[earlybird]

Which tide cycle do you prefer this time of year?
Also, do you fish them differently? I almost
always do better on the outgoing, even recently.
I have heard a lot of you say you prefer the
incoming now because of the cooler water associated
with it. I am starting to think that my success
on the outgoing has more to do with where I fish
and what technique I use. Thanks in advance

 

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Brent For Me,,,
It's Always A Out-Going Tide for Bass in my
BackBay Spots all season long.......
Whether thats Plugging or Jigging....

Out Front thats a different story, I like the
Incoming into the Outgoing with baited hooks...
Two Hours Before and Until 2 Hours After the top.

I also always try to hit the peak moving water
on any tides,like the middle (3)hours
of the tide cycle for the best results....

Summer tides, I don't know. I have been sleeping
thru alot of them this summer......

 

[Bgsdad]

In back I like the outgoing because bass seem to stack up on the feeder creeks feeding on the bait coming out. Otherwise I go with the flow. Weakies seem to be a better incoming bite. Out front in the surf incoming seems to be a better bite into the outgoing. This is because the incoming brings the bait to the beach. But just when you think you got them on a schedule it changes!

 

[NJAngler Bill]

Every sitution is different. If the outgoing provides better ambush opportunities, and 'round back it usually does, then fish the outgoing. But in many locations on the oceanfront and the inlets, the incoming seems to produce best. Gotta experiment and see what works best for you.

 

[earlybird]

Thanks guys...I do most of my fishing in back
around feeder creeks, so that makes sense. I was
going to head out tonight, but they just changed
the forecast. Now they are calling for t-storms.
But we know that doesn't mean anything. We'll see!

 

[Dr. Bass]

Originally posted by earlybird:
Which tide cycle do you prefer this time of year?
Also, do you fish them differently? I almost
always do better on the outgoing, even recently.
I have heard a lot of you say you prefer the
incoming now because of the cooler water associated
with it. I am starting to think that my success
on the outgoing has more to do with where I fish
and what technique I use. Thanks in advance

Depends on the LOCATION you fish for sure, and the TIME of day you fish it and the TIDE you fish it.
I have spots that always produce on both, this is nightime only. Remember that a lot of the bass run WITH the tide, residing in the our summer waters alternating between the surf/inlet and the bay. WHere they end up at the flood depends on the tide cycle , IMHO. IMHO, a lot of night guys seem to think the flood to outgoing is the key but not ,IMHO. I think that is just coicidence. Another , TRUE- TRUE but Not really realted. IMHO, it's the time of the flood, the location at the TIME of the flood and where the bait is, this is summer nightime fishing only.
Bass are almost exclusive nightime feeders in the summer, they need cover(Dark and Structure). To get to our favorite locations they need to come in with night(cover) and leave with cover, depending on where you fish of course. In the WAY back the only time this seems to fit well is with a 11pm-4am high.

The best way to think of this is to BE A BASS, nannnnannnnnaaaa. Be in the surf/inlet and ride the tide, nannnnannnnaaannna. Where's the bait, where is there cover????

My best advice(It's what I did) Spend about 2 years just plottimg out, logging, SPOTS from the surf to the bay. Focus your first 2 years on FINDING the fish. That's all, don't waste time fishing too much. WHEN you find them, log everything and then look for the common denominator. then you are on top of them almost every time, now you gotta get'em.
Good Luck

 

[Dr. Bass]

Forgot to mention. Another perspective is to Be the spot. Let's say the flood is at 9pm. Do you think the outgoing will be good if this is a spot in the way back?? No way. They couldn't get there wtih cover and not to mention the boat traffic. Plus, you got 6 hours of an outgoing, 3am, and the tide nor the bass will make it back in time under cover(night ) for the next tide. Better hit the surf that night.

 

[CapeMayRay]

I also like the out going best. But find when there is 4 or 5 degree difference in temps, the bass seem to seek the warmer water on the incomming tide. My feeling is they know the bait will be where the warmer water is.

This is the first week that the water temperatures in the back bay are getting so extremely warm that it is too uncomfortable for the bass to even come out of their deeper haunts to feed in the shallow warm areas. My feeling is over 75 degrees the bass numbers in the shallow warm water are way down.