How much of a tide swing is too much?

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deptrai
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How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by deptrai »

I am wanting to go back to Pelican Lake or even out near Swan Lake tomorrow, but the relatively large tide swing has me concerned.
Here is the Freeport Harbor tide chart:
freeport tide 19-Feb-2023.JPG
freeport tide 19-Feb-2023.JPG (27.15 KiB) Viewed 3226 times
I once peddled my Hobie Outback against a strong tide in Freeport (I should have recorded the actual data) and could barely make way. I don't want to get stuck not being able to peddle against a strong tide on the Intercoastal Waterway.

At the Swan Lake boat ramp tomorrow at noon, which way would the tide be flowing?
swan lake tide.JPG
Similarly, what direction would the tide flow be down south a bit?
brazoria tide direction.JPG
I don't have enough time on the water to predict which way the tide flows in each area during falling or rising tides.

Thanks,

Dave
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karstopo
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by karstopo »

Ordinarily and as far as I can determine, Swan Lake ramp area/ICWW receives water from the Gulf via the Freeport Channel, but perhaps 1.5- 2 hours or so later that the published time at Freeport. So if low tide is at 8:21, you can expect low tide at the swan lake ramp area about 2 hours later. The current on the incoming tide will move from the southwest to the northeast up through the ICWW. The current would reverse on the outgoing.

Somewhere up northeast of the Nick’s Lake area on the ICWW, water will move out through Galveston Bay at San Luis Pass or through Bastrop Bay, Cold Pass, into San Luis Pass.

As far as The San Bernard River/ICWW/Pelican Lake area a lot of that water flow depends on just how open the mouth of the San Bernard is the Gulf of Mexico. I don’t know the current status. If the mouth is blocked by sand, then the tides are greatly delayed and muted.

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecast ... .KHGX.html

Wind plus current working against the kayak can really add to the difficulty. The link above can help plan an outing. If the wind is helpful, that can mitigate the effects on current. It helps to hug the edges of the ICWW if the current is hurtful. Usually, there’s enough depth to operate even mirage drives and still get out of the worst of the current.
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karstopo
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by karstopo »

Tides here are greatly influenced by wind direction and intensity. Any strong wind with a westerly aspect tends to lower water levels and accelerate a falling tide while muting a rising tide. The reverse is true with a strong wind from an eastern quarter.

One winter pattern is blown out water in the wake of strong northwestern wind, but an extra strong incoming once that wind swings back to the east.
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karstopo
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by karstopo »

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stati ... id=8772471

You can expect an extra strong incoming flow today, mid morning going into the afternoon, with the wind turning east and a big incoming anyway.
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by Dandydon »

Who knew that our own Karstopo was a Professor of Tides? Good detailed info there. Thank you, sir.

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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by SWFinatic »

Generally tidal movement is a good thing in that fish tend to be more aggressive (at least reds and flounder) because baitfish are more easily pulled with the tide movement and fish can ambush bait more easily with less effort. Of course there are other factors but I know a few guides that almost live by this statement- “find current, find bait, catch fish”.
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by saltykat »

I agree with SWF that good tide movement is good for fishing, trout hit the lure harder when the tide is strong, weak tide usually equals softer bites. Now if you're fishing near a pass where the current rips then its tough to navigate. Back in the bays I think good tide movement is as important as the area you're fishing and the lure you use.
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deptrai
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by deptrai »

In my previous CA & OR lives, tidal movement was critical and could be absolutely predicted. It was also a major indictor of if & when one was going to (or not) catch fish, lobster & crab. In Yaquina & Siletz bays, I could tell you within a half hour when the crab were going to start crawling into the traps. If the tide swing was greater than 6', the crab would just bury themselves in the sand and you wouldn't catch any except for the hour or so during the slack tide.

During high tidal flows, some of the rivers would be almost unfishable for salmon since the seaweed would get stirred up and fowl your lines.

I'm now learning that the wind plays a significant role in how the water flows in the inland gulf areas and the wind is less predictable than the tides.

Yesterday, I could not make my way into Pelican Lake because the tide was flushing out so quickly. Too shallow to peddle and I was going backwards when I attempted to push-pole my way.

Dave
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Re: How much of a tide swing is too much?

Post by Jacker979 »

I am stubbling along this thread a few days too late... I fished the SBR / Pelican Lake on 2.18.23, finding similar results as deptrai experienced on 02.19.23.

I made also saw the a strong tide rushing out of Pelican Lake, but was able to make it to the Lake with my Diablo kayak. It can get in some pretty skinny water :D I didn't stay long at Pelican lake as I saw no signs of bait or fish.

This was my first trip to this launch, and when I was on the water I thought I probably had mistimed the tides. Reading this thread and Karstopo's notes on the tide in this area, I definitely was ahead of the incoming tide. My best estimate is that the tides were 1.5 hours behind the published times for Freeport. The water in the ICW/SBR was practically chocolate milk, is that typical for this area or isit possible that E winds blew in dirty water from the Brazos River? The water flowing from Pelican lake was much cleaner than the SBR.
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