Tides, moon phases etc etc... Very confusing, please help!!!?

[SPARODON]

http://www.kwathabeng.co.za/weather/durban-weather.html
 
the site i use. has a few different "sites" on one page.
from here you can access tides, best fishing days etc.
 
doesnt really influence if i go fishing or not, just helps me pick the clothes im wearing.
best time to catch a fish is when you have a bait in the water.

[chrisquinton]

The only thing the solunar calendar is useful for is to plan a trip which is weeks or more in advance. At least you can pick the best tides for the period....

Oelof, to answer your Q, I prefer to fish on the low pressure just before and into the onset of the high. An example of today's data:



This afternoon and Wednesday afternoon look ok. Swell less than 1.5m, periods fairly long, wind less than 7kts. Sunday could also be good - the sea conditions are good but the barometer is a little high. In Durban, average pressure is 1013mb. I prefer not to fish on a high once it's set in. Id look for a change in the barometer. However, if the sea conditions are great, I will go down anyway.
Tides are important in finally choosing a location, and are what I base my decision on. Some spots work well on a draining tide, others on a push, some on the full high or low. Tides can be more important than the weather when a particular location is considered. I most certainly want to know the tide height (eg: is full high 1.5 or 1.9m?). This will give you an indication of how the tide will affect the swell, how it will affect the wash and how it will affect where you plan to stand.. Couple this with the sea conditions to determine what location you should fish.

this is a fancy one which covers it all:
http://www.tides4fishing.com/af/south-africa/durban

[REEFMAN]

The only thing the solunar calendar is useful for is to plan a trip which is weeks or more in advance. At least you can pick the best tides for the period....

 

[Oelof]

Great!!! Thanks for all the info guys!!!

[Kent]

  ..Let me say something....just to say something...there is a pic attached to this post...it tells a story about TIME actually spent fishing.....takeing notes on your piece of coast line....find a pattern/trend as to when you catch and dont catch....I have four note books spanning 9 years......to me this is way more valuable than any weather site or weather app...AND...I take very close note of barometer readings...BUT..that being said ...there is a plethora of things that add up to good , bad and excellent conditions...Sitting at the water and watching for 10 minutes will teach you TONS more than any fishing app etc etc....AND...to up the ante...my toppie always used to say..."My boy...remember ..on an ugly sea...you could catch an ugly beeg ass fish!!!.."


Anyhow this works for me......thought I would share my musings..... ..In your quest for glory....

[Lenny]

food for thought Kent ...


I don't use them , only thing you do is knocking of days you will not be fishing . Kobus Botha Weather , have fantastic site , with loads of info , you can also get real time Synotics on your FB of Phone Via them , its pretty cool and a local site ...


 At the end of the day , fish feed even in nasty weather , Some of the recent catches here are testament to it , is the shorter span of things .And its like a lucky Packet , you never know what you might get . A well presented bait will get eaten .
2 days before full and two days after Full moon , be it new moon or Dark moon , has me sold that fish are more active around these times .
Then another thing , is the Ecxenoix [ Spelling ] we have one in March and one in September , now basically every year , we have had freak catches , and many PB's . Very un usual things have taken place she new fish the one in March . Gerhard , my buddy and his buddy Adre can all confirm .


Kent , do you know if any of those years El nino / La nina years ?

[Kent]

food for thought Kent ...


I don't use them , only thing you do is knocking of days you will not be fishing . Kobus Botha Weather , have fantastic site , with loads of info , you can also get real time Synotics on your FB of Phone Via them , its pretty cool and a local site ...


 At the end of the day , fish feed even in nasty weather , Some of the recent catches here are testament to it , is the shorter span of things .And its like a lucky Packet , you never know what you might get . A well presented bait will get eaten .
2 days before full and two days after Full moon , be it new moon or Dark moon , has me sold that fish are more active around these times .
Then another thing , is the Ecxenoix [ Spelling ] we have one in March and one in September , now basically every year , we have had freak catches , and many PB's . Very un usual things have taken place she new fish the one in March . Gerhard , my buddy and his buddy Adre can all confirm .


Kent , do you know if any of those years El nino / La nina years ?

..Dont have a clue Mnr...BUT...the years I didnt produce were the years I fished less....