[Dave Perkins]

Just wondered if anyone has any experience to pass on regarding the different times to fish a shallow, really rocky coastline. I have always `traditionally` if you like, fished the first hours of the flood and have been wondering about success rates at high tide? At low waterI am casting amongst rocks that never dry out and gradually work back as the tide rises, although there is of course never a lot of depth over these rocks as the tide covers them.
Got me thinking about fishing high water when all of the rocks are well covered giving a much larger fishing area, and more depth to reduce tackle loss.

Anybody got any views or opinions?

 

[Simon L]

I love to fish these types of marks on the ebb. My theory is that the little critters & bait fish are running to find cover as the water recedes, and the Bass are waiting to pounce. Works for me.

 

[Dave Perkins]

Interesting Simon, never tried it on the ebb. Shows the beauty of this forum- makes you be more open minded. Thanks.

 

[Simon L]

Interesting Simon, never tried it on the ebb. Shows the beauty of this forum- makes you be more open minded. Thanks.

Easy to recover the lures you lose in the shallow water too, as you can just pick them up when they are high & dry

 

[Dave Perkins]

I guess I was just following traditional thinking about bass feeding habits, i.e. not feeding on slack high water, or on the ebb when they were either `full up` or shoved off to safety quickly as soon as they felt the tide turn. Good to know you have has success on the ebb- like you say less expensive angling!

 

[Tim Griffin]

Dave, until last year I would shared your views and fished either side of low water. This is how I attacked a new mark last season and we did quite well. What we discovered later in the season was that we did even better the last hour of the flood and the first few hours of the ebb (As Simon and his Son Luke will attest!). We even caught fish as the water was virtually off the rocks and we were fishing over clean sand. The bass were clearly hanging about for food being dragged out of the cover...

 

[Keith White]

Always try the Ebb.

 

[Dave Perkins]

Thanks Tim and Keith, glad I asked the question. To be honest I was a bit disappointed with my catch rates for what should be such good ground. Will now experiment with all states of tide this year- funnily enough Tim the ground beyond the rocky foreshore has open sandy patches- might fish this on the ebb if I can get the distance.