The peak of the action might occur around one stage of the tide and will only last a short time. Whether your guide mentions this fact or not, he is certainly aware of it. I am, however, surprised that the guide didn't take an opportunity to give you any instruction on how to get your fly to fish faster. Becoming a skilled flats angler is a learned rather than an intuitive skill. Instead of writing off your first trip as a total bust, try to think of it more as a two-day orientation.
Individual situations dictate the necessary skills needed for success.
If you're not familiar with your quarry, it's impossible to practice the exact techniques required to take it. Getting the fly out of your hand and into the air cleanly. You're going to have to do this every time to begin a cast. You need to work out a technique that is fast, comfortable, and fool-proof. Limit the number of false casts you need to make medium-range casts, say 45 to 50 feet.