Whilst the tide itself may be rising (ie the level of water ) the actual tidal flow itself on most beaches will be from left to right or Vice versa-depending on your local situation.
The scent trail would therefore be left or right accordingly.

 

I know what you mean, a beach i seem to have become affixated with these last couple of weeks has a quite a strong lateral pull to the right an hour before high til at least an hour of the ebb, but i didn't want to write so much.

So what your trying to say is that the scent trail is enticing fish from the sides.

 

fixated with these last couple of weeks has a quite a strong lateral pull to the right an hour before high til at least an hour of the ebb,

Fixated Russ, I think its more than that!

As for the scent thing, you really have to much time on your hands to be thinking about things like this. Only on Tuesday did we say your doing too much thinking about your hooks, traces, beads etc etc.

I can't wait for Tone to read this lol. He'll have a ball.

I think from whats been written though, is fish with two rods at the same distance, that way you'll be bound to catch on one!

 

Whilst the tide itself may be rising (ie the level of water ) the actual tidal flow itself on most beaches will be from left to right or Vice versa-depending on your local situation.
The scent trail would therefore be left or right accordingly.

totally agree except for when casting into or near rips...

 

scent trail is more important on boats i think. the beach your talking about it has no importance at all. plaice fish mainly on sight. whats more important is finding where they are feeding. i dont believe they move around much. they come in with the tide and go out with it. you can have all the best bait and gear in the world but if your fireing it in empty beaches your not going to catch. if you hitting the area and still not catching then they aint there.

 

Ivor, me and Tone spoke about it yesterday, i'd thought i'd bang it on here and see what other peoples thoughts are.


Over a hundred views and not one person can really answer the question, which leads me to think that unless a shoal of whatever is moving through the area your fishing, a scent trail seems not to attract like it does on the boat.

 

Ivor, me and Tone spoke about it yesterday, i'd thought i'd bang it on here and see what other peoples thoughts are.


Over a hundred views and not one person can really answer the question, which leads me to think that unless a shoal of whatever is moving through the area your fishing, a scent trail seems not to attract like it does on the boat.

excatly russ. you know your self that big lug and crab baits will attract the cod and smoothound element of the beach but i think flatty bashing is differant. moving baits, spoon and attractors temp them more than the scent trail of worm baits.

thats why i love drifting for plaice on the boat, they dont get a chance to find the secent trail, as soon as the bait passes on them at 1-2 knots kicking up sand etc they attack the bait quickly and you can hook them in seconds, bit differant of the beach sitting on your hands if you see a nibble for 10 minutes

 

Would the scent trail be coming back towards the shore, as this is the way the tide is moving???

Well after speaking with Russ on the phone, and reading and re-reading this thread, I have the following to add.

Rus mentions in his thread that the tide is moving towards the beach, correct, however the current is generally flowing from one side to the next.

In a boat, the tide and current follow in the same way? Is this not generally the case?

Russ clarified his point on the phoen by saying, 'why is it not the case that 30 - 40 anglers fishing a match cast at different distances, sometimes the same distances, with a huge selection of bait, with the tide coming towards the beach as he puts it, but yet no one catches?

Whereas, in the boat someone may indeed strike it lucky and catch a fish of sorts!

Putting it this way, has anyone any ideas? Or could help Russ in his quest to find the answer? :wiggle:

Despite my thoughts I still cannot answer this, and drawing a few diagrams I am still at a loss. That is until I discovered that perhaps there are no fish in the water on that day, or they are further out than the majority can cast.

Russ I think you may need to lift your arms up, broaden your gait, lift your right arm above the left when following through and cast like a demon.

Perhaps you may get a few more thoughts on this Q!

 

when fishing a lake, we fish with the wind in our faces, because the surface water is moving toward you, oxygenating it and bringing food. This water has to go somewhere, otherwise it'd pile up at that end...impossible, so it goes down infront of you, and away from you at the bottom of the lake, this is the undertow.
The same happens on beaches due to wave action, there is an undertow working away from you, this along with lateral tidal movement, wind, underwater gulleys etc all create different/changing water directions, and therefore different places food gets deposited, and therefore hotspots that you will get fish from.
Reading all this is sometimes near on impossible, but some anglers can and they're the ones who seem to catch more. Us mere mortals sometimes get it right, but often we find we get bites for 20-30 minutes then they tail off. Perhaps this is fish moving into our zone following the food, then moving off again, as apposed to fish coming on the feed.

Think I need a beer !!!