# Frontal Passage Effect on Fishing



## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Since many of us started out fishing with worms, I will open a can.


I want to ask opinions about post front fishing. Many times, but not always (never say never), fishing is great before a frontal passage and poor after. We all know it happens, but why? Pressure has always been the most believable factor to me, but is that really it?


Pressure: A quick search claims the highest pressure ever recorded in Houston was 30.88 and the lowest of 28.66, both in inches of mercury. The difference of 2.22 inches of mercury is equal to 30.18 inches of water. So a fish could move between 17 & 1/2 FOW to 15 FOW and pressure on the fish would from that water depth change would equal those 2 extremes in barometer. Those are huge extremes in barometer, so the average change from a cold front doesn't begin to compare. So on those beautiful screen shots we see posted of thick layers of fish, the top to bottom of those layers of fish are experiencing a greater difference in pressure than any weather extremes have ever caused.


What about others factors?
Wind: We have all caught plenty of fish in slick calm or terribly rough.
Humidity: Fish are always wet.
Brightness of sky: Again, plenty of good fishing in either extreme.


My point is we know what happens, but do we know why? If my science or math is flawed, tell me because I really want to know. On such a beautiful day as this, I sure will listen.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Always wondered the same thing.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

And why do the cows lay down during high pressure? Works hand in hand usually. And fishing is slow. Is it mothers nature way to protect our resource?


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Often pondered the science on this too. Maybe it the way it affects the forage more than the predators?


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## CT (Jun 30, 2009)

My theory is environmental conditions that are a result of barometric pressure change effect fishing. Animals are much more in tune with natureâ€™s signals than we are, because they are dependent on it to survive. We have lost our ability to sense/notice changes in our environment unless itâ€™s the weather channel or new app on our phone. Some make the observation that cows are laying in the pasture so fishing will not be good. Have you noticed cows will seek shelter during a rain shower or if still grazing once rain approaches? If they are still grazing more often than not we are in for a big rain event. Again animals are programmed to survive which means food so they are making the most of time they have by filling their stomach. So maybe fishing is poor after a frontal passage because they are digesting.


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## hookset4 (Nov 8, 2004)

Find a copy of a book called "Spoonplugging" by E. L. Buck Perry. It will answer your questions about weather and how it relates to fishing in layman's terms. How a frontal passage affects fishing and how to recognize a front has just passed. What the conditions are before a frontal passage. Explanations are not in Weatherman's technical language either, written for the rest of us.

-hook


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## rustyhook1973 (Aug 25, 2014)

my turn............ok please excuse all the misspelled words first off ,,,,, ok here goes...my step dad was a earth science teacher ,,, not only that he also had a dr in horticulture and agriculture so he knows his stuff ,,, plus growing up on a farm I know he told me was real ,,,,,, now on to the good stuff ,,,, I love the outdoors .either hunting or fishing ,,,, I asked my dad along time ago ,,,, why are all the cows laying down in the fields at the same time ,,, he told me a reason .... then I started to watch them every time I went fishing ,,,, I also started to see a pattern ,,, and when hunting ,,, again ,,, now a good pattern was starting to take affect ,,, here is what he said,,,,, "every living thing in the world ,,, being the smallest insect to the largest of all creatures ..including humans,,are effected by pressure..... when the pressure is high it will make you feel full as it is >>>>squeezing your stomach<<<< and when its low you feel empty so you eat ,,,,, it is a proven fact of science and a lot of studies and research have been done in both farming ... be that of land or water... catfish farms.... and like us ..humans we to will feel the same affect ."........... now with this being said ,,,, have have caught a lot of fish on low pressure days and a lot on high pressure ,,,, why .. I guess that is for god to figure out ,,, the way I look at it ,,, is ..if I am off work and its a good day to go ..I will go and enjoy myself no matter what ,,,,, unless I don't catch anything and the guy in the boat loads them up ,,,lol .... I hope this tells you something you were looking for ,,,,,, now its time to cook some deer meat ,,,,, I guess the pressure is low ,,,, merry christmas


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

It can't be the pressure, it has to be the changing weather that we humans read on barometric pressure instruments, and animals just know.


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

Way above this boy's head I just fish when I have time and weather is good. But very interesting.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Very true on the aspect that pressure is pressure, no escaping that. The animals that don't have super markets & stoves (e.g. non humans) do react to this in a fairly substantial way. They also react to the moon phases as wee do. Just check the stats of any ER around a full moon!

As far as the barometer; the smallest, most frail of critters will be affected 1st, as logic dictates. Where fishing is concerned:
Low level forage (Plankton & other invertebrates) would be 1st
Predators upon low level forage would be next
Predators upon the predators of low level forage would be next... and so on.

I'm not a marine biologist but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express recently 

I'll check with some MB guys I know at TPW to see what their take is but from what I remember of my MB classes, that a definite factor. Water conditions (oxygen & clarity clines & shears), fishing pressure, predominant winds, sediment stir, vegetation condition and other factors will all factor in.

Bottom, that's why they call it fishing & not catching


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## HawgTied (Oct 8, 2012)

Here's my $.02 worth: When the barometric pressure is low, it exerts less pressure on a body of water. This causes the fish's stomach to feel larger because of the decreased pressure on the outside of its body, so they feed more until they feel full. When the pressure changes, like the passage of a front, the fish are full from gorging during the low pressure weather and need time to digest their food. The high pressure exerts more pressure on a body of water, giving them an extremely full feeling. It may or may not be correct, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!


