Variables?

[binka]

Air pressure, water temperature, wind direction, angling pressure, blown baits?

It's no wonder we feel good when we catch a fish!

These are of course just a snip of my go to excuses for failing to put a fish in the net but when you think about it are fish really that sophisticated or are we just making excuses for not figuring them out?

Sure, we know a few basic principles but does that really constitute the answer?

I sure hope not as the elements of chance and mystique will surely be gone forever should we ever find one.

What say you?

 

[mikench]

I only blame myself most of the time! There are days when I'm probably not doing much wrong judging by the lack of success of my fellow hardy souls but that is rarely a consolation! As you say Steve if it was easy and there were just a few guaranteed baits/methods it would soon become boring!

As my wife frequently says when I tell her I blanked" it doesn't matter as you put them back anyway":rolleyes

 

[nottskev]

Fish spooked by disturbance, sun too bright, swim was fished yesterday, fish hiding from predatory birds, water too clear, fish only feeding at night, pike in residence.... the list goes on!

I agree we've got plenty of good stories to cover our failures.

But they can sometimes be true, and much as we may know about fish and fishing, they are in the end in their own world, and why they do as they do is likely, to some extent, to remain unknowable to us. And a good thing, too, probably.

After a day - a fine day on a good river - failing to get a bite from a barbel, I wandered over to the nearest other barbel angler. This bloke was no mean fisherman - a member of a famous Trentmen team, in the day - and when I asked if he had any ideas why we'd neither of us had a bite, he said "I never found a wild creature that wasn't looking for something to eat, but these ones aren't, and it's anyone's guess why". Fair enough.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I guess that the biggest variable has to be . . . . .


Are they 'aving it or not . . .

 

[john step]

I guess that the biggest variable has to be . . . . .


Are they 'aving it or not . . .

They certainly are not hereabouts.

 

[dicky123]

I use to catch a lot more fish when I was younger, but. I’d fish all night in winter on the river for Chub. Packing up just to catch a few hours sleep, before work

Nowday the sun has to shine, the rain stop, and the temperature be above 8 deg. No wonder I catch F.A.

 

[barbelboi]

We all know that air pressure affects fishing - but why?

Hydrostatic pressure is much more intense than air pressure due to water being considerably denser than air. So, if a fish changes its depth even a couple of feet up or down it will go through more of a pressure change in seconds than any of us will ever experience on dry land. How could the barometric pressure above the surface affect a fish that goes through equal to a surface pressure change if they move only a few inches up, or down in the water............

 

[S-Kippy]

We all know that air pressure affects fishing - but why?

Hydrostatic pressure is much more intense than air pressure due to water being considerably denser than air. So, if a fish changes its depth even a couple of feet up or down it will go through more of a pressure change in seconds than any of us will ever experience on dry land. How could the barometric pressure above the surface affect a fish that goes through equal to a surface pressure change if they move only a few inches up, or down in the water............

Who knows, Jerry....but the damned fish do. Too often over the years have I been out in seemingly perfect conditions only to struggle because the fish know or sense something we cant. Back in the days when I virtually lived on the Kennet we used to look 2-3 days ahead weatherwise because if a change was coming you could virtually guarantee they knew and would switch off. Why this should be I havent a clue but it happened too often for it to be a co-incidence.

Settled weather offers the best option....be that hot,bright,cold or whatever though, of course, you then have to battle the temp,sun etc. Take today for instance......normally,wet,windy & mild is ideal Bury Hill zander weather except that a drop in temps is due later which could well mean they switch right off. TBH I am currently so lethargic that I cannot be ar$ed to find out. Its one of the few places I know where I can virtually tell exactly how its going to fish [ or not] based purely on the barometric pressure.....and this is a very shallow lake. Forecast for the next 2-3 days is around 1005 mb which is good...that just leaves the temps,brightness,moon phase,water clarity and M25 to think about !

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

The air pressure is so so important in my opinion.
A sudden change especially upwards to 1200 or above has often led to abysmal fishing despite the river being exactly the same flow/colourwise than the day before.

I do believe the fish air bladder is more important than we realise.

I have also noted the increase in surface activity regards topping or rolling.

Over a period of a few days the need to feed must come into affect.

I have a barometer app on my phone. As Skips says....it's about perfect IMO now. Thats why I will be on a 13ft up Severn tomorrow for my madness.

 

[barbelboi]

To complicate matters further there is a big difference between cyprinids and other fish in the way they move oxygen in and out of the swim bladder.....................

 

[bracket]

I guess that the biggest variable has to be . . . . .


Are they 'aving it or not . . .

Like PJ, I don't get involved in any deep analyse of such occasions and use the same well proven explanation "Well they ain't having it today". Which is the precursor to a rapid packing up and off to the Pub to salvage what's left of the day. Pete.

