# Opinion: Fishing the flats on a rising or falling tide



## testoner (Oct 18, 2014)

I was fishing with my buddy this morning. He is new to the area and has just started fishing the sound here in Navarre. He asked me a question about whether it was best to fish the rising tide or the falling tide. Time of day obviously impacts it, but otherwise which is better? I really didn't have an firm answer for him. I've had success with both and can't really say one has been better for me. I've my best success as of late in the mornings on a rising tide. I always assumed the fish would be eager to move into the shallower water that a rising tide gives them an opportunity to do.

Thoughts? What about for the remaining month of April and into May?


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## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

my method: Tides move everything around. On a falling tide I like to be where bait from the bays are washing out so I fish flats that are closer to town, on an incoming tide I like to fish closer to the pass as fish are getting the bait moving in with the tide. On the flats you can follow the mullet - see mullet? You're in the right place. Also watch for pelicans/ospreys working the same flats.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

It depends on the type of area you're fishing.
Both are productive.
The main key is water movement, whether it's by tidal movement or wind.

Can't vote on the poll, cause I like them all.


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## Magic Mike (Jun 30, 2009)

Maybe change "which is better" to "what's your favorite" in the pole. "Better" is relative to time of year, target species, etc...


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## fishn4real (Sep 28, 2007)

Experience will tell the tale. My ideal would be fishing grass beds, a rising tide in the morning, March/April, slightly overcast, water temp 68 degrees, falling barometric pressure, slight breeze from the west, and Miller Lite. "Fish On!"

And before someone flames me; NO, there are no conditions like this in Misery which is why I'm heading south..very soon.


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## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

fishn4real said:


> water temp 68 degrees,


I found 72 to be the magic number


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## trophytroutman (Mar 13, 2014)

As long as the water is moving. Rising or falling determines where I fish. As far as water temps, In the winter when Im fishing my trout tourneys I want the water to be aroud 54 degrees and spring since I throw tops most of the time 72 degrees.


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

I have found (when I used to go fishing) I catch more Redfish on a falling and even low tide. I also like the tide to be high in the afternoon so you can fish all day.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Ocean Master said:


> I have found (when I used to go fishing) I catch more Redfish on a falling and even low tide. I also like the tide to be high in the afternoon so you can fish all day.


Same here. In Apalachicola, when the tide was going out and real low, we would do the best.


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## testoner (Oct 18, 2014)

All great comments. I'm in the "fish when I can" category, so I often don't have an option of picking when I go out normally.

Lately, the morning on rising tides has been the trick for me. Not much in terms of catching in the evening on falling tides when I get home from work, light or night. However, Wednesday and Thursday were awesome around first light. Friday, not so much. All three days were on a rising tide, thought Friday first light came much later and the bait fish weren't as close to the tidal flats. Maybe that is why?


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## PusherManB2 (Apr 11, 2015)

It really depends on what type of "flats" fishing you are doing. In this area people like moving water but it isn't necessary if you are actually fishing the flats. Slack high and slack low will produce the same fish and usually the bruisers rooting around for the crabs. I mainly fish mornings, blind casting topwater before light really even breaks and then switch things up as the day progresses.


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## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

testoner said:


> All great comments. I'm in the "fish when I can" category, so I often don't have an option of picking when I go out normally.
> ?


This happened this morning on a rising tide in about 2.5' near the bank, 75 degrees Rapalla Skitterwalk topwater in big Lagoon.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Falling tide in the fall, water will be full of dead seagrass, cross topwater lures off your list......


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## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

To me it seems logical to fish with the tidal flow. By that I mean if you are fishing a flat from the boat and casting to shore and retrieving, it would make sense to me that you would want a falling tide since the fish would be facing the tidal flow to ambush the bait being pulled out. If you were wade fishing then a rising tide may be better since you would be pulling the bait with the water flow. It would not seem logical to me however for a fish to be interested in a bait moving past them from behind. I could be totally wrong here and most likely am, so I'll shut up.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

barefoot said:


> It depends on the type of area you're fishing.
> Both are productive.
> The main key is water movement, whether it's by tidal movement or wind.
> 
> Can't vote on the poll, cause I like them all.



I think you are spot on Barefoot. One of my best trips so far this year was on a neap tide. However, there was some low pressure in the gulf that produced some ideal water movement.


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