Tides & Terms help for a new member

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Hi Ausfish Members,

I have enjoyed looking at the site for the last few days and decided to join up today, reading all the articles has made me realize that after a lifetime of fishing I don't know a whole lot about it. ( self taught ) but I have a question I feel foolish asking.

Can someone help me understand tides ? ie.
High & low tides I get and i understand you have 6 hours between a high and a low, I understand a turning tide but what i want to know is on a turning tide you seem to have a period of time when you have no current, is this right ? and if so how long a time period ?

What is an ebb tide ( out going tide ? ) is a creep tide the opposite ? What is the best tide to fish ?

I am not young and I know I should know this but after losing a few crab pots to a fast flowing tide I thought it time to find out for sure.

Thanks,

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[griz066]

Welcome aboard mate 8-) I am sure someone here will help you out with your questions, I never go to the coast so I am not much help :-?

[snakecatcher]

There is a period of time between and incoming (creeping) and outgoing tide (ebb) when there is little movement in the water - this doesn't normally last for very long, about 15 mins where I fish.

The best tide to fish is an interesting question - when chasing flatties I prefer an outgoing tide but when I fish for queenies up north I like the incoming. As a general rule I find fish feed better when there is some movement in the water.

Hope this helps

Mike

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Thanks Guys,

One of the reasons I am interested is because I once spent about 4 hours just snorkeling up and down a river in Sawtell NSW, when I arrived I spoke to two old timers who were just standing on the bank with all thair fishing gear and I asked how the fishing was going ?. They replied " Just waiting for the tide to stop running, be about 1/2 an hour, wont be any fish till it does !".

Well from what I could see snorkeling up and down that Cristal clear water they were spot on, not a fish in sight for 1/2 an hour and then to my amazement I started to see heaps, including some of the biggest flat heads I have ever seen.

One of the things I am trying to work out is if it is the same in Morton Bay say around Cowan Artificial Reef, do the fish just disappear when the current is strong and reappear when it stops.

What do ya think

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