Tides and Kayaking (and fishing while kayaking)

My search-fu must be weak as I haven't found a good thread to answer some questions I have about tides, and how it affects the decision on if/when to launch, and when to recover.

It seems to me like launching during an outgoing or slack tide would be preferrable, as would recovery during an incoming or slack tide.  But being a newbie to all this I figured I'd better ask how the experienced make their decision on when to launch/recover based on the tides.  Also, how does the size of the exchange alter your decisions?  Is it totally dependant on location (e.g. a 9' exchange is fine in one spot but dangeruous in another), or is it pretty independant of location?

I know that certain areas and species within those areas are better fished on different tides.  Is that just something that between talking to locals with experience and just getting out there and building your own experience will tell you, or is there a way to figure that out based on geography, fish life cycles, etc?

Well, stating the obvious, it sure is nice to be paddling out and in with the tidal flow.  There are current charts at noaa but either I can't read them or they don't have enough info. 

The problem here in the straits is eddies, or the eddy effect.  At flood tide in some places the current will continue to push out even though the tide is coming in, sometimes for more than an hour, so I've been caught in this more than once.  This only happens on big exchanges.  You can envision all that water moving in and displacing the water already there, hence an outflow at flood.  When and where that will happen is pretty hard to predict without charts etc. 

I try  to fish around tide changes when possible and use the tide to my advantage and look for small exchanges.  The cool thing, don't tell anybody  ,  Bottom fish move toward show during a big tide changes where there is less current and you can often find them in nooks and crannies right next to shore.

Hope that helps a little.  Big exchanges can be a killer here in the Strait.

Launching through the surf on the Oregon coast tide makes little difference. Each beach may be have a little easier or harder break depending on the tide but for the most part the breaks tend to just shift in and out as the tide cycles.

Launching through the surf on the Oregon coast tide makes little difference. Each beach may be have a little easier or harder break depending on the tide but for the most part the breaks tend to just shift in and out as the tide cycles.

Specific to the Cape launch at PC I've noticed the break tends to enlarge during the 2nd and 3rd hours of the incoming. Maybe this is where Isayns sneaker came from?

As far as tides and species goes, do some google searches, you won't find much on bottom fish but there is a bit on Salmon, I've caught them on all tides, but it does seem like incoming is better bet.   

Great topic! I've found tides to be a great factor in catch success throughout the sound, strait, and inside passage. Get those fishing log books going!!

Just a thought for the mods....

I think that a great Members Only sticky for each state area would be a post that would have surf/tide user recommendations for some of the most popular launch spots.  What do good conditions look like, what are "no-go" conditions to look for, how big or little tidal exchange is good, etc....I think pelagic paddler's post in the Ocean Weather post is awesome for a general guideline, so there is already some great general info out there, but I think specifics for particular launch spots would be a bit more helpful if people are willing to share.

I have learned a little from some of you already, but I think there is a great resource here that could be extremely helpful for newer paddlers/peddlers. 

Great topic!

You can catch fish at any time but if you keep track, actual data in a log book over time,  you will find you catch the majority of your (salmon) in the hour before though an hour after window of the tide change.