Strategy for high pressure?

[o.b.]

I've noticed high pressure doesn't affect the redfish bite as much as the trout bite, so my strategy would be to target reds in shallower water. Sometimes I'll get lucky and pick up a trout while fishing for reds. I don't plan my trips around weather and I go when I can go. I just play the card that's dealt. So what's your strategy for fishing high pressure?

[BMTAngler]

I have never actually paid much attention to the pressure at all, I base my fishing times around tides and the moon. I haven't found a website that tells me what the pressure is going to be but I haven't looked real hard either.

[gater]

I don't pay much attention to it at all. You can can catch just as many Trout under high pressure as you can low. I think Trout and Reds tend to react to pressure changes somewhat but not necessarly if it's high or low at that time. You can catch Trout all summer long when we pretty much stay under high pressure all the time. Gater

[gater]

I agree 100% with BMTangler, the tides and moon phase has more effect than the pressure. Gater

[the troutman]

During the summer the pressure is consistent and the fish adapt accordingly. In the winter months, the pressure variations that occur with each passing front do have an effect on the fish in my opinion. It's not that you can't catch fish but it requires a different bait presentation. I do fully agree that there seems to be little effect on Redfish compared to Trout.

[Laguna Freak]

Originally Posted by the troutman

During the summer the pressure is consistent and the fish adapt accordingly. In the winter months, the pressure variations that occur with each passing front do have an effect on the fish in my opinion. It's not that you can't catch fish but it requires a different bait presentation. I do fully agree that there seems to be little effect on Redfish compared to Trout.

I agree 100%. Winter is a different game than summer.

[o.b.]

Quote From Capt. KK from fishing reports section.

"Strategies For High Pressure Lock Jaw

The first lesson would be to “avoid pre-disposition” on the eventual outcome of the trip, keep some PMA (positive mental attitude). The second most valuable lesson would be patience, only in terms of finding a “bite of some kind” and then grinding it down. Under these conditions, patient chipping and chiseling away at a slow bite on a “lock down” will out produce the impatient “churn and burn” every time. Patience can be hard to find when you can see the fish, know they are there, watch them kick mud-stirs, swim next to the boat, but won’t jump on the end of the rod.

Sunday, wade fishing with guests working Brown Lures over mud/grass in the Back Lakes, Capt. Steve Boldt called me at one point and said “we’re in literally two acres of Redfish and can’t get them to bite”! Steve ran into a solid Trout bite, mostly undersized, which were appreciated by the clients that were practicing “catch and release” anyway. The trip was delayed somewhat right off the bat with fog. Steve mentioned “it really didn’t help that we were fishing a slick-off all day”. One thing I will gladly take during a High Pressure weather event is wind, and lot’s of it. Steve dug in until 4:30 when the clients yelled “Uncle”. Tenacity, he’s got it…..luck, well that’s something that visits us from time to time.

Other strategies for conquering Spring High Pressure lock jaw include “lightening things up” for slower presentations. Dumping the lead heads and adding an Eagle Claw Lazer hook to a Devil Eye; switching to “ultra slow” suspending baits; or inciting some “Rage” with a rattling cork from Midcoast Products. Dump the 2x4 and grab a sensitive rod like a Rhino tough and sensitive Skeleton Series Castaway Rod from 6’5 to 7’ and “bring it”. It’s time to bring all the weapons in the arsenal and leave it “all on the water”.



In essence, weather patterns will shake things up during the late months of Winter and Spring. High and Low Pressure weather patterns will have a much different interaction during the Summer and Fall months but we’ll leave that one for another time. Regardless, a challenging day on the water beats the best of days in the office so let’s go fishing come hell or High Pressure!

Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge, Inc.
109 W. Austin
Seadrift, TX 77983
1-888-618-4868 Office
361-785-4487 Fax"

[Captain Hough]

In my book high pressure is a big factor on trout. Years ago I kept detailed logs and included pressure. Seemed like all my data pointed to trout moving deeper under high pressure especially when combined with a full moon. If on day one the fish were in 3 feet of water under normal pressure, and day two in the same location was under high pressure the fish backed off the structure to depths that were 2-3 feet deeper. YMMV