Low Pressure

[SDS]

Low Pressure.

We have some low pressure coming in over the weekend that will also deliver some snow. I have been planning on fishing Red this weekend for a few weeks but now am on the fence. I’ve fished multiple low pressure days on Red and done okay picking up fish but would like to hear others thoughts on the low pressure fishing on Red. Monday is the Full Moon by the way.

Let me know your thoughts.

[MNfan]

SDS long time no hear. Did you go up over the holidays? More high pressure than low sounds like fishing was slow, we were up and got some fish south side but it was not fast and furious thats for sure.

Andy

[SDS]

MNfan, no kidding right! I did make it home to visit my family but didint venture out to Red because of the weather. I will maybe not get to hit Red until February at this point. I have a trip to Sturgeon Bay planned 16-18 that will have to suffice.

Hope all is well!

[Guru57]

My experience is that the fishing is usually fine during the low pressure event and for a few hours after. It's when the high sets in with the wind and cold temps after that causes the fish to get lock jaw. I have a buddy that's leaving Red now. He did fine over the weekend and Monday but when the High Pressure moved in Monday afternoon the bite slowed and yesterday they only caught 3.

[SDS]

Good to hear! Maybe I should have fished Red

[DrStizo]

low pressure = better fishing, the water column is easier for the fish to swim around (active)

high pressure - harder fishing, water column is more compact and makes it tougher for fish to swim around.

to me the key is always stability, that the pressure isn't going up and down like a yoyo, looks like Thursday the pressure hits its low point and has a gradual increase. I am guessing Thursday evening should be a good bite, i'll be up out of West Wind Thurs - Sat.

[kfk]

That's a theory I've never read or heard of before Dr. Stizo. You're saying when atmospheric pressure is high, the water is more dense, making it tougher for fish to swim or move underwater and just the opposite is true when when atmospheric pressure is low? Where can I find out more about this?

[DrStizo]

That's a theory I've never read or heard of before Dr. Stizo. You're saying when atmospheric pressure is high, the water is more dense, making it tougher for fish to swim or move underwater and just the opposite is true when when atmospheric pressure is low? Where can I find out more about this?

http://walleyewarriors.com/component/content/article/24-western/18-2

http://www.walleye411.com/weather-fishing/

[SDS]

Only took a week for this thread to catch on. Great input!

[kfk]

Remember that not everything you read on the internet is true.

The article you quoted by walleye warriors has information that's incorrect and your article by walleye411 is correct but it doesn't state what you've said.

Try this one: http://www.in-fisherman.com/bass/barometric-pressure-and-bass/ It's a pretty good scientific article on studies about how barometric pressure affects bass. It's the same with walleyes or any fish.

The author of the article is Ralph Manns, is a well respected fisheries biologist and angler.

While it's well known that barometric pressure affects fish, it's not well understood exactly how barometric pressure affects fish or what causes fish to be affected by changes in barometric pressure but it's definitely not because the water gets denser or less dense as the barometric pressure rises and falls.

[DrStizo]

Remember that not everything you read on the internet is true.

The article you quoted by walleye warriors has information that's incorrect and your article by walleye411 is correct but it doesn't state what you've said.

Try this one: http://www.in-fisherman.com/bass/barometric-pressure-and-bass/ It's a pretty good scientific article on studies about how barometric pressure affects bass. It's the same with walleyes or any fish.

The author of the article is Ralph Manns, is a well respected fisheries biologist and angler.

While it's well known that barometric pressure affects fish, it's not well understood exactly how barometric pressure affects fish or what causes fish to be affected by changes in barometric pressure but it's definitely not because the water gets denser or less dense as the barometric pressure rises and falls.

good stuff, never to old to learn. I actually wasn't quoting either link, but simply googled "barometric pressure walleyes" and selected 2.

That being said from my own personal experience, I still feel a stable pressure out produces one that is constantly changing. Lastly don't ever compare a bass and a walleye, that is just wrong and border line sacrilegious.

You know what they say about guys that bass fish......they do it just because they don't know how to fish walleyes.

