TIDES

What tide is it right now, and does it matter?

Q: What tide is it right now, and does it matter?

Slack low (The turn at the bottom): Read the beach, do not rush the cast. Incoming (Low to high): Fish the slough mouths and the points. Slack high (The turn at the top): Move to inlets, points, and the sound side. Outgoing (High to low): Fish the inlet mouths and inside the point. The tide is the clock on the whole beach. Same bait, same spot, two hours apart, two different sessions.

The tide is the clock on the whole beach. Same bait, same spot, two hours apart, two different sessions.

What to use today

A pier standing over the water as the tide turns

Right now

Reading the buoys and the tide station for tides…

Tide stage to tactic

This table is the guide. It does not change with the weather, which makes it the part worth printing and keeping in the truck.

Tide stage to tactic
Tide stage	When	How to fish it
Slack low	The turn at the bottom	Read the beach, do not rush the castThe turn at the bottomThe sloughs and bars are visible. Walk the beach and pick your spot now.
Incoming	Low to high	Fish the slough mouths and the pointsLow to highThe best window of the day on the ocean beaches. Bait moves in and the fish follow it.
Slack high	The turn at the top	Move to inlets, points, and the sound sideThe turn at the topFish scatter and hold tight to structure. Stop fishing the open beach.
Outgoing	High to low	Fish the inlet mouths and inside the pointHigh to lowThe sound and marsh drain, and predators sit where that water squeezes out.

Which tide you got

Which tide you got
Tide type	What it does	Where to be
Spring tide	New and full moons pull the biggest range and the strongest current.More movement, more of a bite, and much harder to hold bottom. Bring heavier sinkers.	More movement, more of a bite, and much harder to hold bottom. Bring heavier sinkers.
Neap tide	The quarter moons give the smallest range and the weakest current.Easy to hold bottom and a slower bite. Fish the stage changes, not the mid-tide.	Easy to hold bottom and a slower bite. Fish the stage changes, not the mid-tide.
Wind against tide	Wind opposing the current stands the waves up and shortens the cast.Expect a bigger surf than the buoy reads. Fish closer in than you want to.	Expect a bigger surf than the buoy reads. Fish closer in than you want to.
One-high day	Some days the station shows a single high or low.The whole day leans one way. Fish the push, and do not wait for a turn that is not coming.	The whole day leans one way. Fish the push, and do not wait for a turn that is not coming.

Reading the water

Check the station that matches the water you are fishing. The sound-side stations barely move, and the ocean piers at Cape Hatteras and Nags Head turn over several feet, so the two are not the same tide.
The last two hours of the push and the first hour of the drop are the windows worth planning your day around.
Slack water is not dead water. It is the pivot between two bites, and a good time to re-rig and walk the beach.
Wind against tide changes the surf, not just the water level. Read the buoy, then look at the beach, then decide.

Stage to target

Stage to target
Tide stage	Best target	Where
Slack low	Plan the sessionWalk the beach, find the sloughs	Walk the beach, find the sloughs
Incoming	Red drum, bluefishSlough mouths and points	Slough mouths and points
Slack high	Speckled trout, puppy drumInlets and the sound side	Inlets and the sound side
Outgoing	Flounder, drumInlet mouths, inside the point	Inlet mouths, inside the point