Opinions And Comments On Barometric Pressure And "the Bite".

[Bravoman]

Hi Guys,

 

I was thinking about this topic on Tuesday when I went to my usual spot. I wanted to get an evening of fishing in before the rain and cold on Wednesday. The weather was beautiful. Warm with minimal wind and not much for clouds. The forecast was for wind and rain and cold starting about midnight Wed morning. The barometer was falling fairly quickly.

 

Previously at this spot and time of day I have been able to hook at least 5 fish. (Over three trips, 13 fish, 5 fish, 6 fish)

 

This time, I didn't hook anything (not even a nibble!) till right after sunset when I caught two smaller fish within 2 min of each other and that was it.

 

So, my question (see above) is whether it is better to fish a falling barometer, a rising barometer, a steady barometer, or if the barometer has any affect at all on the willingness of fish to bite.

 

As always, your comments and opinions are appreciatied.

 

Thanks,

 

Trev

 

PS: Great local Calgary weather site that runs in real time. www.wx.ca

[brewingup]

I can't say much from experience (i'm still green) but I'm reading 'Big Trout - How and Where to Target Trophies':

http://globalflyfisher.com/reviews/books/b...ingle.php?id=41

 

I have learned a lot from all the research and scientific analysis in here. It's the opinion of the author that it's the change in light (associated with rising/falling pressure = clouds vs. clear) that affects feeding patterns and not the pressure itself. He also said that the change in pressure is negligable to fish considering the water pressure changes associated with depth changes that they are subject to.

 

This makes sense to me. Regardless, it's a really good book and I would recomend it, especially for anyone ignorant but learning - like me.

[Carlodabroads]

Im not sure about rivers, but I will tell you that it is my opinion that pressure plays a huge roll when fly fishing for rainbow trout in lakes.

[Bravoman]

Im not sure about rivers, but I will tell you that it is my opinion that pressure plays a huge roll when fly fishing for rainbow trout in lakes.

 

 

Hi Carlodabroads,

 

I was thinking it would make a bigger difference for lake fishing than river fishing. But I can't remember which way is good and which is bad.

 

How has it worked in your experience?

 

Trev

[reevesr1]

Don't know about flowing water and trout (yet), but pre-frontal (falling pressure) was just the best for saltwater. However, my two experiences pre-frontal on the Bow have both been disappointing. Not enough info to form an opinion yet however.

[Gary]

Over the years I have learned high pressure areas are the best for consistent fishing. As the barometer rises the fishing gets progressively better. The longer the high pressure stays the better the fishing gets. Feeding frenzies can be spurred under other conditions of course but they are generally the result of a specific hatches.

[SanJuanWorm]

Ahem Ahem BSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsssssssssssssssss

[toolman]

Care to elaborate a little, as the "I don't agree" default position, does not give us any idea of why?

[SanJuanWorm]

Because its very rare I get skunked. WOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Carlodabroads]

SJW, Thats friggen FUnny!

 

 

Bravo, I find a rising barometer or high pressure is better for lake fishing.

 

Low pressure systems for me have always equaled slooooow fishing in Stillwaters.

[Weedy1]

Does anyone remember my comparison of barometric pressure to water pressure on a fish at a given depth from FFA?

If I remember correctly a fish moving in up or down in the water a foot or so would equal the entire barometric range typically seen with weather.

Therefore I must "COMPLETE" Dave again and say I "COMPLETELY AGREE WITH HIM".

 

BTW, this theory all has to do with the fish having to adjust their swim bladder to compensate with the change in barometric pressure.

If I must I'll post the calculations again but whoever asks for them will have to tie me a dozen flies. I just don't feel scientific today.

[toolman]

LOL....That's better. Now I understand completely.

[Bravoman]

Great comments everyone!

 

I don’t have any theories about the science of how rising or falling barometer pressures would affect fish physiology and their moods directly. I realize the pressure difference itself is miniscule compared to swimming up or down in the water column. Just go SCUBA diving for evidence of that.

 

Therefore, I think any effect on fish feeding is due to indirect factors. Such as a future indication of water temperature, sunlight, flow rates, food, exposure, etc. And all of these things can affect the various hatches differently, and thus a fishes desire to start feeding.

 

Perhaps a falling barometer indicates poor weather coming. Therefore, the potential for flash flooding or poor water conditions, therefore fish move to more protected water. The rain and lack of sun could create cooler water temperatures which lowers metabolism and therefore slows feeding.

