Anyone here water hunt before sunrise to get the low tide?

[time4me]

Been having a hard time coordinating my ocean beach hunts with the tides lately, and I was wondering if any of you ever hit the water a couple of hours before sunrise, and how difficult (or scary) is it to be in the water trying to recover things in the dark?

Thanks for your input!

Jim

 

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[COTTON]

Do you mean feeding time? I do it all the time ,But it is not for everyone.An it is not a good idea. That being said just watch your back on the land an watch every thing in the water

 

[JP]

I wouldn't recomend it. The other day I was in the water 15 minutes before sunrise. After 10 minutes at chest deep with my eyes looking for any detail in the water I felt something bump me in the water. When it hit me the first thought was SHARK. It surfaced. He or she was a beautiful manatee. That is the fourth time he has come up to me.

Back in June I went to Sand Key in Clearwater. The time was around 1 hour after sunrise. A sand shark maybe 4 1/2 to 5 feet long swam by. It made me think how many times has that happened that I didn't even realize or see......

Check this out that happend last week near one of the local hot spots:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1023102.ece

 

[Montauk3]

Try this site.
http://www.freetidetables.com/state/Florida/sid/281152d7

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

I guess the decision is yours... I personally have no problem with the ocean and the dark... some people do I am more worried about steppin on a stingray than worring about a shark. I have seen some 5 ft black tips caught in a cast net in knee deep water in the middle of the day...

 

[teklord]

As soon as you enter the water you become part of the food chain, and you are not at the top. Safety first. If you night hunt, go with a buddy. The water does seem to be more calm early, just after dawn is fine for me.

Tek

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I hunt the water in the evenings and early morning at times. It doesn't really bother me that much, you just have to keep in mind, things that go bump in the night, may have teeth longer then your fingers..............

 

[mumszie]

I think about this all of the time. I hunt early in the morning and I know they are out there even during the day but I won't hunt when it is totally dark. I had a manatee come up beside me last year that scared the bee jee bee's out of me. I've had dolphins head for me and I got out of their way but so far I haven't had any encounters with sharks (that I know about). A few years ago the news kept showing shots of the beaches with hundreds of sharks all around swimmers and they didn't even know it. I think about those pictures a lot too. Scary! My hat is off to those gng's that hunt in the water at night. It's not for me!

 

[Sandman]

Do you mean feeding time? I do it all the time ,But it is not for everyone.An it is not a good idea. That being said just watch your back on the land an watch every thing in the water

I used to hunt in the dark or at low tide when I was on the coast. What Cotton says is very true, you have to watch on the shore also for slugs of society which will mug you for fun. It is safer when there is some light and it is OK to hunt anytime you can get out there, Low tide or not.

 

[Tank69]

see this is why I stay in my river ,my finds may not be as many or as high dollar but all I have to worry about is pushing the trout outa the way as I'm trying to use my sand scoop

 

[VBDave]

Last time I did it, I experienced something that'll be forever etched in my mind as one of the most peaceful, beautiful moments of my life. It was in the bay, in dead calm shoulder deep water. The sun was just breaking the horizon and I stopped to watch, standing motionless with nothing but my head above the plane of the water's surface. Half a dozen dolphins came within a few feet, seemingly enjoying the calm as much as I was. As I faced the glow of the rising sun, a squadron of pelicans came out of it, skimming the surface as they do, coming directly toward me. They split their V formation with my head as they passed.

I said to God "If you're really there, you must be enjoying this as much as I am." I felt Him smile, and heard Him say "I Am".

No fear of a predator, neither man nor animal, will keep me from repeating that experience if I get the chance.

 

[deepsix47]

Know the inherent risks then decide for yourself. My question is why?? If it's there at night, it will be there during the day. The light you will need to use will also draw just about anything that swims. Respect the ocean or sooner or later your luck will run out. It really is that simple. Again though, it's your choice.

Deepsix

 

[txkickergirl]

Well I have been hunting lately at night and love it, no crowds, no heat, and its peaceful. I hunt with my brother, so never a lone. I also don't venture out very far. The places we hunt have condo's that have outdoor lights so it isn't complete darkness. I just hunted the night shift this weekend and am fixing to post my finds. Its not for everyone and there are risks involved. You should never hunt a lone.

 

[time4me]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

The real reason I am even thinking of hunting in the water before sunrise, is that I usually only get a window of time between 5:30am to 8:30am to get out in the water to hunt. If low tide is at 2am or 3am, the the earlier I can get out the better. I'm hoping to get back to some east coast beaches in September, and looking at the tide and sunrise schedule, it looks like sunrise is around 6:30am at that time of year. So, if I want to hit the beach at 5:30am, then I'm there an hour before sunrise.

Maybe what I'll do, assuming there is at least some moonlight, or pre-dawn light, is hunt the wet sand until it is light enough to feel comfortable getting into the water.

Jim

 

[lucky d]

i don't know bout y'all, but i tend to do indoor sports when it's dark out....cheers