[Fishalittle]

I am by no means an expert but my experience on red is nothing is worse than a howling wind. I mean when it really gets going...seems to kill the bite just like that. Cold, warm, rain, snow, its the wind that gets over the normal 15-20 that really hurts our luck.

This would be a good time for an old timer to give their experience? or maybe the next generation...Kelly P? Jonny....you still lurking around this forum?

[BigDogRob]

You know what they say about guys that bass fish......they do it just because they don't know how to fish walleyes.

Love it...

[RiverDewey]

Great discussion. As a scientist, I've wondered about barometric pressure and its effect on fishing for some time. Off and on I also take a look at what is out there on the internet. I would second the comments of support for the In-Fisherman article. It seems to be quite accurate from what I've seen and read. The other two, well...

In support of another comment in this thread I have also seen studies that basically say that wind (summer of course) has a much more pronounced effect on fish than barometric pressure. Also, both wind and barometric pressure have a different effect on different species of fish. The differences between trout, walleye and say northern pike are documented in good scientific studies on the web.

Here is something to keep in mind: The typical barometric swing in MN (taking average readings from Coon Rapids as an example) range from 29.3 ("low pressure") to 30.0 (average) to 30.7 ("high pressure"). That is a difference of 1.4 inches of Mercury. As any scuba diver knows, the pressure on your body increases the deeper in the water column you go. It is the same with fish. The above difference in barometer (1.4) from a "low pressure" to "high pressure" is only a difference of about 1 1/2 feet in the water column. In other words, going from the average low pressure system to a high pressure system only corresponds to a foot and a half difference (deeper) in the water column. Fish move up and down much more than that. In fact, if they move down in the water column 5 feet, they have experienced the equivalent difference in the barometric pressure of going from a CAT3 hurricane (28" Hg) to the highest "high" ever recorded (32" Hg). Knowing this I think puts barometric pressure in a little bit of perspective. Also, this discussion does not take into account that with "barometric changes" we are usually talking about what is happening to the air around us and trying to compare it to an environment (the lake water) which is typically non-compressible.

Do fish sense barometric pressure? Sure I think they do, as well as tidal changes, seasonal changes, moon phase, etc. Does it affect how they move and eat? I do think so, but it may be slightly different depending on what species you are talking about and what lake or river. My personal opinion is that fish are simply reacting to changes in the weather in a primal sort of way, in some cases, putting on the feed, in other cases, resting.

In summary, I do think fish tend to go deeper with barometer changes to avoid the rapid changes. As mentioned elsewhere on this thread, it is the constancy they want. If they have to migrate deeper to do that, perhaps that is what they do.

If you made it this far, thanks! I hope this helps someone.

Peace and tight-lines! Dewey

[bturck]

Dewey, very interesting. Thanks for the post

[BringAnExtension]

I am by no means an expert but my experience on red is nothing is worse than a howling wind. I mean when it really gets going...seems to kill the bite just like that. Cold, warm, rain, snow, its the wind that gets over the normal 15-20 that really hurts our luck.

This would be a good time for an old timer to give their experience? or maybe the next generation...Kelly P? Jonny....you still lurking around this forum?

Fish were biting consistently during the blizzard/near blizzard that was occurring on Saturday and the wind was howling.

[Fishalittle]

Interesting....because they weren't biting where I was fishing in the same howling wind!

Guess they always bite somewhere...???

We stayed until 5 pm or so and then said its time to go! Maybe 3 fish all day in an area that did well the previous two days...maybe they moved on.

Hope you had a fun time then!

[BringAnExtension]

Hope you had a fun time then!

Absolutely. Always do on Red. Whether the fish are biting or not.

[Stcloudangler]

I am not a scientist... But I have common sense. I equate it to any and all wildlife having a sense that humans do not. If you know there is a storm coming, and happen to be driving, notice the wildlife around you that are gorging on their respective food source. Deer, birds, etc... they know they need to eat now or they may not be able to later. How that relates to fish I do not pretend to know, but it does.

And I did not stay at a holiday inn express last night... (or did I???)