Barometric Pressure

[Kirk]

What is the ideal Barometric Pressure for fishing and how does it affect the fishing when it is rising or droping? How does the moon phase affect productivity?

[mhall]

I personally feel the best time ever to fish is when the barometric pressure is dropping and especially if it's dropping quickly. This is usually right before a front moves in or major weather change. As far as the moon goes, it can be a funny one to figure out, however I would pick the new moon over all others if had to make a choice.

[elnutsmalljaws]

3 days before and after New Moon, Quality of fish
3 days before and after Full Moon, Quantity of fish

At least this is what I learned and have experienced to a degree.

Crawfish spawn during the Full Moon at places like Dale and Cumberland pretty much year round. This is why I think smallies are easier to catch during the full moon on rocky points for they are looking for an easy meal. But also consider they don't like the light, Moon or Sun, so try to fish the shaded side of the point even at night.

As far as a barometric pressure goes, never followed it for I am too stupid to understand it anyway.

Tight Lines

[Danny]

Hey elenut...

I read an interesting article once about the 3 days before and after both the full and new moons. The article pointed out that if you add that up, you have two actual 7 day periods. That means you have a total of 14 days. The lunar cycle is right at 28 days, so you are actually saying the best time to fish is in this half a month. It seemed like the percent of big fish was not that much over 50%, maybe near 60%.

Here's the thought process making that a 14 day cycle:

3 days before
2 days before
1 day before
Full moon
1 day after
2 days after
3 days after

Now if you repeat that for the new moon, you get the second 7 day cycle.

Now there is no question the fish react to the greater pull of gravity from the moon, that is after all what causes the tides, but has anyone on here actually looked over all the data and what percent of "big" fish are caught on that cycle?

Also we all have been programmed to believe you catch more fish during the twilight hours, and the reasons behind that. But I have also read, and heard from Dough Hannon that the biggest and the most of his big fish came during the middle of the day. Then add to it the analysis provided by Bassmaster shows on the E50's, and the best fishing periods the last two years have been during the middle of the day.

One of the biggest reasons suggested is that fish do use sight more than any other sense, and thee is just more light for them. Yet despite that, there are the articles that say the bass' eyesight adapts to twilight faster than the prey fish, and this gives them the advantage in the twilight hours.

So with all the conflicting information, just what exactly is right? Probably the best fishing is when you are the most confident. So that means if you can raise your confidence level to its highest anytime you have a lure in the water, then you will have consistently good fishing.... theoretically of course. LOL

Danny

[smljaw]

Check out this info on the moon...

http://www.solunar.com/Bucher.htm