When not on the Skiff with my SIMRAD with its installed FMT Chip in front of me, my new favorite Tides and Preflight planning tool is TidesPro
Not only online, but they also have PC Windows programs and iPhone and iPad applications... This, as well as being able to download the tide KML files for use with your Google Earth Pro desktop software, can also come in handy at the same time. Straightforward to use and very visual in its UI (User Interface) design that at a glance, you can "see" what the tide is doing and how it is trending along with Solunar and Weather (pending version) related information.
So, let us cover these versions more in-depth and how you can utilize each one for the various platforms before jumping on your Skiff or Bay Boat for your next Fishing, Scouting, or just Media collection trip 😊
Android-based Phones and Tablets...
The Android-based applications are still under development, but you can open your browser and use the online version by clicking Here.
It will, over time, start saving past locations (called My recent sites) near the top of the page you have reviewed!
Naturally, there is no marine weather information with the online version, but there are plenty of other sources for such, like My Radar, which is due for an updated review shortly here on Flats Nation.
My favorite since I have both an iPhone and, of course, just a ton of good information for trip planning all at a glance before I even fire up the Skiff! I can sit in the house or take a quick look while out running errands and know what the tides and weather are doing so I know how to plan my time best.
The weather section (for premium users) has several sections at the top of the page so you can get updated for the On-Shore, Marine, and (if any nearby) reporting Buoy so you can secure items like Water and Air temperatures simultaneously.
And don't forget to add these widgets to the home screen on your iPhone or iPad for even quicker access to this information! I also have the widgets configured for the tidal information nearest your current location, so it is basically (when it updates) following you if traveling or running the boat in those waters.
Again, for the premium users of TidesPro that have an Apple Watch, they have widgets for them at the same time, which might convince me to break down and buy one! When you remember how much the original Tide Watches were back in 198X, this could be considered a bargain!
And this is a pretty strong feature set for $11.99 a year for the IOS Premium version!
Now, we have a special running with TidesPro on the IOS application where you can save on the Premium Version by clicking Here.
They have many of the same features; I do not have all the screenshots for that version yet to post. When sitting in my office working, though, I usually glance at it for tidal information or check it on my iPad, which I use as a second PC anymore.
For trip planning to other areas, you can use the search bar at the top right of the screen if you know the name of the reporting tidal station or stations.
Or you can download the KML files and then import them into your Google Earth Pro desktop software. Once that process is completed, open your copy of Google Earth, and use its search box at the top left (see screenshot below), you then click on the yellow pins in that area to bring up the local tides for that area. The Google Earth Pro files do come in handy to help you visually pick off an area you are headed towards to scout or fish, and may not know the actual names of the nearest reporting stations. Naturally, you can zoom in and out to do a little PC scouting of those areas long before you burn any fuel to get there, which is handy at today's insane fuel prices!
Some fishermen I know are hung up on fishing certain Tides or Solunars. Well, if you have that time in your life, that is fine... I do not and will fish any tide, though I do try and hit points or edges when the water is moving. Stronger tides help "flush out the forage species," like crabs, but some of the largest fish I have caught were on near slack tides! We give fish a lot more IQ than they have, and most strikes are reactionary by nature as it is...
Knowing the tides/trends is handy for access to (or knowing when to leave) certain areas for scouting or fishing purposes. Winter tides combined with strong North winds can leave you High and Dry if you are not paying attention when running into or out of places that "might" have a foot of water most of the year!
As mentioned above, it costs much less to drag your Skiff / Bay Boat to a location than drive it there, so having this information comes in handy for trip planning and hitting and reviewing those areas on your PC long before you hitch up the Skiff.
For those who do not have the budget or the space for a nice SIMRAD unit on your Skiff or Paddle Craft, TidesPro and either your iPhone or iPad in a nice water-resistant case can go a very long way in building yourself a nice suite of applications to help you both plan your trip and use while on the water!
Another aspect is redundancy; any MFD device can fail at any time from a simple loss of power. Thus, having a suite of applications on your cell phone or tablet might prove to be a real day or even a lifesaver! This is why I have a nice and quick-release iPhone mount on my grab bar (more on that soon) that holds it in place right beside my SIMRAD unit easy to reach and right in plain view but not in the way... I also have all of those what I call "Skiff Operation Applications" on one single dedicated page where I can access each one at a second’s notice and in the order, I usually use them. Here is my List / Skiff Page; many are free! We will cover many of them soon to help you get the most out of each one 😊
Adam and the Team over at TidesPro / ASR Concepts created an awesome little program and looking forward to seeing how it develops! So, give TidesPro a try (let them know Flats Nation sent you if you contact them) and see how you like it versus others you have used.
Here are the links for the various versions...
In the meantime,
We invite you to take in a few Flats Nation Podcast Episodes to help "Scratch that Fishing Itch" when working or traveling and you cannot hitch up the Skiff and go, on these links:
Our main podcast page works great for your mobile device since it will stream right on your phone/tablet. It can be found by clicking Here
Our new Flats Nation YouTube Channel can be found by clicking Here and sharing them with family and friends if you find them Entertaining and Educational! We have some great guests in the works and planning stages on a wide range of topics and product coverage soon.
Also, The "Flats Nation" Merch and Swag collection has some new works now and can be found by clicking Here or just clicking on our Flag below to take you to that section to land some for yourself and family/friends who enjoy their time here on Flats Nation. 😎
Tight Lines, and God Bless!
Dave and the Team
