Barometric Pressure

[jrodda]

Do ya'll consider it when getting out? I've heard a quick pressure drop is a good time to capitalize on fishing preparing for a temp drop. Personally I've looked at the forecasted pressure changes by the hour even during wind and rain storms and it tends to be so slow and gradual in change, that I think water temp or tide changes have far more tangible effects than the barometric pressure does.

I'm doing a bit of a dive on it right now and I'll post a podcast episode, hopefully tomorrow, brushing on the topic. I'm gonna do a little more research on it, since this post is about all I know about it anyways.

Maybe it does have an effect, but SoCal is such a stable climate that it's not as important here. Just took a look at the barometric forecast for Chicago this week and they will have a high of 30.38inHg and low of 29.35inHg. For reference, we will bounce between 29.80-30.05, despite some rain and wind forecasted.

And then in Scottsdale AZ it will range 29.60-30.04. Koga I'd like to know, do you find that the lower air pressure makes you irregular?

[Chris]

Coming off a High pressure system turn on the bite in my experience. And it's not hourly it's by the day or week.

[Latimeria]

Me personally, is the calm before the storm.  If a low-pressure front is moving through, I usually try getting out just before and have done quite well.  My (fishing) theories stem from Ichthyology classes and the sudden drop of pressure effects the water (as expected) and effects the lateral lines of the fish.  The theory part is the fish feel the drop and inherently can feel the change happening and it starts a feeding response as conditions deteriorate in the water (Water Clarity, currents, run off (pH and Salinity in certain areas, etc).  It's all factual based on fish that people don't usually target (except maybe for KenT and the other species catchers) but I used it to encapsulate the entire finfish ecosystem since these are fish what the gamefish usually eat, so in extent have similar tendencies.

Long winded answer saying to fish just before the pressure drop....

[KogaHead]

Right before a storm is good, right after is bad.

[vdisney]

My system is different.  When my sister can come and hang with my dad, I go fishing.  Pressure, temp, swell and wind don't matter, I go when I can   

[skrilla]

Time and acclimation. When conditions change, fish's attitudes change. But regardless of what changes, fish gotta eat... or at least react to an offering.

As I got older I started to lose the luxury of picking and choosing the most prime times to fish. Now the only window I get are usually when conditions are crap, but I still gotta scratch that itch... "I go when I can" applies.

Fishing when conditions aren't favorable became a personal challenge. I wanted to crack the code. Spent hours and hours of casting, logging down what worked and what didn't, then discovering common denominators of how I got bit.

Locations, depths, holes where fish run and hide were different. Bait size, weight, presentations were all different. But when the right snack came across a fish huddled up in it's piece of structure, whammo! It's sorta like on a rainy day I suddenly want to snuggle up under a blanket then eventually make or order a bowl of soup. But when the sun is out I've got the salt, pepper, and the smoker ready to go.

So yes, when the barometric pressure suddenly shifts I'll rummage through 30+ years of tackle and pick out the appropiate gear that will most likely entice a bite. Though it's almost always a whitefish that finds a free ride to the surface.

[jrodda]

Okay, pretty much confirms what I've researched. I need to add barometric pressure into my log to see what happens, but I'm already generally adapting to conditions. Like I said, seems like our air pressure in SoCal is pretty damn steady compared to other climates so while it may have an effect here, people would probably be more likely to live for that pressure change bite elsewhere. But I will get excited for fishing before a big front.