Every fishing trip you’ll ever take will be affected by weather of some sort. Sometimes weather will help you; other times it’ll hurt you. Smart anglers recognize and take advantage of good conditions, and they learn to work around unfavorable ones.
From a fish’s perspective, weather consists of several elements. Air temperature can be warm or cold. The sky can be sunny, cloudy, or somewhere in between. It can be raining (snowing) or dry. The wind can be blowing, or it can be calm.
Fish are very sensitive to changes in weather, such as the passing of a cold front, rising or falling barometric pressure, wind shifts, etc. These are the things you must notice and figure into your fishing plan.
Here's a look at how fish may react to specific weather stimuli.
Air Temperature—The warmer the air, the warmer the water, and vice versa. Since fish are cold-blooded, their activity levels are controlled by water temperature. In warm water, fish use up their food faster, so they have to feed more. The exception to this rule is that in very warm water, fish sometimes slip into a semiactive state. In cold water, they don’t need to eat as much or as often. So usually, fishing for most species is better in warm months than in cold months.
Sky Condition—Is the sky cloudy or sunny? Sky condition determines where fish are Located. On cloudy days fish are more likely to be in the shallows and holding on the outside edges of weeds, brush, docks, etc. But when bright, midday sunshine penetrates the water, fish will usually slide deeper, or they’ll move into shade—burrow into weeds, brush, or under docks. Rarely do fish stay in shallow, open water during bright-light conditions.
Precipitation—It’s an old saying that fish bite better in the rain. This can be true if the rain is light to moderate, but not pouring. With a medium rain, you have several positives: cloudy sky; runoff washing new food into the water; new “color” added to clear water from mud washing into the water; in hot weather, a cooling of water temperature; and a fresh oxygen supply. All these things cause fish to feed.
Wind—Wind may make fishing more difficult, but it can causes fish to be more active. Wind forms waves that push baitfish into feeding areas. These waves also stir up mud or silt along the shoreline, adding color and dislodging crawfish, insects, and other foods. It breaks the surface of the water, which dissipates sunlight and allows fish to move shallow. And it may replenishes the water’s oxygen supply, which makes fish feel friskier. These are all reasons why the windy side of a lake often offers better fishing than the sheltered side.
Barometric Pressure Change—Barometric pressure plays a major role in fish behavior. Fish are usually more active when the barometer is dropping, or when it’s been high and steady for a couple days. They are least active following a sharp barometric rise.
One of the very best times to go fishing is right before a storm or cold front passes. In these situations, the barometer may drop rapidly. Fish can sense this, and they go on a feeding binge. Then, after the front passes and the barometer starts back up, the fish usually quit feeding. In this situation, it may take two to three days for the barometer to stabilize and for the majority of fish to resume normal feeding.
