How pressure change affects fishing

[Terry_F]

This discussion started under "What have you learned this year (Ice Fishing)"

I wrote
Bass Addict, you should start a diary and record air pressure against fishing results.
I believe that there is a general trend that the bite goes quiet for a few days after a low moves through. Can be good fishing before and during, but quiet after.
Of course, that could be an old wives tale.
At risk of hijaking the post.........Any opinions?

Plncrzy wrote
I have been trying to fisgure this one out.... are the "best times correlated with mon phases" at LOW tide or HIGH tide?

IF its HIGH tide then;

one would assume that if the peak fishing occurs with high tides then one would also HAVE to assume that FAST pressure rises would also simulate the same effect of a developing tide ..... conversly a fast approaching low pressure system would simulate the same effect of a retreating tide...

If the peak times are during LOW tide ... thent he opposite is true.... and the best fishing times would occur

NOW... I have noticed that while fishing in a location with an approaching Thunderstorm, that there is a MAJOR bite that occurs.... And we know that with approaching Thunderstorms that the pressure falls rapidly ...... so I would guess that FAST approaching low pressure systems would do the same and once the system passes (pressure rises) that the bite is less.

SO having said that.... My guess is that the peak fishing times listed are those that correspond with retreating tide times AND the best times to fish are when a low pressure system is fast approaching....

I replied
Great comments Serge.
I started out fishing in the sea of the south coast of England (Portsmouth) so I'm very familiar with tidal fishing.
In that area the tide changes every 8 hours, bite is on while tide is moving up or down, and dies off for 2 hours during high and low tide. This is a daily occurence with changes in the height of the tide on a monthly cycle with a spring and a neap tide thrown in annually. http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/tide ... 0&loc=0065
On top of this there are weather variations driven by high and low pressure and theses are randomised based on prevailing conditions.
I guess that a "Perfect Storm" situation can arise where a large pressure change coinciding with a Spring tide can make for some strange effects.
I'm thinking that here in North America, tidal effects are negligable on fishing, but pressure changes do have a large effect.
Bear in mind I come from an area with 15 ft depth changes ie, if you set up on the beach then the sea moving back 60ft from high tide to low tide measured on the beach, is not unusual, so I don't factor tidal effects when fishing here. Maybe I should.

Plncrzy
You would be surprised I think on the tidal effects even in small lakes and rivers... I observed even as a teenager that creeks were higher during certain parts of the day... anybody doubt me? ... TRY this... on a pur sunny stretch in the summer (just so that you cant blame the experiment on precipitation) ... build a pile of rocks in a stream so that the top rock is just out of the water... then visit the stream at different times of the day and observe closely the water level in reference tot he top of the rock...... conclusion will be that the water level varies consistently with tidal forces from the moon/sun .... I believe that he fish are tied to these cycles ... they sense it... and those sense are triggers for them to go eat.... ... so as you say Terry, tidal changes coincide with a bite.... I am surprised however that you mention the times on either side of a tide coincide with a bite ... because that would also imply that rising pressure cause a bite to occur and that I believe is opposite to what were being told with cold front situations ....i.e. that they destroy or diminish a bite when in actuality, the cold front passage is followed by a large ramp up in pressure. ..... hmmmm .... maybe need somebody with a masters or PHD in Zoology with specialization is fish biology to explain this one to us?
-- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I just think that this is interesting enough to continue and to hear other opinions.................

[plncrzy]

I had a nasty PM (along with some abusive language) indicating that water levels are controlled by dams... well yeas thats true in MOST cases/locations but not all... I was referring to locations that are NOT controlled by dams .... DUH

[chicken]

For the last few years, I've spent a pile of time trying to sort this out too... (I also spent a few bucks too, and got myself an Angler's Edge Plus hand-held and a wrist watch that charts changes in pressure) For all the googling I've done regarding this subject of Fishing and Pressure Changes, the table a the bottom of this page is about the most accurate rule of thumb, (for fresh water inland lakes anyway):

http://www.quickoneplus.com/fish/articl ... barometric

[Terry_F]

Great link Chicken, Thanks
I've copied the table here.
Some general rules regarding barometric pressure are:
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" BORDER="1">
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="BLUE">
<P>
<FONT COLOR="WHITE"><B>Pressure Trend</B></FONT></TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="BLUE">
<P>
<FONT COLOR="WHITE"><B>Typical Weather</B></FONT></TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="BLUE">
<P>
<FONT COLOR="WHITE"><B>Fishing Trends</B></FONT></TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="BLUE">
<P>
<FONT COLOR="WHITE"><B>Suggested </B></FONT><B><FONT COLOR="WHITE">Tactics</FONT></B></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
High</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Clear skies</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Fish slow down, find cover or go to deeper waters.</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Slow down lures and use baits more attractive to fish. Fish in cover
and in deeper waters.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Rising</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Clearing or improving</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Fish tend to become slightly more active</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Fish with brighter lures and near cover. Also fish at intermediate
and deeper depths.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Normal and stable</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Fair</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Normal fishing</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Experiment with your favorite baits and lures.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Falling</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Degrading</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Most active fishing</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Speed up lures. Surface and shallow running lures may work well.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Slightly lower</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Usually cloudy</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Many fish will head away from cover and seek shallower waters. Some
fish will become more aggressive.</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Use shallow running lures at a moderate speed.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Low</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Rainy and stormy</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
Fish will tend to become less active the longer this period remains.</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER">
<P>
As the action subsides, try fishing at deeper depths.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER"></TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER"></TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER"></TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="SILVER"></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></P>

[Salar]

Here's an interesting article on fish and the effects of barometric pressure:

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/scie ... _myth.aspx

Now I don't have an excuse as to why I'm not catching any fish

Salar

[Terry_F]

Salar, thats another interesting opinion.
But, I'm still no wiser, an actual record rather than opinions would be good. It's interesting that this guy is saying no effect. The popular opinion is that there is an effect, there just seems to be a lot of opinions as to what the effect is. This may be a good project for F-Hers to get a daily record of pressure and keep notes of fishing conditions.

[wolfe]

Interesting thread, Terry. Thx for the informative table you posted.

W.

[Bass Addict]

Just to mix things up a little.............


Some of my best fishing results were under the worst fishing conditions

Some of my worst fishing results were under the best fishing conditions

[Out4trout]

I believe that the situation is also different for each species targetted.
For example, my experience is that Lakers and Pike are very affected by air pressure, best bite for Lake Trout is before a big low pressure, but Pike - great fishing once the low has already arrived.

[eye-tracker]

Here is simple rule I like to use when fishing walleye. I watch the weather patterns and also carry a digital barometer in the boat.

Pressure rising fish deep, low and slow
Pressure dropping fish shallow, high and faster

-sheldon

[Fishing 24/7]

pressure this pressure that....

the important thing is that i fish every day !!!

but that chart does make sense!