Juggling work, family time, and other obligations I find myself fishing pretty much when I can regardless of tide, moon phase, barometric pressure or other environmental conditions that are known to influence the bite. There are however; special times that I truly hone in on the tide in particular and plan trips well advance such as seeking reds in the grass on large spring tides in the summer and fall. So how often do you look for a negative tide when planning a trip?
Fishing for trout in the winter months can produce some really hot bites. Some days you can catch a fish on just about every cast if you can locate the fish. Obviously with less water, the fish must become more concentrated so fishing the negative tides can help narrow down your search for schooling fish.
During the winter months with the cooler water the trout will move to deeper channels of the creeks during extreme low tides. Looking for small feeder creeks that feed into the main rivers can be excellent spots to target. As the water flows out into the larger rivers the two currents coming together form a rip or eddy where the water pools up. Casting into the convergence of waters can produce fish as they wait on an easy meal to get caught up in the current.
Keep in mind as water temperatures cool off fish become less active and do not move around as much so a good plan to locate them becomes essential. They will not go far to chase bait preferring to let the bait come to them. Low tide allows you to narrow down the location and identify areas where the channels of the smaller creeks run. Remember to use a slow retrieve and feel for the bite as the lure drops to the bottom on your cast.
Tight lines
Captain Tim Pickett
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