 

[S-Kippy]

The air pressure is so so important in my opinion.
A sudden change especially upwards to 1200 or above has often led to abysmal fishing despite the river being exactly the same flow/colourwise than the day before.
I have a barometer app on my phone. As Skips says....it's about perfect IMO now. Thats why I will be on a 13ft up Severn tomorrow for my madness.

Couldnt agree more Graham. I start to get twitchy once the barometer hits around 1015-6 and I dont even bother thinking about it if it gets over 1020.

I was down OBH once when I was still working and just HAD to go but the barometer was 1030. Might just as well have fished the M25 as driven round it. 4 of us had not a single twitch between us and the pressure stayed above 1024 for about 3 weeks. The result..... 7 consecutive run free blanks.

I'm older and a lot wiser now.

 

[no-one in particular]

Like PJ, I don't get involved in any deep analyse of such occasions and use the same well proven explanation "Well they ain't having it today". Which is the precursor to a rapid packing up and off to the Pub to salvage what's left of the day. Pete.

You've given me my idea of the week, a floating pub with platforms for anglers. I am off for a Gov grant or lottery money. Oh, and a couple of tasty barmaids thrown in.
Cheers.

 

[mikench]

I now pay attention to barometric pressure with the app on my phone assuming it is accurate! My old phone didn't have the requisite widget inside!

It is saying 987 at the moment which is the same as my Oregon Scientific weather station !

 

[Philip]

I'm another believer in pressure as well.

Its interesting to hear some of the comments about what other think constitues good/ok/bad conditions as I have never really settled on those myself.

The other interesting point skip makes is with regard to Zander. Its often said that High pressure is good for Predators, usually I suppose in relation to Pike yet here we are saying another predator the Zander will go right off the feed in high pressure.

Its a very interesting subject. I think of all the variables pressure could be one of the easiest to help us predict what the fishing might be like...even more than tempreature perhaps.

Additionally its interesting to consider which variables have the ability to "trump" (for want of a better word) other variables. For example is tempreature going to have a bigger bearing than water clarity i.e if water clarity is perfect would a bad tempreature "trump" it to make the fishing bad ?

In reality there will be interactions all over the place and we cant exclude one without considering the others, plus its probably also going to vary by species and even venue, however, I do think some variables carry allot more weight than others ...pressure again I think might be one of the "top trumps" if you see what I mean.

 

[108831]

If you have to go on a set day I'm afraid there is no point looking at pressures etc,just have to make the best of it,just like if water or weather conditions being unfavourable,life is too short to deny an opportunity and if your bait is in the water there is always a chance...

 

[S-Kippy]

My experiences of the effect of barometric pressure on the zander at Bury Hill may be unique to that water.....Ive no experince of zander elsewhere. But there is absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever of the effect it has on them there....its happened too often for it to be a coincidence.

The higher the pressure the more hysterical they get and they are fairly hysterical anyway. Over 1020 and youll be lucky to get a proper pick up...you might get soppy little 1" lifts or little nudges where the light on the alarm comes on but nothing sounds. Me and Phil had a terribly frustrating session like that down there once when thats all either of us got all evening.....which will teach us to go out when the barometers reading 1028.

Like i said i dont even bother going now unless the barometer is in the range Im happy with.

 

[S-Kippy]

If you have to go on a set day I'm afraid there is no point looking at pressures etc,just have to make the best of it,just like if water or weather conditions being unfavourable,life is too short to deny an opportunity and if your bait is in the water there is always a chance...

True......and thats why i was down there suffering when i was still working and opportunities to get out were very limited. I'd go because I could....not because I necessarily thought it would fish its head off. A big, bright moon was as big a kiss of death as a high barometer down there and the two often went together. On reflection i cannot believe i actually persuaded myself to go.

Now I'm retired i can go when I think its right but I have never, ever gone simply for the hell of it. I'm passionate about my fishing but not obssesive. Ive not been out since the end of Nov and that doesnt really bother me that much.

 

[laguna]

Variables are normally only considered when we're not catching!

* I have a stack of variables to think about at the moment...

 

[no-one in particular]

Periods of low pressures often mean periods of overcast/rain/coloured water which does not suit predators which rely on sight. Periods of high pressure often mean periods of dry weather/ sun/ clear water so they can spot and chase their prey easier. I am thinking of below 1000 and over 1030, of course there is a lot of in-between. I don't know if that's strictly true but that's my take on it and if you guys find this is the case when the Zander go for it-it could be the reason, not a direct response but an indirect response to pressure re the conditions that dictate that fish can sense and feel. If you kept notes you may find the correlation, maybe not, its just a theory.
I have not thought of any logical reason why fish can detect air pressure however, I do wonder about sea trout and salmon which seem to be able predict when rain is coming before they travel into a river, so maybe they can.

Just as a by observation I have noticed predatory birds are the same, a pair of Hobbys I sometimes go to watch disappear when the day is overcast and dark but are very active on bright sunny days, they have excellent sight but it must be easier for them to spot and chase prey in the bright light. My sister has found a similar thing with Peregrines she watches.