Best Tide For Punching The Delta?

Big Buddy · Post by **Big Buddy** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:10 pm

Just started getting into punching g and was wondering what the best tide to punch was or if it even matters? Also what depths of water under the vegitation is best? Any advice would be great. Thanks guys

Revoke36 · Post by **Revoke36** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:02 pm

I prefer low tide as it brings the fish out closer to the edge and easier to target

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:47 pm

Randy Walker · Post by **Randy Walker** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:25 pm

I have had success on both tides... just really depends on the area that you decide to fish along with the type of vegitation, set up and max/min depth that is available for that area.
As revoke said, low tide moves them away from the bank or island and out towards the edge and can make it easier to find and target. On the other hand, low tide does not allow you to take advantage of the stuff that catches on the rock banks as the tide is dropping. When the tide is high it gives fish a new piece of cover... twice a day.
You can get punch fish from 2 feet to 10 feet of water, just depends on the type of vegitation your fishing. I've had days where I could only get bit around 10 foot of water.. but those fish were just under the mat.. not sitting on the bottom.. then I've had days were I was popping them in 2 feed of water simply because that bank only offered that depth of water where the vegitaton was.
So... like Mike said... really any! oh.. and current is not a bad thing either.
I'm sure others will reply as well
Good Luck

Andy Giannini · Post by **Andy Giannini** » Wed Jul 03, 2013 8:51 pm

Any tide.

One bitch about braid when it came out was that it dug into the spooled line upon set.

When punching you can use that "dig in" to remember exactly where or how far down that fish was in relation to the cover.

Comes in handy figuring out depths while punching.

.02 A.G.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:11 am

3-8 feet is ideal for just about all tidal phases. There are times where ya will find them under that stuff in less than three feet. Other times you'll find them under the green canopies with 10-20 feet, these fish though, are typically suspended right up under the roof and rarely on the bottom.

Successful punching for those 4-6 pounders the tournament guys target, can be very area specific, tidal influenced and on the islands close to deep water. Ya don't wanna just focus on the green surface plants. You'll flip find fish on the rocks right now, that are under big clumps of brown, dead tule stalks. Pitchin thru the cheese on a high or falling tide can be rewarding as well. We're actually catching some good fish just flippin into the thick clumps of Elodia and Brazilian pond weed on the low tides. We found this week that if ya used a standard heavy "punch rig" in this grass, we got a lot or short strikes and fish were small, but if we dropped a 1/2oc Wadda jig with a Yamamoto Flappin hog in there and let it fall much slower, we began to get much better quality fish and less short strikes.

Ya just gotta experiment with all the tools ya have available and pick the right one for the right condition when targeting these punch/flip fish in the heavy cover..