 

Perhaps a rising barometer indicates a change to good weather, lots of bugs in the future, warmer water temperatures, and thus the fish get feeding secure in the knowledge that now and the near future is the time to fatten up.

 

Just my thoughts, feel free to tear them apart either for or against.

 

And thanks to everyone who is participating with their own ideas.

 

 

PS: Just to clarify, I am talking about the Bow River specifically, but anyone’s experience river, lake or ocean fishing is appreciated!

[fisher26]

Your lack of success was likely do to the bright and clear conditions. Some days on the bow you will get one of those scorchers that simply means poor fishing. In those crystal clear conditions fish sit at the bottom of the pools super paranoid and spooky, especially in fall.

 

Sunny cloudy or cloudy days are my favorite especially while the water is still a tad off colored. Makes for some great fishin!

[hydropsyche]

I kept a detailed accounting of BP one year (mostly on the BOW).

 

I made a mental note of when the fishing turned on and when it turned off. At the end of the day, I checked this site to see what was happening during those times (wx.ca) and recorded it.

 

I always found exceptions to previous observations. Sometimes the fishing was on when it was rising, others when it was dropping. Going over the whole year, I noticed a trend (but it still had some exceptions). My unscientific conclusion was it didn't matter if it was rising or falling. It had more to do with it being at or near 101.

 

Like SJW, I call BS. Either way, if I can get out fishing, the BP isn't going to encourage me or stop me. I'm going fishing no matter where its at.

[lonefisher]

I have seen weather changes that seem to completely shut the fish down........ I will definately say that weather can affect fish but I can not say if its the pressure, or the light, or even perhaps an effect on the insects which translates through to the fish....... I rarely get skunked either but just last week Glenbow and I were out on a river that the week prior had produced 30 plus fish easy in a day. We fished for about 1 hour and the fishing was good about 5 landed at that point..... Suddenly we get hit with a black storm front that changed it from calm and sunny to a pretty good storm with extremely high speed high elevation winds (meaning we felt little wind but the clouds above were screaming past) The fishing immediately shut off and for 5 hours we rose nothing and could not seem to make fish take nymphs or streamers either all of which have proven effective on this river. After the first hour the storm had passed but those high elevation winds continued to howl all day. We were effectively skunked post storm...... Although I think we did manage 1 or 2...... but still noticably slower then it should have been.....

[Hawgstoppah]

I kept stats for 7 years on the Bow. The trend is definately there... that the pressure must be rising or stable for a good solid day of fishing... and higher numbers of fish. For a BIG brute... pressure usually was falling though. Ever notice how when you land a real monster you dont have a whole lot of other fish that day?

 

Ever been having a crappy day... terribly hot muggy summer day ... where later in the day a t-storm passes over and after it the fishing picks up? T-storms are high pressure. When they are building (during the day) the pressure everywhere but inside the thunderstorm's cell, is dropping (like 50 miles away from it). Once it gets really close the pressure rises (and the fishing turns on... until you have to go run and hide).

 

One thing I notice though, is that THIS time of year (summer) the trend is not as pronounced. Go try to fish the Bow in January when the pressure is falling and it's a nice day out. Good luck to you I say... I'll stay at home.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

my best day on the bow this year was 30 degree's out, and it was plummeting in pressure..huge thunderstorm that evening/night

 

and i caught 4-5 big ones (22, 23, 24, 22), with over 50 fish on and at least half that landed......

 

nuts to statistics

 

welcome to chaos theory

[maxwell]

yup im alll over the chaos ...love them olives and tricos and viscious streamer takes...brian aka hawgstoppa got me thinkin abotu this a few winter back and i havnt followed it with major seriousness but it does seem too have some effects on teh fishin

[reevesr1]

my best day on the bow this year was 30 degree's out, and it was plummeting in pressure..huge thunderstorm that evening/night

 

and i caught 4-5 big ones (22, 23, 24, 22), with over 50 fish on and at least half that landed......

 

nuts to statistics

 

welcome to chaos theory

Brent,

You pretty much hit it on the head. Not exactly chaos theory, but there are so many variables, mixed together in so many different ways (combinations and permutations for you stat guys), that for us, it is essentially chaos. I blame Chinese butterflies.

[Weedy1]

There are several scientific studies that have been performed to determine the effect of barometric pressure on the optic nerve system of fish during times of increasing and decreasing barometric pressure. It essentially comes down to this.

