North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

I fish out of wyndham a bit but have not done much in the way of fishing the false mouths on the eastern side of the gulf..I have been told that neaps building into springs are the best time to fish the false mouths and am just wondering if anyone can help with getting around the false mouths...I know that the bigger the difference between high and low tide means it is a big spring tide and and the smaller the difference it is a neap but generally when is it that neaps start building into springs..4-5 days before a full moon...or around a black moon....

Does anyone know of a web site that explains the tides in laymans terms.

Hey Mike just get hold of a tide chart and have a critical look at the tide heights and lows on a daily basis and you'll see the changes from the neaps to the springs. When you got that sorted compare the times and heights between Cape Domett and Wyndham. Note the tide gets higher as the water gets shallower as you get down the gulf to Wyndham. Then overlay the moon phases on the chart and note how the neaps line up on the half moons and the springs on the full and new moon. Tides are just a gravity thing between the sun and the moon working either together (springs) and at a tangent (neaps). The critical thing with fish is they're hard wired into the tide, no flow and fish are a no go (in the broadest general terms cos there's lots more in that mix). Neaps with only a metre between high and low are hard to fish cos the fish are not in the mood. Big springs are hard to fish because you have less control over your lure or bait. People like neaps building into springs because the water is a little clearer thanks the neaps and the current flow is building. Personally I like at least 3-4 metres between low and high. Using that as a guide I just check the timing of the highs and lows for access etc.

An example of timing would be coming back in the arvo from the false mouths with a sea breeze at your back and an outgoing tide. Not all that pretty in a smallish boat, particularly on a lowish tide when those bars are just under the water but not exposed so you can see them.