Barometer???

[LOTWSvirgin]

Do you like the barometer high or low when fishing. From what I have mostly heard people like to fish when it is low. What do you consider low? What is considered high? What is normal? Any help will be great.

[BobT]

I would imagine that low pressure is usually preferred because of cloud cover. Low pressure typically brings in cloudy and/or stormy weather and fish are less spooky during low light conditions.

I also believe that even more preferred is the transition from high to low. When a storm front is moving in seems to be one of the more preferred periods than just having a high or low condition. For some reason it is believed that fish tend to get a little more into a feeding mood when a lower pressure system is moving in. Not quite so with the opposite condition however.

Bob

[lovebigbluegills]

This was posted by Honda4life in the Metro Area forum a couple months ago.

These guidelines seem to be fairly accurate per my experiences.

Just wanted to share this if you guys havent seen it. pretty helpfull info.

Pressure Trend

Typical Weather

Fishing Trends

Suggested Tactics

High

Clear skies

Fish slow down, find cover or go to deeper waters.

Slow down lures and use baits more attractive to fish. Fish in cover and in deeper waters.

Rising

Clearing or improving

Fish tend to become slightly more active

Fish with brighter lures and near cover. Also fish at intermediate and deeper depths.

Normal and stable

Fair

Normal fishing

Experiment with your favorite baits and lures.

Falling

Degrading

Most active fishing

Speed up lures. Surface and shallow running lures may work well.

Slightly lower

Usually cloudy

Many fish will head away from cover and seek shallower waters. Some fish will become more aggressive.

Use shallow running lures at a moderate speed.

Low

Rainy and stormy

Fish will tend to become less active the longer this period remains.

As the action subsides, try fishing at deeper depths.

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[opsirc]

only go by what I have seen. This year on LOW it was cold and nasty and the bite was terrible, last year is was warm and snowing the last day of our trip and that when we caught most of the fish.

[south_metro_fish]

There is a thread going on right now with this topic in the Metro Area forum. A lowering pressure change seems to get them active.

[RonWBasser]

I would imagine that low pressure is usually preferred because of cloud cover. Low pressure typically brings in cloudy and/or stormy weather and fish are less spooky during low light conditions.

I also believe that even more preferred is the transition from high to low. When a storm front is moving in seems to be one of the more preferred periods than just having a high or low condition. For some reason it is believed that fish tend to get a little more into a feeding mood when a lower pressure system is moving in. Not quite so with the opposite condition however.

Bob

I agree with Bob.

To me it is the cloud cover coming in more than anything that gets them biting more than the pressure drop. I've always had a hard time swallowing the pressure side of the story when you consider that if a fish moves up or down in the water a foot the pressure difference on them is greater than any barometric change could do.