Q.Tides & Fishing
What is the outgoing tide and why do fish feed on it?
A.
The outgoing (ebbing) tide is the period after high tide when water falls and drains out of marshes, creek systems, and shallow flats. Fish feed aggressively during outgoing because falling water flushes bait, shrimp, and crabs out of flooded marsh and into deeper drain channels where predators wait.
Speckled trout and redfish in particular ambush bait at the mouths of feeder creeks during outgoing — sometimes called the "falling tide bite." The first two hours of outgoing typically produce best, with bite slowing as water gets too thin. See tide guide pages for outgoing timing in your region.