How do you use the tide charts?

Hey all you NCKA peeps.

Just wondering how you all deal with big tides.

For instance, this past Sunday 11/11 myself and Moody Mike were contemplating going out but with a high tide at 7:30am and a big tidal coefficient meaning a big drop with the low tide we opted out.

Otherwise the conditions were frickin perfect.

Now of course I see many of you were OTW and did well.

So how does the tide factor into your expeditions?

Thanks, and to all the Vets thank you for your service.

James aka Rroland 

Depends on what i am fishing for. Its winter now, so i'm thinking sturgeon...in my neck of the woods i want a big, but not huge outgoing tide that ends about 2pm (mostly because the babysitter gets off at 3).

Little meek tides, i'll stay home or go drop pots for crab.

Wind and tide should be looked at as well , out here in suisun bay its very important ....a big outgoing (4 feet of movement or larger) with a west wind blowing at 15 knots is gonna be a washing machine so I stay away...now an incoming tide with a west wind actually compliment each other because the wind and current will be moving in the same direction.

thanks guys.

I guess it all depends on species and location.  The biggest concern for me as a yak is if the low tide is sucking out with a big coefficient getting back to shore could be tougher, plus with a big minus tide and the reefs it could get hairy...

Andy's right about how the tide works together with other forces.  The tide matters much more if you're planning to kayak in a bay or estuary where runoff and flood can rule your movements and can, all by themselves, cause a life threatening situation.  It's also the case that access to launches, hazards due to reefs and sand bars, and other factors on open water can be closely tied to the tide.

I think the best policy is to know the tide like you know the rules of a freeway.  Seriously, don't even approach the ocean if you don't know the tides, because sooner or later an issue related to the tide will factor in heavily in your safety.

As for how to use the tides for specific kinds of fishing or specific routes you will take, that comes with specific investigation and research regarding the activity you're pursuing.

AMen...learn how the currents interact with the area you want to fish in.
San Pablo bay (like Suisun) is like a big a@@ big river.  in SPB the wind is really a factor, big wind going against big current can make nasty standing waves. Big wind going with big current can make paddling against it impossible.
I'll admit that i have been caught -- i once couldn't get back to the launch fishing halibut around the SR bridge...no biggee, but the walk to the car from the alternate landing was COLD in a wet wetsuit.

If you're interested in just knowing more about tides and currents in our bay system along with allot of other cool data, order yourself a copy of Tidelog at tidelog.com.  (pacific coast edition)

If you're interested in just knowing more about tides and currents in our bay system along with allot of other cool data, order yourself a copy of Tidelog at tidelog.com.  (pacific coast edition)

If you are an android device owner you should grab the free app "Currents" by http://yoyana.com/ .
They take raw data from NOAA and deliver it as a GUI.

If you're interested in just knowing more about tides and currents in our bay system along with allot of other cool data, order yourself a copy of Tidelog at tidelog.com.  (pacific coast edition)

If you are an android device owner you should grab the free app "Currents" by http://yoyana.com/ .
They take raw data from NOAA and deliver it as a GUI.

Sharky, That looks like a really useful app, I'm definetly gonna try it. Thanks for putting it up.  I still like the tidelog for a quick look at the tides and current timing.  Yeah my truck is still stuffed with paper maps too.

For those who have never seen a Tidelog book it presents (on a 24 hour/day chart)

a grahpical representation of the rise and fall of water level thruout the day,
dawn and sunrise,
sun and moon (w/phase) positions thruout the day,
sunset and dusk,
tidal flows with max ebb/flood current and slack times
and which planets are visible during the week.

All of the data presented is for a single point but tide and current corrections are included in the book

Just got the Currents app running and compared some of the max and slack current times at the SF gate and Carquinez Strait with the data in the Tidelog.  Right on, HOW Cool is that, definetly gonna check out some of the other data points OTW while sturgeon fishing.  GREAT planning tool.

Thanks a bunch for that one.

Dale, I love tidelog. How can you not. Informative, accurate and best of all, illustrations by M C Escher! I too am fond of such things as paper charts and compasses. No batteries, no problem.