A common adage for surfcasters and shore anglers regarding the best time to fish is, ”Two hours before high tide till two hours after high tide.” This makes perfect sense and is most often the best rule of thumb to follow.

High tide means deeper water closer to dry sand. Deeper water holds those fish we’re trying to catch. There are a couple notable exceptions to this rule. Times when fishing from the beach is actually better during low tide periods. This week’s minus tides provided a couple excellent examples wherein going against the customary opinion paid off in spades.

A minus tide occurs when the ocean low-water level is lower than the zero point. When the sun, moon and earth are in alignment, we experience the largest tidal differences between low and high tides. King tides are exceptionally high tides and occur when the moon is in its full or new (dark) phase. Gravitational alignment increases the tidal flow. For every king tide, there is a corresponding minus tide. These negative tides are a great time to go “tide pooling,” exploring the ecosystems of rocky reefs and observing nearshore marine creatures normally obscured with a foot or two of water, even during normal low tides.

Minus tides are also the best time to go poke poling, an adventurous and productive method of pulling fish from the cracks, crevices and caves hiding in the rocks of the tide pools. A bamboo rod, old fishing pole, or even a stretched out wire coat hangar can serve as a poke pole. Tipped with a very short leader of heavy fishing line and a baited hook, the angler pokes around into the rocks until a fish bites, then pulls them out of the hole. Simple. Productive. And really fun, especially for the kids.

Many small rockfish are hiding in these areas and we would recommend releasing these small-fry to go on their way and grow to spawn in the future. There are some big ones, though. Surprisingly big fish in these same areas can provide a great meal for the family. The monkey-faced eel is not really an eel, but rather a “Prickleback” fish. They look just like a nasty eel though, but don’t get turned off. The monkeys filet up cleanly and are delicious, cooking up with a firm white meat.

The other big, ugly bruisers of the reef are cabezon. Part of the RCG complex (legal to take all-year round for shore anglers), cabezons are prized for their tasty mild filets. The cabbies have a huge mouth and head, and many prefer to cook them whole rather than filet, to take full advantage of the fish’s yield.

Any other surfcasters out there who have been getting skunked or, at best, catching one or two fish per outing these days (like me) just might want to try taking a good look and a nice walk during minus or dead-low tides this week.

Surfcaster reports indicate a number of the bigger, broader beaches between Aptos and Seaside are sporting incredible structure just off shore. The troughs, holes and rip currents are only visible and fishable when the tide drops sufficiently. Pre-spawn male barred surf perch are the main takers right now, followed closely by schools of walleye perch.

Most catches are averaging around 10-12 inches with a 14-incher showing up now and again, and a few hogs in the 15- to 16-inch range reported as well.

Allen Bushnell also operates Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing Guide Service. Please send your reports, pictures or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com