Tides affect the bulge region of the Changjiang River plume by causing periodic detachments and ejections of low salinity patches. The presence of tide organizes the bulge, while strong tidal currents lead to fluctuations in freshwater outflow. The plume moves downstream as a series of patches due to tidal turbulence breaking down stratification near the river mouth. The detachment process occurs during the neap to spring transition, regardless of river discharge conditions. Tidal effects produce moderate fluctuations in freshwater outflow around river discharge over the spring-neap cycle, but large fluctuations over the flood-ebb cycle. These effects have minor impacts on the plume structure over the adjacent shelf.