 

There are a few select species of fish the studies involved, two being the rainbow and brown trout. The studies have found that pressure changes in the eyeball of the fish, due to barometric pressure changes, put varying pressures on the optic nerve system distorting the vision of the fish for sometimes hours on end. With rainbows, as the barometric pressure is increasing fast, the studies have found that sometimes there is so much pressure put on their optic nerves they can actually go blind for minutes to hours on end. This does not appear to happen in the browns although their vision will become greatly distorted. On a fall in pressure the studies have proven that there will be distortion in vision but not to the extent as when the pressure is increasing. It is evident that the vision is distorted in such a way that size, color and texture are altered to a great extent.

Furthermore it was proven unquestionably that Browns prefer grasshopper patterns when the pressure is falling, and rainbows prefer grasshopper patterns when the pressure is increasing. This is due to the fact that when the pressure is falling the browns eyeballs are contracting and the hopper pattern actually looks like a stonefly to them therefore they will take it. It is the exact opposite with a rainbow, as the pressure is increasing there is so much pressure put on the optic nerves they go blind for a while. This is typically the time they bump into Toolmans’ stonefly. Fact or fiction?

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Brent,

You pretty much hit it on the head. Not exactly chaos theory, but there are so many variables, mixed together in so many different ways (combinations and permutations for you stat guys), that for us, it is essentially chaos. I blame Chinese butterflies.

 

 

 

man, i hate it when those butterflies are flapping...specially when im fishing on the crow..

[toolman]

There are several scientific studies that have been performed to determine the effect of barometric pressure on the optic nerve system of fish during times of increasing and decreasing barometric pressure. It essentially comes down to this.

 

There are a few select species of fish the studies involved, two being the rainbow and brown trout. The studies have found that pressure changes in the eyeball of the fish, due to barometric pressure changes, put varying pressures on the optic nerve system distorting the vision of the fish for sometimes hours on end. With rainbows, as the barometric pressure is increasing fast, the studies have found that sometimes there is so much pressure put on their optic nerves they can actually go blind for minutes to hours on end. This does not appear to happen in the browns although their vision will become greatly distorted. On a fall in pressure the studies have proven that there will be distortion in vision but not to the extent as when the pressure is increasing. It is evident that the vision is distorted in such a way that size, color and texture are altered to a great extent.

Furthermore it was proven unquestionably that Browns prefer grasshopper patterns when the pressure is falling, and rainbows prefer grasshopper patterns when the pressure is increasing. This is due to the fact that when the pressure is falling the browns eyeballs are contracting and the hopper pattern actually looks like a stonefly to them therefore they will take it. It is the exact opposite with a rainbow, as the pressure is increasing there is so much pressure put on the optic nerves they go blind for a while. This is typically the time they bump into Toolmans’ stonefly. Fact or fiction?

 

That's a "FACT"...

 

As for the relationship of pressure having an impact on fishing, I believe it does have an influence, but I'm not exactly sure how. I know many people that sometimes get terrible headaches when the pressure rises quickly and dramatically, so it does affect animals in some way. Maybe the Trout get a headache too and if you add in Weedy1's, loss of vision theory thrown in,

it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if the fishing is slow, you can just blame if on the atmospheric pressure.

[reevesr1]

There are several scientific studies that have been performed to determine the effect of barometric pressure on the optic nerve system of fish during times of increasing and decreasing barometric pressure. It essentially comes down to this.

 

There are a few select species of fish the studies involved, two being the rainbow and brown trout. The studies have found that pressure changes in the eyeball of the fish, due to barometric pressure changes, put varying pressures on the optic nerve system distorting the vision of the fish for sometimes hours on end. With rainbows, as the barometric pressure is increasing fast, the studies have found that sometimes there is so much pressure put on their optic nerves they can actually go blind for minutes to hours on end. This does not appear to happen in the browns although their vision will become greatly distorted. On a fall in pressure the studies have proven that there will be distortion in vision but not to the extent as when the pressure is increasing. It is evident that the vision is distorted in such a way that size, color and texture are altered to a great extent.

Furthermore it was proven unquestionably that Browns prefer grasshopper patterns when the pressure is falling, and rainbows prefer grasshopper patterns when the pressure is increasing. This is due to the fact that when the pressure is falling the browns eyeballs are contracting and the hopper pattern actually looks like a stonefly to them therefore they will take it. It is the exact opposite with a rainbow, as the pressure is increasing there is so much pressure put on the optic nerves they go blind for a while. This is typically the time they bump into Toolmans’ stonefly. Fact or fiction?

Sweet!