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Best tide for fishing

Written by Jamie Hibbert. Posted in Sea fishing

Published on March 19, 2025 with 2 Comments

To increase your chances of catching from the sea you need to be there when the fish are hunting on that mark. Tide is a huge factor in this.

Generally larger tides induce more fish in to feeding, because stronger currents scourer food from the sea bed and higher tides flood beaches and rock dragging food sources into the sea. Also higher tides are often when other sea creatures mate and give birth hence a lot of planktonic food stuffs in the water column. For example mysis shrimp are found in my experience in greater numbers when there is a full moon, hence spring tide.

I would suggest as a rule of thumb the last hour of a rising tide and the first two hours down are the prime times, this said some marks fish best at low water, or just on the flood so you will need to try and see what fishes best.

Another factor is daylight. The bigger predators generally hunt closer to the shore as it gets dark, so a spring tide in the evening or early morning would be you best option for a first attempt at a new mark.

For more information have a look here - Tide and how it effects sea fishing

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About Jamie Hibbert

The founder and man in charge of the Fishing-blog (pays the hosting bills). Currently learning the art of LRF - light Rock Fishing. Caught 17 Pollock, 2 Sand Smelt, 1 Rockling 1 bass and a crab in four sessions so far. I am also the author of the popular Bass Fishing eBook. Well worth a read!

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2 Comments

There are currently 2 Comments on Best tide for fishing. Perhaps you would like to add one of your own?

  1. Geberally more shore caught species are available at night as they have the confidence to come close in whiles its dark.

    When you say “just after a big tide” do you me the next tides after a big one, or a few hours after a big high tide?

    Thank you

  2. i find that just after a big tide is the best time but i prefer fishing at night

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