Wind Direction And Depression

[mc_mrbishi]

Just found this webpage that gives you relations between air pressure and fishing, not sure how true it is and where they got there facts from but makes sense.

 

Webpage

[Isaac]

Many years ago, fishing the Bridgwater canal, not an easy water, I watched the slow approach of really heavy thunder clouds. Black, blue and purple, and the light was slowly decreasing. As they got closer, the previously anonymous fish started biting and the nearer the storm approached, the faster the fish came on until they were a fish a cast. Roach, perch and bream were queing up to take the bait. I left before the deluge began but I have never experienced this confluence of weather and fishing before or since.

 

Are thunderstorm , and associated weather, depressions or high pressure?

[argyll]

Many years ago, fishing the Bridgwater canal, not an easy water, I watched the slow approach of really heavy thunder clouds. Black, blue and purple, and the light was slowly decreasing. As they got closer, the previously anonymous fish started biting and the nearer the storm approached, the faster the fish came on until they were a fish a cast. Roach, perch and bream were queing up to take the bait. I left before the deluge began but I have never experienced this confluence of weather and fishing before or since.

 

Are thunderstorm , and associated weather, depressions or high pressure?

 

 

Thunderstorms are generally low pressure although its a little less simplistic than that, since there's such a lot of small but significant barometric and general weather changes going on quickly at the same time. The one thing for sure is that fish recognise the onset of bad weather as a time to feed, presumably on the basis that during bad weather, heavy rain and winds is not a good time to find food. Your experience on the Bridgewater canal suggests that they were feeding right up until the last minute. It would have been interesting to see what the results would have been if you had been able to fish on into the storm.

 

One of my best night lure sessions on the thames came in the face of extreme low pressure, a howling summer gale and driving rain. Had I not had a skinfull with my neighbours on the other side of the jetty, I would have not been there at all. Common sense and the weather forecast would have sent me home early.

[rodman]

Try this weather site - I've used it for over a year and I have found it very accurate. Just change the post-code/area to your own.

 

www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOBBIES/fishing.asp

[Newt]

Many years ago, fishing the Bridgwater canal, not an easy water, I watched the slow approach of really heavy thunder clouds. Black, blue and purple, and the light was slowly decreasing. As they got closer, the previously anonymous fish started biting and the nearer the storm approached, the faster the fish came on until they were a fish a cast. Roach, perch and bream were queing up to take the bait. I left before the deluge began but I have never experienced this confluence of weather and fishing before or since.

I'm 60 and have fished all my life. I've experienced what you describe less than a dozen times and I have a vivid memory of each of them.

 

I carry along at least one e-glass rod just in case the weather does start to act like that so I can continue fishing even if there is an electrical storm. I keep hoping for another of 'those times'. Note that if you had stayed until the rain started, the fish would probably have slowed their bite within 3-4 minutes after the rain started. Usually.

[kleinboet]

There is an old fishermans saying: "East = least, West = best

[John Ellison]

In forty five years as a mainly coarse angler East certainly does equate to least. But, what I could never fathom out, was, Why, on my Cod fishing sessions out of Whitby, Hartlepool and Middlesborough, an east wind was also the kiss of death. I mean, we are talking about fishing in 180 feet of water. The sea looked no different. Yet an easterly wind, onshore, was the only time to bag up on the beach. This of course being due to the rough seas exposing some food for the inshore fish.

I remember a time on the R. Nidd when a thunderstorm arrived over me. The river began rising and the Barbel were really having a chew.

[Steve Burke]

Wind direction and pressure do certainly effect our fishing. However it's a complicated issue and there are many factors involved. One of the reasons is that it's not the weather itself that's important, but rather how it affects the water and therefore the fish.

 

Additionally, each species is different, and will therefore be affected in different ways.

 

For instance, an easterly wind can occasionally improve the fishing. Such winds usually bring unseasonably warm weather in summer and cold weather in winter from the Continent. What the weather was like before the easterly wind has a bearing though. If for example it had been cold in summer, a change to a warm easterly can improve the fishing, especially at the beginning of the warm spell. This can be quite marked with tench.

 

Bear in mind also that there are other factors involved that may on occasion be more important. As an example, if a river is fining down after a flood the positive effect of this may more than compensate for the easterly wind.

 

However, I agree that an easterly wind more often than not makes fishing more difficult, sometimes markedly so.

 

Turning to pressure, I'm with other posters that low pressure is usually best for most species except pike. It may of course not be the pressure itself that's so important as the temperatures and light levels associated with it. For instance, I've found I do best with perch in low pressure, but then low pressure often brings low light and (in winter) warm temperatures, both of which perch prefer. Having said that I do believe that the pressure itself also has a bearing.

 

One other point that I've mentioned here in the past is that I've found that pike can be turned on by a marked change of pressure, even though the water temperature may be falling sharply. A couple of years ago after weeks of warm weather the Sunday farming forecast predicted a change to high pressure late in the week and a very sharp drop in temperature. I made sure that I was free then! Despite fishing into the teeth of a near gale-force, almost freezing, north-easterly I caught pike after pike on lures, several of which tail-walked. And this was in December! The thread is worth looking up as there's quite a bit on the effects of pressure on it. Go to http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.p...1&st=&p=entry

[habilis]

What a great subject! And it keeps turning up. Try http://flyforums.proboards53.com/index.cgi...read=1130229666

 

This argues that static pressure results in torpid fish but a change in pressure triggers activity, with a rising barometer being the best. Scientific argument for the layman may be found in: Weather to Fish (or Game Fishing and the Elements), Jack Meyler, Harmsworth Publishing, 1990, ISBN 0-948807-12-1

 

One aspect which I've never seen discussed in print is the affect of the moon's phase. I've read a little information on forums (maybe this one?) and recall that the Irish and Scots seem to have the most to say on the subject regarding Salmon fishing.

 

Maybe it's time for a thread?

[Newt]

habilis - we certainly have not had one of the 'moon' discussions for a while but we do have them.

 

Most interesting to me (since I think they are most relavant) are the ones that combine the effects of sun & moon in combination. Do a search on the forum for solunar (a sort of bastard combo word for solar and lunar) and have a read through the 15 or so topics that show up. They should provide good background for a new topic. Search in all forums since some are in the sea section and at least one is in the session carp section.