Air Pressure and Fishing

[Hutcho]

Hi all,

Whenever I watch the weather, I take note of everything including the air pressure ("1015 hectorpascals and rising...").

But I know it does have a different effect on the way people view fishing and how the fish react. A bloke told me the other day he doesn't fish in anything under 1000 hPa, and that if the barometer is falling, it's not as good as if it's rising.

What do you guys think/do?

Hutcho

[mackmauler]

if the weather allows you out there its as good a time as any ;D 1000 and youd probably want shelter.

[Reefmaster]

Gday Hutcho
I beleive an ideal air pressure is around 1020 and have experienced poor fishing around 1010 and under. Usaully the fish are there but just dont want to bite which can be frustrating and a waste of time so thats why so many fishos chose not to fish on low air pressures. I have fished around 1010 mark before and found a stack load of fish showing on the sounder but had to work really hard to get a few in the esky. As Rob said, i really dont think anyone would be on the water with low air pressures as there would be pretty nasty seas.

Cheers Greg

[aido]

the old saying is 'one thousand and twenty, fish a-plenty'.
how the hell fish 60m under water know the air pressure
beats me.
aido.

[SeaSaw]

There has not been any conclusive research (that I have come across) on why fish bite more on high or rising barometers, but I have read many articles that claim that the barometric pressure affects the fishes swim bladder (which is filled with air) and causes the fish to react in this way for reasons unknown. [smiley=huh2.gif]

I have found fishing generally easier on high barometers, but have also experienced some excellent catches on low barometers. Like Mackmauler, I reacon if the weather conditions are ok why not give it a go - better than sitting at home wondering ??? :D

If it is 1000hpa, i'd want a 60 meter boat, and that would be inside moreton bay ;D ;D

Cheers
Mark

[Fitzy]

I used to get right into all of this with detailed diary etc, & even pulled sickies when it all looked great. I never really came to a sound "set of rules" by following it. Nowadays I just go fishing when I can & make the most of what gets thrown at me on the day. I now prefer to not know the pressure, moon etc etc, just tell me wind direction & strength.


how the hell fish 60m under water know the air pressure
beats me.
aido.
Ever seen how much the ocean can rise in a cyclone (low pressure system)?

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[ProFleet]

baaah.. some of our best days have been with intense lows. The only reason I watch the barometer is to give me an idea of the sea , not the fish.. get out there 8)

[mackmauler]

Profleet, can you elaborate on what species and waters have fished well during an intense low?

[clutter]

I'm with Fitzy. I fish when I can and work when I have to.

clutter

[webby]

Bad weather should be the only thing stoping you from having a dabble, fish have to eat no matter whats happening above the water.
regards

[mackmauler]

hey profleet, that was a good read, cheers.

[Hutcho]

Thanks for the input guys. Like most of you, I just fish when I can and hope the winds aren't strong or blowing hard from a NE direction. Maybe the depth of the water has some influence on the fish with low barometers? I had never thought about the fish bladder aspect before, but I guess it coould make the fish feel less hungry if there is a low pressure system??? maybe it's all a load of hogwash at the end of the day. As Webby said, fish are fish, they gotta eat every day, so you gotta have a line in the water to catch em. The way the BOM forecasts weather these days anyhow, should we even consider the barometric pressure!!?

Cheers,
Hutcho

Hutcho

[shag_on_a_rock]

Mate of mine (scienstisty type) recently said that they had done a study up in the UK on freshwater fishing and its relationship to barometric pressure.
They found that fresh water fish did come on the chew more in periods of high pressure, and it had something to do with more oxygen being disolved into the water because of the higher absorbtion.
I guess it wouldn't make much difference in the ocean, but in a small lake or slow running steam it could.

I dream about 1020...in the middle east it rarely gets above 1010..currently 998 and seas flat calm, 45C, no wind!!

cheers

[Maxg]

Well the under water pressure reflects the air pressure, but not by much until you cyclonic conditions, deep depressions whatever. But the most disaterous fishing day I ever experienced was at Cuvier in 1973 when we fished the day before a cyclone hit the town. I lost 9 lures in 9 hits, never saw the fish and they either went to the horizon or took off like a Ferrari and blew things to bits.
One guy caught a small queenfsh, the only catch of the day, and everyone lost every lure we had. The cyclone went over the town at 9am the next day.
It was totally overcast, the water a very bronze colour and kind of humid. On the way home it started drizzling. I guess that was a low condition.
Max

[oscar]

Hutcho, my theory is the same as, birds fly higher in high pressure. The lower it is the lower they fly, when the pressure is high the air is more dense and easier for them to get height. Same for fish, they get through the water easier at higher pressures, and cover more ground. (You catch more) 1020+ works for me.

oscar

[ProFleet]

Just to answer mackmaulers question about where and what fish ... well just about 'everything' from tin can to eden for the last 15 years as decky or other crew, mostly work(skipper) now between noosa and yamba for a large company with several boats, I pretty much work EVERYDAY and only break for extreme weather, low catches or just because of I f%$c%e# feel like it. catches include all mixed reef ,, jews , all tuna , all macks ,most other pelagics though not generally targeted ,,all baitfish ,, some sharks {mainly school}, all crabs , prawns etc,
the moon and tide for my money outweighs any barometric theories ,, hey , I could be wrong , never claimed to know it all but to have to fish for so many species in so many waters for so long , i 'personally' dont consider 'lows' make for a fishing down turn ,, but then ,sometimes a bad low will force us to fish inshore grounds that dont usually fire but can , if you know what i mean. just means we cant really go where we WANT to ,. so whats to say is going on out wide when its (the sea) is too bad for most fishos to venture out..

like I said , dont want a sound like a "know it all , been there done that" type , the mackmauler has probably brained more things like spaniards etc than I ever will but ive had some big takes{catches} in bad lows 'is all'.the sort of weather that makes you question how hungry you are for a buck ,,I only remember cause some of our biggest days have been in really bad conditions with strong lows bearing down from several systems. 8) basically ive had big days and bad days in all conditions ,but in the end ,, my log shows many days and many species all being caught in/around low pressure systems.

just be carefull