BAROMETRIC PRESSURE

[chmeyers]

Anyone have any advice with this?

 

Last Friday, weather had been good for a week plus, i saw the bass running the banks, blowing up on you water, overall highly active. Then midday Saturday a front moved through and the temp dropped, since then its like the fish have disappeared. I don't see them running the banks, or blowing up on top water since? The bite has slowed down tremendously, someone give me suggestions, I'm lost.

 

 

Ive been trying to fish the break lines deeper but no luck!

 

[Catt]

Ya figure that one out let me know!  

 

Frontal/post frontal conditions give em lockjaw faster than anything!

 

Don't know if it's barometric pressure or what but it sure shuts em down.

[Dorado]

This is my experience and my story so I'm sticking to it. What happened on Saturday went kinda like this:

 

all week your area experienced a stable pattern of high barometric pressure and the bass were at their equilibrium and all is good right

 

well, Saturday rolls around and this front comes in all of a sudden that drastically changes from high to low barometric pressure. This precise change causes a discomfort by forcing them off their equilibrium and causes their feeding to go into neutral 

 

this is the where the "my experience"  part kicks in. If I fish a day or two before that sudden change, in this case Thursday or Friday, there is a golden opportunity and window to get very active bass in anticipation for that change. Fish foresee these barometric changes way sooner than we do!

 

walleye fishermen are the best anglers to talk to about barometric pressure   When I use to fish for saugeyes from the bank, I would time my outings for those "windows" and learned that bass were very similar. Hope that sheds some light 

[Tyler21]

 

[12poundbass]

In-Fisherman has an interesting article about barometric pressure (Google barometric pressure and fishing). Basically it says there's no scientific evidence to prove it effects fish. One point I found interesting, fish with gas bladders experience more of a pressure change by moving up or down a foot or two than any major weather event recorded ( I paraphrased that ). All I know is it sure does something to them, maybe it just make them moody for a bit, they sure are tough to catch during this time.

[Clinton john]

I have noticed when there is a drop in pressure are a steady rise in pressure the bass around my house get lock jaw. 

 

When the pressure has been steady for a few days the bite picks back up.

 

The 12 to 24 hour period before a front and a change in pressure is normally a great time to be fishing, 

bass seem to be super active in that time period.

 

This is just what I have noticed in bass behavior around my house, could it be because of the pressure change I'm not sure but the two do seem to be linked to me.

 

That's my thoughts on it and my thoughts ain't worth much lol.

[Scarborough817]

i've been curious about this as well i have a barometer in my room so i will take a look to see when this affects the fish 

[Logan S]

IMO, the stuff actually effecting the fish are the bigger changes - Like cloud cover, wind speed/direction, rain, temperature swings, and water levels/clarity changing from rain/runoff.  

 

I know some people swear by it...But it's too small of a detail for me to focus on.  If I ever get to the point where I'm analyzing barometric pressure, I'm past the point of trying to figure something out and I'm just making excuses for why I ain't catching them .  

[12poundbass]

20 minutes ago, Logan S said:

IMO, the stuff actually effecting the fish are the bigger changes - Like cloud cover, wind speed/direction, rain, temperature swings, and water levels/clarity changing from rain/runoff.  

 

I know some people swear by it...But it's too small of a detail for me to focus on.  If I ever get to the point where I'm analyzing barometric pressure, I'm past the point of trying to figure something out and I'm just making excuses for why I ain't catching them .  

The In-Fisherman article I referenced actually mentioned the weather like you said (rain,wind,run off,ect.) being the likely factor in fish shutting down instead of the barometric pressure. Sounds like you could've hit the nail on the head.

[Turtle135]

11 hours ago, chmeyers said:

Last Friday, weather had been good for a week plus, i saw the bass running the banks, blowing up on you water, overall highly active. Then midday Saturday a front moved through and the temp dropped, since then its like the fish have disappeared. I don't see them running the banks, or blowing up on top water since? The bite has slowed down tremendously, someone give me suggestions, I'm lost.

 

I am in Maryland and had similar conditions. I wound up catching them just a couple of feet deeper with a finesse jig. They were in the same general areas, just not nearly as aggressive. Was not getting bit on the drop of the jig. I would let it sit for a 10 count after it hit the bottom then just ease it forward about 12" & pause.

 

 

[chadmack282]

Bass like things consistant, it makes them comfortable to have the same conditions for several days which make them more active.

 

[gim]

The more extreme the change and the bigger the fish, the more it will be affected too.

[presidential]

All great info!  For me, I hesitate to leave my house for night fishing if the sky is clear.  In my experience, I get jack $hit, especially when it's going from cloudy to clear - rising barometer.  The bite just turns off.  Also, wind has proven to ruin many an evening for me as well.  A sky at least partly cloudy with a very light wind = rig up.  If it's just before a rain, even if the wind picks up, the bite can be phenomenal, even during a heavy rain.

 

I've gotten them on every moon phase too, if the above "good" conditions are met.

[RoLo]

You might recall from Science 101 in high school that atmospheric pressure exerts 14.7 lb per sq inch.

At sea level, 14.7 lbs of atmospheric pressure forces mercury 29.92 inches upward in a barometric tube.

For this reason, 29.92 inHg represents the Baseline Barometric Pressure (one atmosphere).

