Introduction
Anglers often ask whether a tide has a reliable “sweet spot” for catching salmon and whether the adage about the best hour being the hour before or after tide change holds true. This post summarizes a 2025 field test that tracked catches against tide-change timing to answer that question.
Data collection period
Testing timeframe
The study ran from July through early September 2025, totaling approximately 65 hours of trolling effort. The Inside Passage waters around Juneau, Alaska, were the waters fished.
Sampling cadence
Fishing days followed a repeating cycle of three lure type usage, allowing catch data to be compared across consistent effort and conditions.
Skirted Vortaks Black Fox
Lure testing protocol
Daily lure routine
Each fishing day used one primary lure model for the whole day with only color changes between runs: Skirted Vortaks, then the next day Prototype 1, then Prototype 2, repeating for the season. Prototypes 1 and 2 are new lure designs tested against a known fish catcher – Skirted Vortaks.
Controlled variables
Kept consistent where possible: trolling speed, general downrigger run pattern, and using the same water body for the three test days. The only change is to lure color to isolate lure-design effects.
Data logged and processing
What was recorded
For every lure deployed, the log captured: time in/out of water; leader length; flasher type; lure model; lure color; weather conditions. For each catch, the log added: time hooked, fish species, and lure depth at strike.
How catches were aligned to tides
Catch times were converted to “hours from tide change” by using that day’s NOAA high/low tide time. Example: a 3:00 p.m. catch with a 1:30 p.m. low tide is recorded as +1.5 hours from tide change.
Results and analysis
Catch distribution by hour relative to tide change 
- Hour 0 ±1 (first hour before and after change): 50% of all catches.
- Hour ±2: 28% of catches.
- Hour ±3: 22% of catches.
Interpretation
Half of the season’s catches occurred within the hour before and after tide change, supporting the familiar adage: the best time to fish is an hour before and after tide change. The remaining half were taken during the second and third hours, indicating meaningful catch rates throughout the tide cycle.
Fishing recommendations and conclusion
Practical tips for anglers
- If time is limited, concentrate effort around the tide change (the hour before and after) for the highest catch probability.
- If time allows, fish the entire tide window, as significant catches still occur in hours two and three.
Final takeaway
Tide-change fishing is a valid strategy: it concentrates bites but does not replace the value of fishing the whole tide cycle when time permits.