Seasonal Tidal Patterns: How to Fish The Tides

Whether you’re a seasoned inshore saltwater angler or someone brand new to the sport, there’s one main thing you’re going to need to know about to have a successful day on the water. You could know everything about the lures you have, the fish you’re chasing, and the weather on the day you’re fishing, but if you don’t know about seasonal tidal patterns, you’re going to have a tough day of fishing. 

You probably know that throughout the day, the tides are going to go out, and then they’re going to come back in. But there’s a bit more to it than that. 

Let’s start with why the tides are happening in the first place. The tides are driven by the gravitational pull from the moon (crazy, right?). In most areas, there are going to be two high tides and two low tides throughout the day.

These tides can range dramatically depending on where you are. If you’re fishing down South near the Gulf, tides might be pretty minimal, only rising and falling a few feet. If instead you’re up North, tides can be in the 4 to 6 foot range. Something else to pay attention to is the winds. If you’re fishing and it’s a really windy day, that can affect how dramatic the tides are on that day.

Not all tides are the same throughout the month, either. During the new moon and full moon phases, you’re going to experience spring tides. This is when water is moving the most, with stronger currents, more baitfish being moved around, and fish feeding more heavily.

During the quarter moon phases, you’re going to experience neap tides. These tides are generally going to be weaker, moving water less than during spring tides. During a neap tide, you may notice that fish aren’t moving around as much, and you can predict where they’ll be more easily.

Throughout the day, you’re going to experience four distinct tidal phases. Each of these will impact how you approach fishing. 

The first phase is the incoming tide, or the flood. This is when water is rising in inshore areas. This can be a great time to work towards shallow feeding areas like marshes, flats, or grass beds, as baitfish and other forage are being pushed inshore. When this happens, the fish you’re after are likely going to be positioning themselves to feed on this influx of food. 

The high tide is the second phase to pay attention to. This is the point at which the water in the inshore areas is going to be at its highest point. During the high tide, you may notice that the fish are at their most active point of the entire day. Fish are going to be scattered all around the inshore areas, making it difficult to figure out where the best place to fish is.

Look for areas that aren’t normally accessible without the additional water provided by the high tide. Some examples can be back bays, near mangroves, or even marsh edges where the fish may push back to feed on baitfish.

The outgoing tide, or the ebb, is the third phase. During this phase, the water is beginning to push out of the inshore areas and back towards the ocean. This can be another highly productive time of day, as the baitfish and other sources of food are going to be pulled back out with the water. You’ll likely find the fish you’re after near the mouths of the water you’re fishing, as they pick up easy meals on their way out of the area. 

The last phase to know about is the low tide. This is when the water is at its lowest during the day. While this may seem like one of the times of day that may not be great for fishing, it actually does have a benefit. When there’s less water inshore, that means there are fewer places for the fish to be.

That makes it a lot easier to predict and identify where the predator fish are in the water system. Look for deeper pockets, oyster bars, channel edges, and drain points, as these can all be holding areas for inshore fish during low tide.

Another thing that can affect how the tides and fish act in your area is the season it is when you’re fishing. 

During the summer, inshore water temperatures are going to be at their peak. Because of this, the fish are going to be looking for deeper pockets of cooler water (especially in the middle of the day). When the tides come in, they’re going to bring colder water with more oxygen in it. This can help get fish to become much more active. 

Fall is typically a very tide-sensitive season for fish. Water temperatures are dropping, and this makes the fish in the area much more active as they look to eat as much as possible. Whenever there is a tidal movement happening in the water, this can trigger some of the most activity you’ll see in the fish all day long.

During the winter, water temperatures are at their lowest. This usually will push fish into the deeper parts of the inshore waters where temperatures are the most stable. If you have a sunny day, low tides are a great time to check out shallower flats with dark bottoms, as the fish may push into those areas to grab an easy meal. 

When spring comes, water temperatures begin to rise again. This will push the fish out of their deeper water holding areas and onto shallow feeding areas. When the tides come in with warm water, this can trigger a feeding frenzy on shallow flats. Additionally, many inshore species spawn in the spring, and strong spring tides are going to align closely with when and where these fish spawn.