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[halcyonguitars]

I know that fishing rivers, knowing tide times is very helpful.

With beach fishing, is the time of the tide important for reasons of fish behaviour, or is low tide favoured simply because you can wade closer to the deeper water?

Asked another way, if low tide is at 6 am but you can't get out til 10 am, is it still practical going out?

[fishmonk]

It all depends on where you beach fish. Some areas, tide doesn't matter. Some areas a combination of low tide and first light works best.

[halcyonguitars]

Fair enough....

[clarki]

I would suggest that it also depends if you are targeting "breeders" or "feeders".

When I target cutthroat trout off the beach, they are actively hunting (aka "feeders"), and I like a flood tide a couple of hours before the slack.  It's my belief that the cool water of the incoming tide stirs up the aquatic activity in the intertidal zone, which in turn creates good feeding conditions for the ct.  I can't prove it...but that's the premise that I operate under. And fish in the net just keeps reinforcing my premise

[MetalAndFeathers]

2015 when the tide was low at first light 4:00-7;00 it would normally be nonstop action until about 8;30-9;30 when it would the action would die.

[KarateKick]

I would suggest that it also depends if you are targeting "breeders" or "feeders".

My impression is that in general high tide is better for fishing because the "feeders" want to take advantage of the food in the intertidal zone.

The exception to the high tide rule is when "breeders" get stuck at the estuary at low tide on their way to the river.

[RalphH]

It varies by beach and light conditions will also effect fishing. Bright high sun usually has a negative effect. On overcast days fishing will be relatively better through the day though the first couple of hours of daylight are still best.

In general I find the 1 or 2 hours before high slack or low slack is best. Big changes are also better - if you look at tide tables you'll see at least one change is relatively sizable. Small changes tend to make for mediocre fishing. One angler more of an expert than me by far said that changes of less than 6 feet weren't worth bothering to fish.

[Twitchy]

Large tide swings are best 2 hours before and after low or high tide, as the strong currents can push fish and feed around. Just get out and fish no time is a bad time, just some times are better, I developed my own strategy for Fishing certain areas at certain tides just from spending countless hours on the beach.

[fishmonk]

Large tide swings are best 2 hours before and after low or high tide, as the strong currents can push fish and feed around. Just get out and fish no time is a bad time, just some times are better, I developed my own strategy for Fishing certain areas at certain tides just from spending countless hours on the beach.

Ditto 

[TimL]

I would suggest that it also depends if you are targeting "breeders" or "feeders".

When I target cutthroat trout off the beach, they are actively hunting (aka "feeders"), and I like a flood tide a couple of hours before the slack.  It's my belief that the cool water of the incoming tide stirs up the aquatic activity in the intertidal zone, which in turn creates good feeding conditions for the ct.  I can't prove it...but that's the premise that I operate under. And fish in the net just keeps reinforcing my premise

that works for me too for srcs  I've also found that the beginning of outgoing tide after peak produces for me as well.

[KarateKick]

Large tide swings are best 2 hours before and after low or high tide

Do you mean the 4-hour window around a low or high tide, or do you mean a small window 2 hours before and another 4 hours after?

[RalphH]

KK there are no hard and fast rules but the 2 - 4 hours centered around a slack tide is usually the most productive.

[halcyonguitars]

Well, I'm finding that all variations are equally productive. Which is to say I've managed to catch nothing in every circumstance...

[BananasQ]

Well, I'm finding that all variations are equally productive. Which is to say I've managed to catch nothing in every circumstance...

LOL - can't beat consistency!

[KarateKick]

In general I find the 1 or 2 hours before high slack or low slack is best. Big changes are also better - if you look at tide tables you'll see at least one change is relatively sizable. Small changes tend to make for mediocre fishing. One angler more of an expert than me by far said that changes of less than 6 feet weren't worth bothering to fish.

I am totally convinced this is good advice.  The last few days had huge tide changes and the fishing was great.