Welcome to the site SS.
The tide is one factor as is the location, wind and water temp.
Ideally you want moving water for a good bite (and to keep your boat moving) But you can have conditions where the wind is against the tide and you just sit there unless you power drift or change locations.
As you go along you will find that certain locations are better on the outgoing tide and others on the incoming. Depending where you are it may be just moving from one side of the channel to the other that puts you on the fish.
If you fish a location on one tide and get no or little bite, try coming back after the change, you may find the fish are feeding and get a good bite.
Do not fish the same bait/rig on all the poles, put out a smorgusboard to see what they want, then go to that bait/rig. Don't Dead stick-Work the bait/Rig.
Remember that if the tide change at Sandy Hook is 300PM it will be differant at Highlands, Keansburg, Perth Amboy, etc.
Hope this helps a little