Do you know when not to go fishing?

Not thinking here about the wife/family giving you grief because you’re always out fishing.
More your judgement/experience that conditions are right to go, rather than going for goings sake. And what in your view are the right conditions to go?

Clearly you’ll have gathered, as I’ve been posting all afternoon, mine are the conditions as of today in the NW are not right. Forecast air temperature of –10 this evening and as most of my fishing is done after dark on the Ribble valley. Been there done that, no wish to repeat it thanks! The fishing’s usually worse than rubbish!

Generally, yes. I have a reasonable handle on when staying at home might be a good idea. That's not to suggest that I'll always get it right. Some days seem perfect yet fail to produce. Some days you go with fairly low expectations and do really well. Some days I'll go regardless, it rather depends on how long I've failed to get out.

sam vimes said:

Some days I'll go regardless, it rather depends on how long I've failed to get out.

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Missed last week as I just didn't feel well enough, family up this weekend, never left 'til 12.00, consequently no fishing today. I'll be fishing next Sunday whatever the weather

The worse thing is staying in when you know you should have gone, get out there even if its for a couple of hours before the cold goes through you.

Generally speaking weather, unless extreme, is not the prime factor for me.

If I have not been out for some time then I will make an effort and fish according to conditions, usually things work out OK.

However if I am less than enthusiastic, then I will normally abstain. Forcing myself to go, will normally result in questionable confidence and poor results and enjoyment.

Nothing prevents me from going out, except for common sense. If the river is out of it's banks and still rising, the wind is blowing a gale from the East and it's raining stair rods, well there will be somewhere, no doubt, you can get snuggled down and fish, but truth is you will be just going through the motions. Common sense dictates you give it a miss until things improve. That's my take on it. Pete.

Some times I know it's best not to go given the conditions but still go

Like Saturday when I froze for 3 hours without a bite

Lord Paul of Sheffield said:

Some times I know it's best not to go given the conditions but still go

Like Saturday when I froze for 3 hours without a bite

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But that is the whole point. You never know for sure and always remain optimistic even when you know it isn't ideal. That is what makes it so interesting for me.

nicepix said:

But that is the whole point. You never know for sure and always remain optimistic even when you know it isn't ideal. That is what makes it so interesting for me.

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Pretty much sums up yesterday in that I was rubbing my hands at a session on the pike and went dawn 'til dusk without so much as a sniff to either rod whilst my mate on the next peg downstream (whose chances I had put very close to zero) fished for barbel and landed one and lost another.

I was out the other week when it was -5 but yesterday just felt so much colder in that wind.

Roll on Spring...

One thing its taken me years to work out is to go when [you think] conditions are right and not when you can. For years I fished pretty well only at weekends whereas now I'm very rarely out Sat/Sun. However....if it looks right during the week then I'll take a day or half day off work & get my ar$e bankside.

I dont have a need or drive to fish simply because I can.

binka said:

yesterday just felt so much colder in that wind. Roll on Spring...

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Main problem around here isn't just the Angling Weather - it's the Driving Weather too.
The last 2 days we've had Freezing Fog from sunrise, Max Temp -2, Snow, Hail, Sleet, Winds building to gale force and tomorrow doesn't look too good either.
With it forecast as freezing again over night - the odd few roads that are slushy are going to be just lovely - NOT!

Stay safe out there, y'all.:thumbs:

It depends on the species, the venue pressure and my desire to " Be There " ?

A good number of my biggest Chub have been caught in minus conditions and as such I know I have a chance of a monster.

So it's really a question of my resolve to get out there and do the time, Simon King and I worked out we had a take every 4/5 trips, so fishing in adverse conditions can pay off, but it's not for everyone.

A couple of years ago when the air temperature was -7 I caught a 9lb Chub and you don't get a lot of competition from other anglers when it's that cold.

Which has the advantage of seeing only your bait and homing in on it ?

