Tide swing and Rockfish bite…

Hey NCKA
 About 2 weeks I went rockfishing with my Buddy  and it was an incredibly slow bite that day at the Fort…
 When we launched it was flat, no wind, and a long period of between  swells. We were thinking , Man we’re gonna slay…
Didn’t turn out that way. I tried so many rigs and jigs or whatever the only thing that caught fish was shrimp fly rigs! I had a swimbait with a little lick  on it . I only took home 4 rockfish, the best was
a14.5” Canary. I think Dave had 7-8 rockfish.!
High tide was 3.6@ 8:50ish. Low tide was a 2.8  about 1-2pm
A .8  ft drop, less than a foot.
 I heard for years  the incoming tide is the best for fishing.
So my question is ,being on an outgoing tide plus a less than a foot drop the reason it was so slow that day?
Maybe some of you fishaholics here may know if this may be true or another reason?

Thanks
Scotty

Was it a full moon the night before?

Was it a full moon the night before?

A likely culprit...

Tidal coefficient can be a significant factor, though it affects different species in varying ways. In my experience, striped bass are drawn to faster-moving water, while halibut typically prefer calmer conditions. I can't speak to rockfish preferences since I lack sufficient experience with them. Of course, it's not an exact science—there's always an element of randomness and luck involved.

The tide (and maybe the moon) have definitely been affecting the rockfish bite lately, IMO.  Super slow on the big minus's lately, and then the bite improved once the tide was coming in - that was two trips in a row at two different ports.

Yesterday's minimal tide change at the Cove resulted in a slow bite too.

I've found that the rockfish and lingcod like the moving water of the current - especially if it's the usual direction, as opposed to a new or less common direction for that area. 

Wait it out and try different things are two strategies.  Good luck~   

Thanks for the reply’s Guy’s!
Note to self…
When going fishing pick days with a  tide swing of 2ft or more.
Maybe that will help?
Scotty

So Scotty got a little research in on the slow tides/slow bite rockfish theory today at The Fort. Launched around 9 and fished 9:30 till about 1. Swell and wind where down and there was a pretty consistent bite starting from the first drop till when I landed.

If I remember correctly the day you went out had heavy swell for several days leading up to and following when you were there, I hypothesize  that's what threw the bite off that day.....

Ling limit was quick and the Blacks and the Blues showed up later when the tide shifted.

You did Great Michael!
Yea, the swell was up there b4. So maybe ur on to something???

Awsome stringer!
Scotty

3 weeks later , I plan to hit the Fort again, sat(26th) there is a -.8 at 6:45  and around 1:30 it +5.0. That is  almost  6 ft of incoming tide!
I’m hoping for a nice bite tomorrow!

🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
Scotty !

Good luck! That swing should certainly stir things up.

Let's see.....is it too much tidal swing did you have to paddle a lot to stay on the good spots.....any snags?

Forgot to mention during the  low tidal swing I didn't lose any rigs or have to break off any snag. I like to fish really jagged structure but don't like to get snagged.

I just go when swell and wind let me.  If I have to add more conditions, I will never make.  If bite is slow I travel to more spots and stay longer.

More later…
Much work to do!

I just go when swell and wind let me.  If I have to add more conditions, I will never make.  If bite is slow I travel to more spots and stay longer.

+1 I figure if I stay out for 6 hours I cover slack and moving tide.