Please forgive me if this [compound] question is completely asinine.
I find it endlessly interesting to see how certain tales of success tend to trend a bit – i.e. cut mullet will be strong one weekend, with shrimp strong the next. I also see “streaks,” if you will, regarding tidal success. By that, I mean how the more successful ones among y’all find that the bite is sometimes most plentiful at the high falling tide, whereas other times it seems best at the low incoming, etc.
Is there some sort of correlation between when the bite is strongest and wind/weather? From a purely academic standpoint, are there patterns to watch out for? High falling tide produces on cold and windy days, for example?
Again, my apologies if I’m trying to read too much into things. However, what I’ve learned so far is that I read too little, if anything, into how capable and even intelligent these fish are. After all, the $#$%ers can clearly read, as they see the name on my boat and skedaddle…
Its really all about bait and predators. Find out where the bait is with a lack of predators and you’ll find the fish. Shrimp and mullet are good, dolphin are bad. Different places have different tide levels where that occurs.
My experience is “our” weather plays a very very small role. Water temp is the fish’s weather. Moving tide is #1 (Eather direction, any stage), water temp is # 2, bait behavior is #3. Wind is #50. What happens is we as anglers get comfortable with a certain tide and tactic. We want to catch fish in the place we want using our favorite way to catch them. Example is I only use artificials. I’d rather go fishless than sit on a point all day with a rod in the rod holder.
Bait behavior scares me as a concept and a variable. I might think my actions are causing the bait to do one thing, but in reality under the water it looks like Mr. Smoky Shad is doing the Electric Slide. And what fish likes the Electric Slide? The answer is “none.” No fish likes the Electric Slide.
Location dictates the tide i fish. Way back in the flats i like low tide, tailers in the marsh i like high tide. Creek mouths i prefer the outgoing. Inlet river fishing i like the incoming closer to high. Fishing structure i like mid to high or mid to low.
quote:Location dictates the tide i fish. Way back in the flats i like low tide, tailers in the marsh i like high tide. Creek mouths i prefer the outgoing. Inlet river fishing i like the incoming closer to high. Fishing structure i like mid to high or mid to low.
Wow. For this specific insight alone, beers are on me. I’ve always figured that creek mouths at outgoing tide would be best, but I can only presume to think like a fish.
quote:Find some clear water and practice working your bait. When it looks good remember what you are doing.
If my wife were on some sort of equivalent forum, there’s a 60% chance an upcoming post would be something along the lines of “my husband is fishing in our bathtub … does this mean he’s having a nervous breakdown?”
quote:I have also found that sometimes Spot X might be good on an afternoon low tide, but not productive at all on a morning low.
And here you are having us find X again. I didn’t know there would be math.
All kidding aside, this is why saltwater fishing fascinates me. So many variables.
