How I Stopped Guessing & Started Timing the Bite (The Right Way)
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
Are you still only looking at tide charts to plan your fishing trips?
That used to be one of my biggest mistakes…
I’d check the tides, pick a window, and hope for the best. Sometimes I got lucky—but I never had consistent results. It wasn’t until I talked with Captain Ray Markham, a guide with 30+ years in Tampa Bay, that things really clicked.
He told me something that changed the way I fish forever:
Tides alone aren’t enough.
The real magic happens when you combine multiple factors—like wind direction, pressure changes, and solunar activity. When those line up, that’s when predator fish go into full-on feeding mode.
👉 Click here to try Smart Fishing Tides for FREE
In this video, I’ll show you exactly how I use our Smart Fishing Tides platform to plan my own trips. You’ll see:
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Why tides can lead you astray if that’s all you’re watching
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How weather shifts impact feeding behavior
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What I look for when planning a trip
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And how to read the Smart Fishing Tides chart like a pro
I even walk through a real-time example of how I pick my windows based on all these conditions layered together.
👉 Click here to try Smart Fishing Tides for FREE
Stop relying on guesswork like I used to. Start fishing smarter—and stacking the odds in your favor.
Let me know in the comments:
Have you ever had a “perfect tide” day that didn’t produce fish? What do you think was missing?
Tight lines,
Luke Simonds
Chief Fishing Addict
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
This is useful information, made easy to understand. So much to learn and apply. but I got time. Thank you for all the instructions.
sound’s great
Thanks for the explanations,Luke.🤗🎣🙏💯
Thank you, Luke! Wow, eye opening for sure!
Thank You….extremely helpful….
Our pleasure William!
Great explanation! With respect to barometric pressure, is it the change that is most important or is higher or lower more favorable?
Thanks John! I like a falling pressure best.
Luke great information I am that guy that only looked at the incoming and outgoing tides. How I have more info to check out. Thanks.
Thanks for making time to post the nice comment Timothy!
Admire and appreciate your honesty in this article, Luke. Many good points but also a message about how much we think we know until realizing it’s far less than thought. In another 10 years, we’ll be talking about the mistakes we’re making today when more insights are discovered as the future unfolds.
Science is a process of learning and discovery. When someone thinks there is no other way to conclude but the one they believe, you know they’re dogmatic and ideologically driven.
Great point Rob… in 10 years, there absolutely will be some hard beliefs we have now that will be proven false. And if we can keep that as our mindset, we’ll be quicker to make whichever corrective actions are needed along the way of continuous improvement.
👍 Absolutely correct.