Barometric Pressure on Walleye

[eve21]

What does everyone think about what happens to the walleye and how they react to differences in pressure changes? What does everyone usually do to adjust? Is this always related just to cold fronts or can these effects happen with stable weather?

[opsirc]

never see anything that states it, but seem when the weather turns nasty the fish shut off. Only go by what I have experience. This past weekend was up on LOW, the weather was not the best the bite was slow at best. Last year up there the weather was nice and we did real well.

O

[DHanson]

I have found lower barometric pressure the better for all species of fish. Lets just say I keep a close eye on the barometer fishing 3-4 days a week.

[eve21]

What typically comes with a cold front, higher pressures I would assume?

[&JAG]

Yes, I agree a low pressure system is best! Especially when it is falling hours before or even into a storm... Cold fronts usually run high pressure and the fish tend to slow down most of the time.

[croixflats]

Low pressure coming in this weakend. Taking its time getting here.

[Dances with Walleye]

What typically comes with a cold front, higher pressures I would assume?

The pattern that kills the bite is Low Pressure Storm... Which is replaced the next day with High Pressure, blue skies and wind.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Its really a simple concept. Fish have swim bladders. They use pressure to move around in the water. Imagine your ability to move relied on pressure. When pressure is high it takes them a while to adjust. A steady baro will always be the most consistant fishing.

However a falling baro, allows for smaller insects and zoo plankton to be more boyant. Thus making them more available to smaller fish, which in turn are easier to catch by bigger fish.

So, a new recent rising baro is the hardest conditions to fish. A falling baro can be good, but its usually a short lived bite only lasting a couple hours. Its the steady baro that is best... as the fish have had plenty of time to adjust and get back to their normal eating patterns.

[eve21]

Thanks Dietz, great explanation. I always viewed it as high pressure pushing down on them and giving them headaches.

[eyebjim]

Quote:

Its the steady baro that is best...

I don't think we have had too much of that this season.

[dan z]

Its really a simple concept. Fish have swim bladders. They use pressure to move around in the water. Imagine your ability to move relied on pressure. When pressure is high it takes them a while to adjust. A steady baro will always be the most consistant fishing.

However a falling baro, allows for smaller insects and zoo plankton to be more boyant. Thus making them more available to smaller fish, which in turn are easier to catch by bigger fish.

So, a new recent rising baro is the hardest conditions to fish. A falling baro can be good, but its usually a short lived bite only lasting a couple hours. Its the steady baro that is best... as the fish have had plenty of time to adjust and get back to their normal eating patterns.

thanks dietz, I always thought it was the opposite

[Scott K]

I have always had my best luck before the storm, and during the storm. After the storm, and during blue skies I have had the worst luck. That doesnt mean dont fish, just fish smaller and slower!

[&JAG]

I have always had my best luck before the storm, and during the storm. After the storm, and during blue skies I have had the worst luck. That doesnt mean dont fish, just fish smaller and slower!

Same here... As Deitz said a steady barometer is great too!

[MNfishtrapper]

Just FYI- in aviation, we consider 29.92 inches of mercury standard atmospheric pressure and a high barometer generally relates to "good" weather and a low barometer relates to "poor" weather. For example, if you have a barometer reading of 31.00 expect clear skies and good visibility. If you have a Barometer of 28.00 expect poor weather and poor visibility. I continually track the barometer on my GPS unit. For the past 24hrs pressure has been gradually been climbing until about 11am today. The reading at 11am was about 28.80 inches and now I see it's on its way back down. I'd say start hittin the lake and expect the bite to start as it continues to fall! I'm gonna go tonight! I think the fish are usually more active on a falling barometer near the bottom of the trend before the bad weather rolls in. But, I did just talk to a guy that said he see's the best eye bite when the barometer is about 30.00 and steady. If you have no quick way of getting a current barometric pressure report when your out on the water here's a tip. Call this number phrom your cell phone. 952-941-4156. It's an automated recording of current weather information at flying cloud airport in Eden Prairie, MN. Disregard the aviation mumbo jumbo on there but they will report the "current altimeter" which is barometric pressure in inches of mercury and also report the wind direction and speed as well as sky condition. It will not give you a trend of past weather data, so if you want to track changing weather over time you'll need to call periodically. The report is updated hourly at the top of every hour 24 hours a day.

[opsirc]

make two of us I would have thought a falling barometer would be bad.

[kiowa]

here's another way to think about pressure, take a given area, say the size of your fishing shelter. Now imagine a column the shape of that shelter extending into the sky. When there are no clouds it can extend for a really long way, putting a lot of pressure on that given area.(high pressure) When there are clouds present, that column can only extend to the cloudy area, which is comparatively close to the earth, so then there is low pressure.