Any tips on fishing either side of high tide? Bait, rigs, location, etc? I think I got the low tide figured out, but any advice on either would be good!
quote:Trout? Reds? Flounder? Tarpon? Be more specific and you are more apt to get some good advice.
Originally posted by mastapleton2003Any tips on fishing either side of high tide? Bait, rigs, location, etc? I think I got the low tide figured out, but any advice on either would be good!
My apologies! Trout’s, Red’s, and Flounder!
Flounder- I can’t advise. I don’t do well at high tide.
Redfish- Reds here (Edisto area) on the flats move from mud (low tide) to live shell (mid tide) to the grass (high tide) and in reverse on the outgoing. This happens every day no matter the height of the tide. Reds are very difficult to find on most flats when the water is between 4- 5 1/2 feet above mean low water because they are in the thick, high grass at the edges of the marsh. I look for holes in the grass near where they were last spotted on top of the live oysters. When the tide is 6 feet or higher above low water they will move to the “short” grass pockets/flats and that’s when you will see them tailing. If you want to learn where they go at high tide, I suggest you spend lots of time on the water during the cold water months when the water is the clearest and watch where they go. They just branch out farther as the water warms, but you will definitely figure where they like to enter and exit the grass. This is very useful when you can’t sight fish for them due to cloudy days or dirty water.
Trout- Our best trout fishing is usually between 2 hours before high and 2 hours after high because of water clarity. Trout are sight feeders, so clear water is ultra important. If you have clear water, look for rips and eddies created by shell banks that run perpendicular to main river banks. Also hit all small drain mouths and major creek mouths 50 or so yards on each side. You also can cover a lot of water this time of year by trolling in the waterways or main rivers in 6-12 feet of water parallel to the bank to locate schools. Once found, work area by fan casting several varieties of plastics.
Hope this helps.
That some good info there! Thanks
Yeah that’s awesome advice!! Much appreciated! If you’re up for it still, any advice for low tide?? 
I’m a newbie fisherman!
Excellent information.
I will add that shell banks are dependent on what tide level they get covered. I have one that is best 30 mins after the low. Another get going about 1 hours after and so on. Water clarity, as RADDADDY says, has to be good though. This can make lower tide spots more hit or miss that when the tide is up.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14