For actually fishing IN the surf (non protected waters), is there a preferred tide that you find more productive (if all other variables were equal)?
I'm mostly asking about long sandy beach sections. Not the rocky, point type structures.

when i got started surf fishing, it was norm to go 3 hrs before and stay 3 hrs past. still is. but learning to read the water took quite a little bit longer. check the surf, how the waves are breaking or not. there are subtleties that the surf will tell you where to fish.
learn to read the surf. this may take awhile but pays off.

there are no hard set rules here,plus every beach is different.Last year I fished a rocky point from the top of the tide to the bottom got nothing at all.on my way back to the truck I made a blind cast on that flat beach,at low tide which I never do, that night I was desprite for anything.well that surfcasting god out there put a 24# fish there for me.It can happen on both tides.

Every spot has its own personality. Pick a good spot with structure, current, and access to deep water. Fish it for a season, at every stage of the tide, learn its idiosyncracies. There's no definite shortcut.

He's a good guy.

He's a good guy.

Great guy I fished with him last night :devil2:

Thanks guys!
I noticed your both going to be on the pork chop the same week.
Gonna try and get out there myself.