Barometric Pressure and fishing...

[Wormy]

I was wondering how many of you really watch the weather and even go as far as buying a GPS that gives accurate weather data? If I remember correctly, high pressure makes fish sluggish and inactive where as low pressure makes them more active. Someone please correct me if I am wrong with that statement.

I know a lot of times here in the South we have the ability to see weather patterns build which has personally helped my fishing efforts but I don't have the experience it takes to catch fish on a consistent basis when the weather isn't cooperating. Don't get me wrong, I am successful most outings but on a clear bluebird sky day, bites are few and far between. Any thoughts????

[roadwarrior]

I think the barometric has a tremendous effect on fishing a lake but is negligible on a river.  I generally fish the Tennessee River and have had some of my very best days on a rising barometer, because river fish are all about current. I'm not saying high pressure is a positive, it just has little or no impact on a fast moving river.

[Shad_Master]

Many years ago, when I was in college, I went out with a buddy.  We left in the middle of the night to go get his Dad's boat and then had to travel about three hours to the lake.  We got there right at sun up and spent the morning chunking and winding with nary a bite.  Around noon time, the sky started getting dark and the wind got up so bad we had a hard time holding the boat (this was in the days before trolling motors) but the fish started biting everything.  The clouds got darker, the wind blew harder and it started to rain and then hail.  We headed off back to the ramp and by the time we got there the sun came out again.  The rest of the day was pretty slow, but we had a boat load from that period when the clouds rolled in.

We didn't discover until we got home that night that a tornado had hit just over the mountain from where we were.  The low pressure associated with the storm really turned those fish on.

[Insanity]

I recently got a barometer for X-mas.I sometimes forget to look at before running out the door to go fishing but when i get home i often remember.Ive noticed if its around 28-29 i usually did far.Above 30 and i was hard pressed to get a bite.Haven't got a chance to fish during it rising or falling much yet.But we already new what happens then.It was the steady part that i didn't no about...

If i do get a chance to look at it before i leave it can be a determining factor as to whether i want to go that day or not.This weekend it wasn't looking good but i wanted to fish.So i used that chance to fish somewhere new rather than waste  time at my home lake when i already new they wouldn't be biteing very good.

RoadWarrior just made since of something i have experienced.This one place i fish has a creek flowing into it.And even on days of high pressure i can usually get one or two there.But not a bite from anywhere else in the lake.Been trying to figure that out for a while.Ah the running water!That makes since i guess.