It might Just Be the Pressure

Now that we are in storm season, it’s a good time to talk about how weather affects fishing.

Anglers who take the time to monitor specific weather conditions, especially barometer readings, can result in the difference between catching and just sightseeing.

There are specific weather conditions that anglers should monitor before they go fishing. This effort can mean the difference between catching and just sightseeing.

We all know most anglers will go fishing when they can. But the remaining anglers are a little bit more studious and will go only when the conditions are right. And one of those major weather conditions is barometric pressure reading.

Barometric pressure is the amount of force or weight that the atmosphere pushes down at any point on earth and its inhabitants. This pressure can be either steady, rising or falling according to the current weather conditions. And these three different readings can have a significant effect on fishing.

Anglers have used weather instruments including barometer readings for years. And those anglers have realized that you don’t have to be a scientist to understand how these readings affect wildlife including our saltwater species.

Each living species responds to many different weather conditions. But the change in barometric pressure can be felt in both humans and wildlife alike. And when there is a change, sometimes even slight everything responds including wildlife.

Weather systems are the main cause of barometric pressure changes. When the sun is shining with little wind, the barometer is steady. Falling pressure actually increases the pressure felt on the surface. And rising pressure will decrease this effect.

This rising and falling typically proceeds or follows a weather system. For example, an approaching front will cause the barometric pressure to decrease and once passed the system increases pressure as it does after a tropical storm. The closer the storm is to a particular area, the lower the pressure becomes. And vice versa.

And its effect on wildlife does not have to be significant – only a few degrees of measurement can make a world of difference.

So how does this condition effect fishing?

On steady calm or “bluebird” days, fishing is dependent on many natural instincts of a specific species. They act in a normal fashion. But with an approaching system or storm the pressure begins to fall and this pressure pushes in on the fish’s organs, causing them to feel full and reducing their instinct to feed. Now once the front or system passes, the pressure rises and the “full feeling” effect diminishes, and the fish will begin to feed aggressively.

Many anglers who have followed barometric pressure change concept have been richly rewarded.

Looking for one more advantage, why not check the weather page before your next fishing trip.

It just might surprise you.

Until Next Time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony