Fishing the tides??

Hi Lads. Fairly new to fishing and was wondering what the story is with fishing on different tides? I was out over the weekend and after about 6 hours fishing from a coulpe of rock marks in Sligo all I had to show was one doggie (first one every so not all bad)! We were fishing with a variety of baits, mackeral, squid and limpets as well as spinning and we were targeting a few differnt species. The lad I was out with told me that most of the time you can expect very little action on a receeding tide. Is this actually the case? I have read a good few reports and most do mention that a filling tide is better. Is this the general rule? I am hoping to head out one or two evenings during week but the the only time I can make it is on the receeding tides. Am I wasting my time or is there action to be had depending on the fish your looking for and the location? Living in Galway by the way..

there is not set rule for this in my opinion as it depends on the spot you are fishing.
some spots will fish well on an incoming tide and die off as soon as it turns and other spots with only fish well on a dropping tide and die as it comes in.
others may only fish well around the slack water at high or low tide and not fish well when the tide is running.

Local knowledge is a good help, if you dont know a particular spot well you can either ask someone who does

....or the more challenging option is to experiment for yourself and fish it over several sessions, at different states of tide, wind, weather, baits etc. after all what works for someone else may not work for you, and you can never ignore the element of luck that is needed as well. Find out this way is more satisfying methinks.

Personally as a general rule though if i am going to a mark i have never fished before and know little about i would prefer to land down at low tide, and see if i can see the lay of the land and any features that may be covered by the high tide and then fish up to and around slack water at high tide.

Hi gerty86, as yngkmd says, get there at low water and look at the lay of the land. But for fishing new marks i would usually fish for 3hrs up and 3hrs down and then another day i will try 3hrs down and 3hrs up and keep a note of any bites/catches. Worked for me so far. Hope this helps....

Fair play to ye lads! Going to have a go this evening at another shore mark for a couple of hours.. Won't give up on the other spot just yet but will definately try and hit it when the tide is on the way in!

If you can be bothered with an hour drive followed by a twenty minute hike the try the white lady mark on the errislannen peninsula outside clifden. only good on a low tide but always good results. took 4 thornback ray to 8ibs and 4 dogfish to 4ibs there last week in three hours at low tide. cast into sandy channels between weedbanks, sandeel and ragworm, big baits = big fish. please release any big females as they're in the bay to give birth.

It really is dependent on the mark your your fishing but generally fish follow the tide to feed so are closer to shore at high tide.best try your marks at various times of tide to see which is best

I'll usually fish 2.5 hours before and 2.5 hours after, depends on the marks though, someplaces you will always catch dogfish no matter the tides. trial and error. I just always feel confident on the incoming tide tight lines

Have a look at this thread on "predictable fishing". Along with the tides; the phases of the moon, moonrise and sunset times etc can play a part (so they say). You'll be wishing you never asked after reading through that