[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here are several factors involved that allows you to be at the right place at the right time. And knowledge of the tides is definitely a critical one. Knowing how to read a tide chart and how to make it relevant to your area, fish species, and time of year are crucial to your inland fishing success. Tides are the natural movement of saltwater or the rise and fall of the water level. There are several factors that affect tides, including the moon, time of year, wind and landmasses.
When we look at a tide chart, the first thing we look at is the time of the high and low. This will tell us when the tide will reach its maximum height (high tide) or reach its maximum low (low tide). The short period between the end of one tide cycle and the beginning of the next is called the slack, or the period of very little to no water movement.
Fish don’t typically feed well during periods of the slack; therefore avoid fishing during this time. The next item on a tide chart to note is the tide height or the amount of actual water movement relative to the average water movement. The tide height on a tide chart will be affected by the phase of the moon. During spring tides, the tides are more dramatic and there is more water movement than usual. This is caused by the added gravitational pull associated with full and new moons.
During weaker periods of moon phases, such as the times in between the full and new moon, neap tides, there is less water movement. For example, during spring tides, new and full moon, the tide height may show a +2 for the high tide and a -.4 for the low tide, reflecting the extra high and the extra low of the spring tides. Generally speaking, fishing is best during spring tides because the stronger flow will trigger fish to feed better, longer and in places they may not be able to venture with lower water levels. The time of year has an impact on our tides, as well. Wintertime will offer stronger tides than what we see during other times of the year. This is caused by the slight shift in the axis of the earth during the changing of the seasons. Wind also plays a role in the height and strength of the tide, although this is not nearly as common. There are times when you check your tides and develop your game plan around it only to arrive at your spot and find there is either too much or not enough water.
During times of prolonged high wind, water will bunch up and slow down the natural tidal flow. Th is will retard the outgoing tide; therefore, keep more water on your spot than anticipated. The opposite can happen if the wind is coming from a different direction where it blows all the water off a fl at or bank and negates the incoming tide.
The last factor affecting tides is landmass. Landmasses will literally block water flow and cause it to fl ow up and down the landmass. The redirecting of the water flow will cause different times of high and low tides on either side of the landmass. Knowing how to use landmasses and the difference in tides they create, can allow you to stay in a tidal stage longer, therefore improving your fishing outcomes by staying on the fish. Whether trying your hand at flounder, redfish or trout, the tides dictate what fish do and where they go. A savvy angler will carefully analyze the tides, consider the conditions and formulate a plan that will keep the rods bent and the drags screaming. So next time you see a tide chart, see it as the timer that rings the dinner bell for our favorite finned friends and capitalize on what the tide is doing. Get out there, have some fun and “get your angler on”!