...I'm no expert on this, but I've always had better luck gettin em' at night. Although the morning isn't too bad, up until breakfast...but I think Night-time is the Right-time, and I've found that they tend to like cleaner water...as far as tides, gottem' on both...if they're in...they're in

but if I had to pick a tide...it would be incoming...an hour after low!
...I'm not too sure they're keen to shallow water, maybe Fish_Eye could share some love on the depth subject. They do have incredible visioin though!!!...at a certain spot I know which is lit after dark, I've held my jig an inch
ABOVE the water line and had them come right up to the surface to investigate, I always thought the lights against the surface of the water would eliminate any possible vision creating a mirror like effect, kinda like snorkeling

Fish Eye?? .....and like Mr. Sandman said...they're real freekie, they hover like spaceships..

...next time ya go squiddin...watch how they can "YO-YO" along with your jig...he's right, it's definately a Great time...as well as great eatin.