Ben Bassett explains why low water can offer excellent fishing opportunities and how to make the most of the bottom of the tide
One of the most misunderstood and undervalued states of tide is the low. Go to most popular fishing marks around low tide and you will find plenty of peace and quiet. The commonly quoted ‘two hours either side of high tide’ feels like it is engraved in our consciousness, but with low tide comes different opportunities and access to new, exciting species. I am a predominantly LRF angler, but a lot of this information is just as useful to any fishing technique or discipline.
First of all, I will just get the obvious out of the way. If your mark has no water at all at low tide, then clearly this won’t be applicable. But this article is about areas such as harbour walls, piers, beaches and rocky coastline that has some depth of water at all times, but generally isn’t fished at low tide by the majority of anglers. Before I get into that though, if your mark doesn’t have any water at low, still check it out. Use that time to find the fish holding features, the weed beds, rock formations, sandbanks or muddy peaks and troughs. It’s like having X-ray vision when the tide comes in.
One of the major benefits to fishing at low tide is access. In areas with a large tidal range, you will be able to reach that gulley or pool that is usually out of reach. It can even be as simple as being able to properly present a lure or bait down a ledge that is usually just out of range. On busy spots, those areas that are harder to get to will often hold those warier species, or even something rare that prefers deeper water but is territorial enough to hold firm when the tide drops.
Getting to know the various tidal phases will have huge benefits too, as spring tides can bring massive changes to the fishable area, favouring powerful predators like bass but are often too powerful for others, while neaps can almost bring the water to a standstill, giving smaller predators an opportunity to feast without the fear of being swept into a bass’ gaping mouth. From a human safety standpoint this is crucial too, as a spring can quickly sweep in behind you and cut you off from dry land, so be cautious and observe the movement and speed of the incoming water.
My guide here is based on
