Bunce's Pass Tides & Best Times for 2012 (West Central Florida) - April 16th - May 27th, 2012 Shrimping Predictions
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April 16th - 22nd, 2012
Monday, April 16th A generally bad evening to go shrimping. The tide will be incoming for most of the evening and not work its way into friendly territory until nearly two in the morning. Stay home and get some sleep.
Tuesday, April 17th Another bad evening to go shrimping. The tide will be around mean water level al night and will be incoming at sunset. Get ready for the next tide set which should be approaching in the coming days.
Wednesday, April 18th A very brief window of opportunity is opening up to go shrimping with this tidal set. Early birds will find a few brief hours starting at sunset to get just decent conditions. Nothing spectacular but any opportunity is good.
Thursday, April 19th Conditions will be below mean water level, near sea level at sunset and will be coming in to mean water level around eleven. This isn't much of a window to go shrimping but might enable you to score a few dozen if you get out early enough.
Friday, April 20th A decent early evening. Tides will be below sea level just after sunset tonight and will climb their way back to mean water level by midnight. Consider this an opportunity to get out and grab and early evening.
Saturday, April 21st Tides are lining up for the next few days. Tonight is the beginning of this series. Expect to have a brief period of below sea level conditions immediately after sunset and several hours of shrimping, until about one in your favor. Tonight is a decent evening to go shrimping.
Sunday, April 22nd Sunset will find the tide dipping just below sea level of a few hours before returning to normal levels around one thirty in the morning. For most, these conditions will be just what you are looking for.
April 23rd - 29th, 2012
Monday, April 23rd A good evening to go shrimping. Tides will be below sea level about an hour after sunset and will give the early shrimper an excellent opportunity to corner shrimp on shallow grass. Expect the tide to turn and begin making its way back up to mean water level by two in the morning. Overall, a good evening for shrimping.
Tuesday, April 24th Another good evening for shrimping. The tides will be on their way out at sunset and will be heading down to below sea level conditions near ten thirty. Tonight represents an overall good window between mean water level and sea level that can be exploited for shrimping.
Wednesday, April 25th An optimum evening for shrimping. Tides will drop below mean water level at sunset and will return to mean water near four in the morning with a brief drop below sea level near eleven in the evening.
Thursday, April 26th Tonight is the last normal shrimping evening before shrimping becomes possible only until late. Get out to the beach but don't feel a rush, the tide will not drop below mean water level until a little after sunset with a very brief descent below sea level near midnight.
Friday, April 27th The beginning of late shrimping evening is upon us. Shrimping won't begin to be possible until about nine and should last until five or six in the morning. No below sea level conditions will be found tonight.
Saturday, April 28th Another late but not so special evening is upon us. Don't start shrimping until about ten in the evening and don't expect super low tides like in the last few days. Tonight will only be above sea level for the full evening.
Sunday, April 29th Eleven marks the best time to start shrimping. This puts it out of the realm of possibility as most people will want to stay at home. Conditions will be above sea level for the full evening.
April 30th - May 6th, 2012
Monday, April 30th Midnight starts the shrimping tonight. On the backside of the tidal set, we enter the world of shrimping late night. Unless you want to start after midnight and shrimp the wee hours of the morning in slightly below average conditions, we don't recommend you go.
Tuesday, May 1st One in the morning starts this mediocre tide cycle. Needless to say, you have to be a night owl desperate to get some shrimp if you venture out tonight. Don't expect anything above par and expect a late, late evening. We recommend you stay home.
Wednesday, May 2nd A bad evening to go shrimping. Tonight the tide will be on its way in at sunset and will remain out of the reach of nearly all enthusiasts for the night. Call it an evening and prepare for the next tide set.
Thursday, May 3rd Tonight is the last bad evening of this tide set. The tide will be on the way in the entire evening and will not present much of an opportunity, for anyone until nearly four in the morning. Call it a night and get ready for the next few days of early evenings.
Friday, May 4th A brief window of shrimping can be had tonight if you get out early. The tide will be below sea level at sunset and a little before so, you can get out on the water before the sun drops and prepare to shrimp an incoming tide. Set up a bit offshore and walk it in through the evening until about eleven.
Saturday, May 5th A decent night to get in an early evening of shrimping. Tides will be below sea level at sunset and will offer a window of opportunity for shrimping until about midnight. Get out early enough before sunset and you can capitalize on decent shrimping for the first half of the night.