 

During an average high-pressure system (clockwise weather cell), barometric pressure climbs to an

a mean 30.32 inHg, an average rise of 1-1/3% above normal. During an average low-pressure system

(counterclockwise cell), barometric pressure falls to around 29.52 inHg, a mean drop of 1-1/3%:

 

Mean High-Pressure System        30.32 inHg 

Baseline Barometric Pressure      29.92 inHg

Mean Low-Pressure System         29.52 inHg

 

Unlike air which is compressible, water is incompressible. Consequently, when a fish swims downward

in the water column, the pressure exerted on its body increases rapidly. Inversely, when a fish swims

upward in the water column the pressure exerted on its body decreases rapidly. Earth's atmosphere

is roughly 300 miles thick, however the air in the upper atmosphere is extremely thin,

At sea level, a fish on the surface of the water is subjected ONLY to atmospheric pressure

which is 14.7 lbs per sq inch. When that same fish is 34 ft underwater, it is subjected to

two atmospheres, because the pressure exerted by 33.8 ft of water is equal to the pressure

of our entire atmosphere.

 

Here's the upshot.  The weight exerted by 5.4 inches of water is equal to the average change

in barometric pressure during a typical weather front (normal to high -or- normal to low).

Simply put, when a fish rises a mere 5.4 inches in the water column, it replicates the same

pressure drop experienced during an average low pressure system. Conversely, when a fish

sinks a mere 5.4 inches in the water column, it duplicates the same pressure rise as the

average high pressure system.

 

Furthermore, a fish that changes its depth by 1 foot or more produces a pressure change

greater that any meteorological event on earth, including hurricanes and tornadoes.

In the final analysis, the only mystery to barometric pressure is separating Cause from Effect.

The effect of changes in barometric pressure are invariably accompanied by changes in light level.

As it happens, changes in "Light Level" offer an infinitely more credible cause

for changing fish behavior than barometric pressure (you might say, it's as clear as night & day) 

Roger

[dirvin21]

The theory as I understand is the effect of barometric pressure on the fishes swim bladder,

in Australian freshwater lakes there is definitely a connection between a falling barometer and lockjaw a low but stable barometer is okay and a high barometer being preferable

[Tucson]

Thanks for the great response Rolo - that really helped clear things up for me.  I knew there was a correlation between pressure and fish activity but was clueless how it worked.

[scaleface]

I have had plenty bad days like everyone else fishing after a cold  front . I also have had good days . I dont pay any attention to pressure and go fishing as long as its not uncomfortably cold or windy . Often times  a tough bite picks up in the afternoon .

[Brayberry]

Being from Suffolk, I can tell you the weather has been terrible the last week.  Everyday is a thunderstorm.  Fishing has been awful.  I've been catching them on a spinnerbait near bluegill beds or spawning shad.

[hawgenvy]

I also notice a dramatic decrease in the bite after a front moves in. However, although there are corresponding shifts in barometric pressure with such fronts, that does not prove that the pressure changes are the cause of the behavioral changes. Mercury is 13 times heavier than water, so a fish can compensate for a one inch drop in the mercury by descending merely 13 inches deeper in the water column.  On the other hand, 13 inches may mean a lot for a bass, especially one that is habituating the shallows.  

 

Perhaps a scientist might study barometrically induced behavioral changes in aquarium bass by compressing or decompressing a sealed air column above the tank while observing for any stress response or change in feeding behavior.

["hamma"]

You can read all the scientific data, add up all the variables, consider the recent changes "range", and still end up wrong.

 The effects of barometer don't just hinge upon the actual change at that moment. The changes for the past few weeks, their ranges and strengths will determine whats about to go down, with much more vigor then the actual change at hand. Meaning, the barometer may change slightly, and you will figure on that slight change, but what happens? Can be huge, nand go either way,  considering what the past few weeks weather has been like.

  Water's density, pressure, light penetration, depth?,...mean nothing in reality.

 Think of all the times you were cruising along watching your depth finder to only see fish all over the different depth ranges

 

 When they shut down?,.it's evident

 Was it the light? I dont think so,...the rain?? doubt it,... Because they dropped down a few more feet?  I disagree.

  

They shut down because they are slaves to their environment, and have to follow its rules.

 when times are good they feed, when they arent good, they dont.

 Guess'es and assumptions may bring you close to the equation. But rarely does one angler have "their number" and "know" due to barometer changes. It's more like a guessing game than anything else

 

Knowing when their gunna be their most active? ,.... Priceless!

 

Being able to react, and still catch them when they are not active, or "shut down"? even better

  

 

[LShep]

On 5/28/2017 at 5:21 PM, Brayberry said:

Being from Suffolk, I can tell you the weather has been terrible the last week.  Everyday is a thunderstorm.  Fishing has been awful.  I've been catching them on a spinnerbait near bluegill beds or spawning shad.

Hey man yeah the weather has been terrible. I was smoking them at Sleepy Hole a couple weeks before. One day I caught a 5 a 4 and a handful of 1-2s. But since then Ive been completely struggling to catch a dink if I'm lucky. They aren't active either. Normally if the bite wasn't on at the park side I could see them active on the course side but it's been like a graveyard. 

Ill tell you that you aren't the only one. Let me know if you figure it out. LOL

[WRB]

I am in Rolo's camp on the barametic pressure change. 

I believe the changes in barametic pressure has more to do with ecosystem changes. Lower pressure indicates a low pressure system is approaching or is here. Insects become very active when the pressure drops and that alone triggers feeding by insect eating critters like small fish, everything becomes more active. The opposite occurs when a high pressure system approaches, insects stop flying, critters stop being active including small fish. Bass located in shallower water are more impacted by pressure system changes because of the terrestrial activity and light changes. Bass living deeper are less affected by pressure changes. 

I see minimal activity changes in bass that live in 20' or deeper water during barometric changes other than wind created by high pressure making it difficult to position my boat and presenting lures effectively. Decreased light from clouds gives bass an advantage over their prey, increased light tends to give advantage to the prey.

Tom