when to fish "our spots." And the "when" is almost completely dependent upon understanding the tides.

If you've thought about adding creeks to your fishing options, be forewarned that our nearshore coastal waters are shallow and treacherous. There are rock piles, oyster bars and sand bars seemingly around the mouth of every creek, and you'll swear they move around at night. It takes high water for most boats to access the area, and low water to see the obstacles, thus the mandatory slow and easy approach.

The obvious, and simple approach is to move into a chosen creek with the rising tide, and ride back out with a falling tide. But the problem is that not all tides are created equal. They vary from cycle to cycle and can be profoundly affected by both wind and barometric pressure.

The tides along the Big Bend are known as mixed tides, meaning there are usually two tides in a tidal day (24 hours and 50 minutes) but the sets of tides can differ a great deal in range. Range is the difference between the high and low tides. The greater the range the more the water has to move between tides.

Some high tides will flood the coast, making it easier to access the creek, while other high tides will rise only a couple inches before quickly falling again. For fishing purposes, the stronger the tide, the stronger the tidal currents, and the more likely fish are going to be feeding. For exploration purposes, the stronger the tide, the longer the water stays high, and the more time you have to look around.

Barometric pressure can affect tides because of the weight of air on the water. A high-pressure system over us means there's more weight pushing down on the water, reducing the high tide and lowering the low tide.

Strong winds, which can slow tidal currents, can more dramatically change the highs and lows. Onshore, southern winds along our coast pile-up the water, delaying the outgoing tide, sometimes enough to overwhelm the low tide. On the other hand, strong northern winds can literally hold back a weak, incoming tide.

Don't let any of this stop you: just take the current and expected conditions into account before starting out. The saltmarsh is a wonderful place to visit, whether you're fishing or just looking for a little wilderness to take the edge off the daily routine. You'll enjoy an abundance of wildlife (bald eagles, waterfowl, herons, alligators and turtles) and a scenic view where the only manmade items are the ones you bring.

And don't forget to take a pair of binoculars to look at the wildlife and maybe steal a friend's fishing spot.

Flats fishing classes

Capt. Randy Peart will repeat his popular fishing class on the four seasons of flats fishing in the Big Bend on Feb.11. The Jan.21 and Feb.4 classes have been filled. The course includes tackle recommendations, fishing locations and plenty of time for questions and answers. Classes begin at 6:30p.m. and are held at Jerry's Bait and Tackle, 664 Woodville Highway. Seating is limited and reservations can be made by calling 421-3248. Cost is $20 per person.