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## photofishin (Aug 7, 2009)

pYr8 said:


> Very true on the aspect that pressure is pressure, no escaping that. The animals that don't have super markets & stoves (e.g. non humans) do react to this in a fairly substantial way. They also react to the moon phases as wee do. Just check the stats of any ER around a full moon!
> 
> As far as the barometer; the smallest, most frail of critters will be affected 1st, as logic dictates. Where fishing is concerned:
> Low level forage (Plankton & other invertebrates) would be 1st
> ...


 To me, this is the closest correct answer so far.
Low pressure will have the smallest plankton sized creatures floating in the water column, which will feed minnows and other small forage fish/creatures that larger fish feed on.

Go bass fishing sometime after a front on a bluebird day. You'll notice most times fish will seem to have lockjaw. You'll catch more with very accurate casts close to cover and with slow moving baits.

Deeper fish are less affected by a front.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

You never know unless you go.
So many things can trump the usual wisdom and fishing lore, even the scientific end of it can have a fatal flaw. Such as, if you measure the wrong thing, it will lead you down the wrong path.

The main thing is to develop for a good guide for fishing is a flexible fashion of thinking that allows you to shift gears in mid stream, if what should work is not.
So when you find yourself faced with a usual fishing condition that is unfavorable, abandon usual ways of thinking and look for a trump card, an edge that over rides the poor fishing factor.

Today was a classic pre front condition on the south end for white and striped bass. Once found the feeding fish would hit anything.
I found a school active and it only took hooking a couple before there was a feeding frenzy under the boat.
Earlier I had fished that same school and watched them swim around and look interested, but never had a hit.
I came back two hours later and they were ready. I had all but given up and was headed in when I decided to try that spot again on a hunch they would be hungry. Today I trusted the fishing fact of, "they bite pre front" and stuck it out longer than usual.

In guiding you learn to take the cards dealt you, as people have taken time off from work, arranged their schedules etc... to go fish the day it was planned.
I find the hardest day is a bluebird day in the early fall.
A deadly combination of clear skies, high pressure, and light shifting winds will make it a tough day.
A day beautiful to be on the water, but hard to catch fish as they bite lightly and mostly smaller fish on the prowl. 
It's like they know it's their only chance to feed because all of the big boys are laying low.
High pressure does not always make for bad fishing, sometimes things like time of year, (the spawn), availability of food, (the shad spawn) or clear water, or muddy water somewhere else moved the fish to a new place are factors that over ride the usual behavior of fish for a certain condition. Water movement, or flow, of some kind often over rides almost everything else when it comes to fishing.
I don't know why it affects fishing like it does, but it seems the LMB pros have it down to fine science, lighter line, more accurate presentation tight to cover/structure, and smaller lures seem to do a little better for most fish under high pressure conditions.


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## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

wow, nicely said Loy. I've always known you had it in you.


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## Dirt Daddy (Sep 11, 2004)

I enjoy fishing with you as much as I enjoy reading your post Loy....The only time, I ever doubted you is when you took a hammer out and commenced to beating on my brand new Blue wave........ and I will now gladly let you beat on it anytime.....Harl


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Dirt daddy I really wondered if you were going to let bang on your new boat lol!
Did you get down scan operational ?


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

so When do you fishing guru say they wil turn back on after this front pass thru today.I've catch fish on many so call bluebird sky kinda days and still ask that same question all the time as im ripping lips.Is it or is it not a day that fish should not be actively feeding.My 2 scent is human and other living creatures have pretty much in common.If we had just eat a big meal we need time to digest so do the fish.Heard their metabolism slow down during the winter month so digesting slow down.Probably play a big roll when they will feed again.If its really cold out side we humans are lathargic if we are working out side expose to the elements,so is the fish,but heck when a few starts feeding and the whole school goes crazy,they create there own heat by moving around and going crazy so the feeding frenzy begins on a blue day.My ff actually picks up the heat generated by the fish getting active,and lit up the screen like a christmas tree.And yes Iv'e tried lowering a high intensity light into the water and see if it will pick up the heat in cold water.Show like a beacon on a light house.


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

We whack them whites on many or all blue days last year with LLA.It was january and most was high pressure blue birds days.Those fish did'nt give a honky tonks if it was blue or not.Ive got pics to prove it.


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## dbullard (Feb 13, 2008)

I will do a little research tomorrow.


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## lx22f/c (Jun 19, 2009)

dbullard said:


> I will do a little research tomorrow.


Expecting a box full of catfish from you.


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

blue sky pics of 2014





So can some one please go out there on them blue sky days this coming weeks and check out the theory.


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## redspeck (Jul 3, 2012)

I'll always go fishing when I can, because high pressure or low pressure. There will always be those fish that are just hungry all the time.


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## dbullard (Feb 13, 2008)

lx22f/c said:


> Expecting a box full of catfish from you.


We caught a decent box of cats to 15lbs.
North of 190 fish some Water turkey roost.
I think the run off and muddy water had them messed up .


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Did some research regarding the topic...
*Swim bladders* seems to be the consensus among marine biologists & ichthyologists. The positive or negative pressure related to the given area affects the swim bladder & causes a problem with equilibrium of aquatic critters.

With LL being just 131' above mean sea level, our barometric or atmospheric pressure wouldn't vary much from the 29.92 inHg or inches of mercury. Generally, the pressure drops the higher the altitude, thus "thin air". The formula for calculating looks like this








So guessing the absolute pressure for LL is a lot easier, say a hair below 29.92... LOL

Finishing up work now, sleep may be in my future 

Hope the BP info helps someone. As with everything related to weather, 2 or more things will need to be factored when trying to gain insight to how wildlife are being affected. Toss in some luck, old sage advise & a few chapters from the Farmers Almanac and there might be a chance to hero instead of zero...

Karl


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