Sunday, May 6th A good evening to go shrimping. Tides will be significantly below sea level and dropping at sunset and will offer good shrimping conditions until around one in the morning. Get out early and enjoy the show!
May 7th - 13th, 2012
Monday, May 7th Another opportune evening for shrimping. Tides will once again be significantly below sea level at sunset and dropping to nearly a half foot below sea level near nine thirty. Expect to be able to shrimp until nearly three in the morning.
Tuesday, May 8th The outgoing tide around sunset will bottom out below sea level near ten thirty and then gradually come back in to mean sea level around four in the morning. Consider tonight a great evening to go shrimping. You can walk out with the outgoing tide at sunset and then turn around and walk back to shore with the incoming tide.
Wednesday, May 9th Another evening that offers you the opportunity to get out to the beach, walk out with the outgoing tide and then return to shore with the incoming tide. Expect some great below sea level conditions and the ability to shrimp until the late hour of nearly five in the morning.
Thursday, May 10th This marks the first night of the changing tide cycle, beginning the move toward late night shrimping conditions. Arriving at the beach at sunset, you will find the tide on its way out, just passing mean water level but descending to below sea level conditions near twelve thirty. You can shrimp the whole evening but don't expect premium conditions upon arrival.
Friday, May 11th A average night of shrimping can be had if you get out around nine and shrimp until the early hours but, nothing below sea level can be expected. This is probably the last night of this tide cycle that people who enjoy a good night's sleep can expect to catch shrimp in.
Saturday, May 12th The tide has turned to permit only late night shrimping. Expect to get out on the water near eleven and experience so so conditions until around five in the morning. Most of us will choose to stay home.
Sunday, May 13th Another very late night beginning near midnight with very little in the way of a shrimping window. Call it a night unless you can't sleep.
May 14th - 20th, 2012
Monday, May 14th A bad evening all around. High tides at sunset, not so low tides near four in the morning. Consider doing something else tonight.
Tuesday, May 15th Incoming tide at sunset will be all that most people need to hear. For those who need more convincing, don't expect even sub-par conditions until nearly four thirty.
Wednesday, May 16th The worst night of this recent tide cycle. Need we say more?
Thursday, May 17th A very brief window to shrimp of a few hours opens at sunset. Don't expect to shrimp past eleven. This is the first day of the next good tide period so you might just choose to stay home and prepare for those days instead of wasting your time on the flats tonight.
Friday, May 18th Another brief window opens up tonight for the early-evening shrimper. Sunset will see just above sea level conditions and an incoming tide that will become unmanageable at eleven thirty.
Saturday, May 19th Below sea level conditions at sunset mean you can get out early and get setup on the flats for an early evening of shrimping that will end around midnight. Conditions are perfect for the early to bed crowd.
Sunday, May 20th Another evening beginning with below sea level conditions at sunset. Get out early, get setup and enjoy the first half of the evening in prime shrimping conditions ending near eleven.
May 21st - 27th, 2012
Monday, May 21st Sunset will bring an outgoing tide that bottoms out below sea level near nine and slowly returns to mean water level near one in the morning. A decent evening of shrimping to be had by most.
Tuesday, May 22nd Outgoing tide bottoming out a quarter foot below sea level at sunset will provide shrimpers with an ample window of opportunity to shrimp the incoming tide until nearly two in the morning. A good night overall.
Wednesday, May 23rd Another outgoing tide with below sea level conditions near ten and a return to high tide near three make this evening an al around good night for shrimping.
Thursday, May 24th The bottom of low tide will be near eleven, giving shrimpers an outgoing and incoming tide to walk throughout the evening. Expect a full night of shrimping in good conditions.
Friday, May 25th The water will be comparatively higher at sunset than previous evening but will still be on the way out by the time most people hit the water near sunset. Expect average conditions for the evening ending around four in the morning.
Saturday, May 26th The last possibly all-shrimper friendly evening of this tidal series, tonight begins the set of late evening tides that have marked this year's run. Expect average shrimping conditions between nine and four with no below sea level conditions. While not optimum, an OK evening.
Sunday, May 27th The tide will be high and on its way out at sunset. Don't start shrimping until about ten and expect so so conditions until about four in the morning. This is the beginning of the late night set.
