So it's best to fish a moving tide but is it best to fish say 2 hours before and after its high or low mark? Or is best to fish about 4 hours before or after the high or low mark.
Here is an example of the tides in a couple of days. Just going by this when do you think is the best time?

Port Aransas, Horace Caldwell Pier

Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible

M 23 High 7:14 AM 1.8 6:55 AM Rise 8:18 AM 2
23 Low 10:45 PM 0.0 7:58 PM Set 10:17 PM


I am planning on fishing the surf near Padre Island in the next couple of weeks. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

ok so im not 100% sure about this but this is what i have always been lead to believe.

the time given for the tide is when the water will be at the highest or lowest point depending on which tide it is... around the time of the tide given say an hour or so, before and after for the most part will be consider slack tide.

In which the water is most stable. so you want to start fishing a few hours before the actually tide time. as far as fishing before a high or low tide versus after i dont think matters much.

i personally like fishing as the tides going out or before low tide but thats just me.

hopefully that helps some

Actually, I think what you're looking for is when the ebb and flood begin. For example, check out the Houston Chronicle's forecast: Chron.com marine forecast

A little over halfway down, you'll see this:

Galveston Causeway RR. bridge, Galveston, Texas Current (16d)
4/19/2012 10:31 AM CDT Max Ebb -0.44 knots
4/19/2012 1:48 PM CDT Slack, Ebb Begins -0.00 knots
4/19/2012 2:05 PM CDT Slack, Flood Begins 0.00 knots
4/19/2012 3:36 PM CDT Max Flood 0.14 knots
4/19/2012 9:02 PM CDT Max Ebb -1.36 knots
4/20/2012 1:54 AM CDT Slack, Flood Begins 0.00 knots
4/20/2012 4:55 AM CDT Max Flood 0.68 knots
4/20/2012 6:14 AM CDT Slack, Ebb Begins -0.00 knots
4/20/2012 11:30 AM CDT Max Ebb -0.43 knots
4/20/2012 1:14 PM CDT Slack, Ebb Begins -0.00 knots
4/20/2012 3:30 PM CDT Slack, Flood Begins 0.00 knots
4/20/2012 4:01 PM CDT Max Flood 0.02 knots

"Flood Begins" - Incoming Tide
"Ebb Begins" - Outgoing Tide

So, tomorrow (4/20/2012), I would expect the tide to be incoming and on the move at 1:54am. I would then expect the tide to be outgoing and on the move at 6:14am, etc. So knowing when high and low tide are helpful, but knowing when the tide will actually be moving is much more precise.

I still don't base my fishing trips on this, but I have witnessed this first hand, and these times are accurate within 5 minutes at the Galveston Causeway RR Bridge. It blew my mind the first time I actually witnessed a really strong incoming tide at the exact minute the forecast said it would happen.

yeah I usually just fish whenever I get the chance but if i get the opportunity to pick a few hours in the day I thought I would make it the best I could.

Thanks for the help. I will keep that link handy.

This is actually the link you want... There's a map, and you can get live information from the buoy... In addition to everything on that other link...

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/GM/335.html

Air temp, Water temp, Barometric pressure, Wind speed, Wave height, and all of the tidal information...

There are so many more factors affecting fish feeding patterns other than or in addition to the tide. Don't rely too heavily on the tidal info. Fish when you can.

eyc0r, that was an excellent link to post, been looking for something like that...thanks

Any time can be good. On a out going tide fish will hang out wait on bait fish to be sucked out.

never a bad time to fish!!!! fish on got to go!!!lol!!! i try not to look at all that fish will bite we they are hungry!!

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