Fishing Conditions

[Bassanator]

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How does one read the weather , when it comes to cold fronts and which bait and what size to use!!!!

When the water level has dropped or risen , which tactics should be used!!!!

Water clarity , what colours and speed and size baits , how can you use the barometric pressure to help you land fish!!!

There are many question out there and answers , I wanna know from you how does one read the conditions before one hits the dam and how does one prepare for these obstacles!!!!!

[Bassanator]

Well it seem to me that weather conditions is one if not the most important tools to be a sucessfull angler , so come lads need more input from you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ninja]

Hey Tommy I found these links on the site that will help with some of your questions.

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IMHO pressure plays the biggest role.

[Hawkeye]

[quote="Norkie"]Hey Tommy I found these links on the site that will help with some of your questions.

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Norkie couldnt help but smile :blue-biggrin: You have a real sense of humour :blue-razz:

[bassmaster]

The weather does play the most important part of fishing! If the weather is totally kak you can't go fishing! :blue-biggrin:

Tommy, slow down to a calm panic and just go fishing bru, stop cooking your head before you are even out there fishing. Just relax, do what you do and you will catch fish no matter what bait you use, what the weather is or barometric preasure.... go enjoy yourself! Trust your instinct not your brain and you will catch fish. :blue-smile:

[Shannon]

If there is lightning, hail, a Tornado or a Hurricane stay in bed, otherwise go fishing. You can catch fish in any conditions.

It definately helps to learn how weather can affect fish, but you automatically set yourself up for failure when you look at your barometer and it tells you the fishing is going to be kak.

An approaching cold front (low pressure cell) will drop the barometer, which normally (but not always) will make the fish a little more active for a short while. Once the front comes over the pressure will go up, but will still be cloudy so is still a good fishing time. Normally the following day will be clear blue skies with a cold wind, this is what they refer to as Blue bird skies and is your most difficult time, but you can still catch fish. Normally you will have to slow down a bit and go a little deeper (if the water is clear).

Tommy it sounds like you have an information overload. You have all this new information, new baits, new sounders, 20 rods on the deck and you are thrashing the water with no results. I think almost every one of us has experienced this when we first started getting serious about our fishing - I know I did.

This is my suggestion - use it, don't use it.
For your next fun fishing trip do this.
Take 2 rods with you (yes only 2), preferably 2 of exactly the same rods (A 7ft MH or something similar), spooled with 12 to 15lb line (preferably 100% fluoro).
Rig 1 rod weightless with a 3/0 EWG hook
Rig another rod with a mojo rig, M2 size mojo sinker and a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG hook
Take Super Flukes, Jnr Super Flukes and Senkos, in basic colours like Watermelon, Green Pumpkin and Junebug. And maybe 1 or 2 baits with more action like a Dead ringer worm or a creature bait like a brush hog again in basic colours.
AND LEAVE THE REST BEHIND.

For now forget the off shore structure, concentrate only on visible shoreline structure and pick it apart. Make a cast every 50cm along the shoreline structure and pay attention to where you get your bites.

When you throw your weightless rig, cast and let it fall all the way to the bottom, then give it a gentle pop off the bottom and let it sink again (you must watch your line all the time, if the line twitches or flicks or stops too soon, smack it).
Start by popping your bait off the bottom as soon as it hits the bottom, if you get no bites slow down. On some days you will have to count to 20 before the fish picks it up.
Do the same with the mojo rig but remember it will sink much faster.
Some days they want the slow sink of a weightless bait, other days they want a faster sink rate.
You can use either a fluke or a senko on either rig, but I would start with the senko weightless and the fluke on the mojo rig.
Make sure you rig them straight, if the bait spins in the water when you reel it back to the boat it won't catch many fish.

It's very basic but sometimes that's what you need to do. Once you have your confidence back you can start playing with your other baits.

Pay attention to where and how you get your bites and then duplicate it.
The fish will tell you what they want if you listen

[Bassanator]

Hey Shannon , thanks for that my man and I'll definitely try it....
So if the weather is upside down , slow down and go into the smaller baits . So maybe I should fish a winter patten , and use a lighter application!!!!!!!!!!!