Bob

As a retiree I do have a lot of free time on my hands and much of this is spent fishing, so going out comes down to how much I want to go, and, to be honest, how much I want to challenge myself. I've never had a problem getting up early and weather conditions don't bother me too much, although I shy away from combinations of wind, rain and extreme cold.
For me it's more a case of loving the outdoors whatever the weather, proven by the fact that I spent some hours walking over the week end in all sorts of conditions. I just love being outside, pure and simple !
Regarding conditions for catching fish; Well, I think I'd probably go with Sam Vimes synopsis that prevailing weather conditions, on a great number of occasions, has nothing at all to do with what comes to the net.....
Even in the short period since Christmas I've been amazed at my catches, where many have shown, if you follow the recommended norms, that I should not have caught anything at all on a given day, and yet precisely the opposite has happened.
The nice mild spell pre Christmas with it's low light levels etc should have meant lots of nice roach (I did fairly well) but TBH I caught just as many in hard frosts with temps around zero !!
So for me, although I go because I can, I also go because I really want to....so maybe it does come down to the challenge !

I'm at home this morning, and looking outside at the chill I'm happy about that, BUT I know only too well that come tomorrow I will be raring to go, even though the temps are likely to be even lower !

Sitting on a frosty bank, as Bob Horngold says, is not for everyone, but I can tell you that drawing a decent roach over the net in such conditions is something of a rare pleasure. This, followed by a nice hot tea is what fishing is all about, as far as I'm concerned................


ps That said, I may well fish 'Gerry' hours tomorrow...............one doesn't want to get too carried away, eh ??


A very thin line exists between 'brave & 'stupid'..............................................................

I am retired so it means that I can take advantage of good conditions whenever they occur plus in the summer months I usually stick to fishing early evenings till just after dusk so I can fish at the most productive times.

My preferred conditions are whenever the wind is from the southwest or west and the sky is slightly overcast and the icing on the cake is when the air pressure has been either steady or falling and the temperatures have been steady for a few days or rising.

Even in cold winter conditions whenever the water temperature has been steady for a few days or rising slightly (even when it's still below 3 or 4 degrees) it usually means that i'm going to have a good day.

In flood conditions I usually catch more when the water level has started to fall and the debris washing downstream has reduced.

I don't have a lot of confidence fishing if there's a bitter cold northerly or easterly or north easterly wind blowing or there has been a sharp drop in temperature during the winter, or if there is fast rising flood water washing debris down steam on a river, or in the middle of a swelteringly hot summers day with the sun beating down, or if there is a lot of snow-melt in the water, or there is a lot of water being washed from the surfaces of busy main roads.
On days like the above I usually either head for a local pond which has several underwater springs (which are cool in the summer and relatively warm in the winter) and protected from any strong winds, or I may just wrap up in front of a warm fire with a nice scotch or brandy (or in the summer find some shade and cool down with a nice cold beer) LOL..

Keith

Totally agree on rising water temperatures Keith, I'd be much more optimistic on catching if the water temperature had risen from 3 to 4 degrees rather than dropped from 7 to 5.....

No i go regardless of weather,Got a match tomorrow at Tunnel Barn Farm,will be breaking ice in the morning!..Gazza

chefster said:

No i go regardless of weather,Got a match tomorrow at Tunnel Barn Farm,will be breaking ice in the morning!..Gazza

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That's proper "Manfishing" ! We who are not worthy salute you.

Main problem around here isn't just the Angling Weather - it's the Driving Weather too.
The last 2 days we've had Freezing Fog from sunrise, Max Temp -2, Snow, Hail, Sleet, Winds building to gale force and tomorrow doesn't look too good either. With it forecast as freezing again over night - the odd few roads that are slushy are going to be just lovely - NOT!

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Same for me too, greenie. It's not going out it's getting back as I live at the top of a steep brew.

I like to get out every week if I can. I'm in the factory all week and there's five adults living in our house, by weekend I'm more than ready for a bit of solitude and the great outdoors. So I'll go despite the conditions, there's always somewhere worth an hour or so. The only time I would definitely stay home is in thick fog, I never fancy my chances when it's like that.