Fishing in Bad Weather

[wyogator]

We just had another winter storm with some snow and a lot of wind.  I didn't fish this morning because of the blizzard warnings.  Tomorrow is calling for snow showers and a high of -1.  I may go out anyway, since my vacation is coming to an end.  Do you guys find that the fishing isn't as good in weather like this?  It seems like the times I remember icing a lot of fish had sunny days and warmer temps.  I remember catching a lot of fish when the ice had a layer of water on top.  I can't remember having much luck with blowing sideways-snow and low pressure.  Sat. is supposed to be warmer and sunny. Maybe I will try both days and see if there is a difference.

[Loudmouth879]

me and my cousin went out the day after our big snow storm in the north east winds were blowing 40 we went to a place where we always catch atleast 10 crappies 10" and up and slaughter the gills and do decent on perch and mark fish at each hole we go to only marked about 10 fish total seemed like 2 every hour and they were all small gills like 5" so from my experience its not good going out the day after a big storm

[HVFD14]

Less fish in crappy weather cuz only the true addicts stay out there.  Good luck to ya.  Will be at G'town tomorrow.

[wyogator]

That's what I was thinking Loudmouth.  I may wait until Sat.  Good luck at G'town HV.  I used to fish there all of the time.  I'm up on the Hi-Line now.  I guess I need to change my location.

[PyroZuki]

Today is a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky (on Rock Cr), but it's -6 at the house right now. I've had better luck on sunny days. I've also iced my salmon limit on Echo in 45 minutes when I couldn't see my rig parked 10 feet from my ice house! Who knows, but today and tomorrow should bring good fishin!

Good luck, tight lines!

Pyro

[Jim F]

Years ago, I bought myself a barometer.
I pretty much live by it now.
This last week, the pressure has been way down, and so has the fishing.
Last night, the pressure came backup, today was fun, but it was 17 BELOW zero
@ 6AM when I hit the lake!

[PyroZuki]

Nice blue backs!!! Are those from 5, Jim?


Pyro

[Jim F]

yup  8)

[andercee]

I had a great time all by myself during a snow storm on Holter last year.  My ice anchors proved themselves that day.  Caught a mess of perch too.

[iceholer]

fished the lewistown derby last year bad storm shanty's flying around snowed almost a foot of snow and still caught over 100 fish today -12 in the am did very well on perch and a couple eyes a good shanty and a heater is a must never left it all day.

[Cornbread]

Jim F, I have noticed the barometric pressure seems to affect my fishing success more than  any other single factor so long as I am fishing the right area with the right equipt. When the pressure is up or rising quickly I get lots of action, when it's down or falling off quickly from a high I get nothing. It can be same lake, same time of day, same gear, lures, bait etc. but the one day will be great and the other I get nothing and the only thing that is changing is the pressure. I watch the citizen observer web data sites for if the pressure is rising or falling. Do you find that they start biting at a certain millibar number or just so long as it is rising from where it has been?

[hoghammer]

Funny up here where I fish we usually do better when the barometer is dropping.

[Cornbread]

Funny up here where I fish we usually do better when the barometer is dropping.

I wonder if it's change in pressure then that triggers feeding? A change in pressure usually means a weather change, maybe they have it built into them to feed when they feel a change in pressure. To sort of stock up on food before the weather hits? If that is the case I wonder what the sort of magic number is e.g. so many millibars per hour etc. and if it's different for each species or if it triggers a feeding response at roughly the same change rate for all species? I also wonder if there are any studies out there done by reputable research places that might have this data available. I will check around and see if any of the wildlife programs at any of the public universities have done any studies. If they have it should be publicly available so I wouldn't have to pay for a copy of the study.

[Neptune]

I wonder if it's change in pressure then that triggers feeding? A change in pressure usually means a weather change, maybe they have it built into them to feed when they feel a change in pressure. To sort of stock up on food before the weather hits? If that is the case I wonder what the sort of magic number is e.g. so many millibars per hour etc. and if it's different for each species or if it triggers a feeding response at roughly the same change rate for all species? I also wonder if there are any studies out there done by reputable research places that might have this data available. I will check around and see if any of the wildlife programs at any of the public universities have done any studies. If they have it should be publicly available so I wouldn't have to pay for a copy of the study.

Each species is different.  Barometric pressure changes actually physically affect fish.  They are moved involuntarily in the water column with pressure changes.  Fish that can regulate their swim bladder easily(Kokanee and most trout) are affected less by weather changes.  Pike love it when the pressure drops, because their food is concentrating on trying to stay at a particular depth and they get pushed into Pike's feeding zone.  Lake Trout go off the chow with any swing in barometric pressure up or down.  Perch, Bass, Bluegills, et al are moderately affected until they can right there swim bladder.   

There is definitely something to it, but I've also caught fish in storms like no tomorrow!   There is no one thing that influences the fish there are many...barometric pressure, solar cycle, temperature, feed, season...they all play together to keep us on our toes!!!

Good Fishing

[wyogator]

I have always noticed fish bite more on a rising barometer.  I think fish activity increases at the beginning of a pressure drop, before the storm hits, then ceases until the pressure rises again.  Like Neptune said, I don't think this applies to every situation and species.  One thing I have learned about fishing is not to abide by any hard steadfast rules.  I fished Nelson on Sunday and once again caught one single pike.  This is how my season is shaping up so far: one single northern, every day. 

[adam_mcd]

You just have to go out more days Gator.

[South33]

I have always noticed fish bite more on a rising barometer.  I think fish activity increases at the beginning of a pressure drop, before the storm hits, then ceases until the pressure rises again.  Like Neptune said, I don't think this applies to every situation and species.  One thing I have learned about fishing is not to abide by any hard steadfast rules.  I fished Nelson on Sunday and once again caught one single pike.  This is how my season is shaping up so far: one single northern, every day. 

Better than no northern at all. 

[Jim F]

I just started keeping a log this year, of trips out, where, temp, weather conditions, pressure etc. The plan is to see if any patterns develop.
So far with 7 days in, low pressure is a looser, but, tonight the pressure was up and only one koke caught at Lake 5. The pressure was a titch higher than when I've done well. (30.1)
so far my best days are 29.8-30.0
Neptune is right it is dependent on species, some don't seem to care & some are like a moody school girl.

A falling barometer will always make me grab my rifle in deer season, they get real active.

Maybe if I live long enough to get a good sample from my log I'll have it figured out. NOT!