By Stu Valentine

Most of us are not scientific anglers. In fact, the majority of us probably go fishing when we can, not necessarily when we should. For example, many fishermen choose to go fishing on warm, sunny days when there is no chance of rain. On the surface this strategy sounds very reasonable. But is it?

There is a body of evidence which indicates that this may, indeed, be the worst time to try to catch fish. This is because the high (barometric) pressure conditions which give rise to these beautiful days are not the times when fish are stimulated to aggressively feed. They still feed, but they can be difficult to locate and to entice.

What is barometric pressure?

Barometric pressure is the pressure of the air that's pressing in all directions. The air's pressure is caused by the weight of all the air above the ground pressing down - gravity pulls air toward the earth just as it pulls everything else. Its called barometric pressure because the air pressure is measured by an instrument called a barometer. On the average, at sea level, the air has a pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch. Instead of using pounds per square inch, barometers in the U.S. measure the pressure in inches of mercury. This is how high the pressure can force mercury into a tube that has the top sealed of from the air, a reading of 29.92 inches is the same as 14.7 pounds per square inch.

When are fish most active?

My experience has shown that fish feed more actively as the barometric pressure is steady or rising steadily (between 29.90 and 30.40 inches), or fluctuating rapidly. A falling barometric pressure trend means that clouds & precipitation are likely. Rising air pressure (especially above 30.10 inches) signals that clear sunny weather is to be expected. Often, right before a storm the barometric pressure will slightly rise, and then steadily drop, only to rise again once the storm passes.

When a weather front is approaching (falling barometer), it's more than likely the fish aren't going to bite. The same thing is true when a weather front is clearing, but it's not as drastic. But immediately following the passing of the front, as the barometer rises, the fish feed very aggressively and will continue to feed until the barometer begins to fall.

It is not known why fish feed more during these time of changing barometric pressure. But my experience verifies this fact. I always check the barometric pressure trends after a fishing trip to see how the pressure related to my catch. Invariably, I catch more fish when the barometric pressure is steady (but not above 30.40 inches or so), rising steadily, or fluctuating rapidly (such as when rain storms come and go).

When should I go fishing?

First, avoid going fishing when a high pressure system is lingering. Instead, plan to go swimming or for a drive on those sunny, cloudless days. Second, pay attention to the weather and try to anticipate when the barometric pressure will be rising.

Sometimes, I purposely plan my trip when the forecast calls for rain. This usually results in better catches.

Of course, when I do this I am also increasing the risk of being struck by lightning. So I must be sure to get off the water quickly if conditions are too threatening.

Sources:

1. Barometric Pressure and Bass by Bill Dance; Bass Champs; http://www.basschamps.com/

2. Casting A Weather Eye by Vernon Summerlin; Fishing Tennessee; http://www.fishingtennessee.com

3. Use Weather Fronts To Gauge Fishin' Times by Drew Hawthorne; Mr. Outdoors.com; http://www.thesunlink.com

4. Sun, Moon, and Weather Tips Dr. Mike's Fishing Tips; http://mike_esq.tripod.com

Stu

By Jeff McLaughlin

"Kayaking and fishing go together like peas and carrots" is what Forrest Gump would say if he were a Florida boy like me. I've had so many fishy adventures in a kayak by this time it's hard to remember them all. Combining the two came as natural to me as a backlash facing into the wind; the two complement each other as well as fried seafood and cold beer. For those on a budget that won't let them buy a powerboat, it's the best thing going. Also, the yakkers often times have the advantage over powerboaters anyway when it comes to shallow water fishing.

What makes a kayak such a great vehicle for fishing is primarily its stealth. I can cruise along on a flat or deftly maneuver amongst oyster bars with a silent, low profile approach that doesn't alert fish to my presence. Many times I've had big reds and trout swim right past within paddle's reach because they just weren't spooked much by the vessel being there.

If you enjoy seeing wildlife like I do, you'd be surprised how close you can get to the otters, manatees, dolphins and gators in a yak. But most importantly you can get to where the big reds are and they won't even know you're there until they feel the pressure of the hook and start towing you down the creek on a sleigh ride.

Kayak fishing has a strength in simplicity. The boat is basically plastic and won't need the maintenance a motor boat commands. I can launch one just about anywhere there's access to the water. And fishing from a kayak can be a successful venture off the beach, in the main river, in a bass pond, or tucked away in the back of a little creek. Granted, I can't carry an army of gear, but all I need are one or two rods and a little tackle box anyway.

In keeping with the simplicity of kayaking, I only carry a few proven lures like the top dog, a plastic grub or jerk bait and a gold spoon in a very small tackle box. Live baiting from a kayak is definitely doable if you want to bring along a battery powered aerator or refresh the water in a bait bucket periodically as you are paddling to new spots. Dead bait is much more manageable from a kayak though; I prefer it since a bag of shrimp or dead mullet takes up little space and is seldom rejected by active fish.

Kayak fishing has more advantages still. I have found loads of fish in the backs of creeks after dragging the boat over a sandbar to reach the area or paddling over oysters in three inches of water. Kayaking to a spot and then getting out to wade is a great plan that has yielded reds over forty inches for me, and I hardly notice the boat is there as I walk along with the boat tethered to my waist. In fact, I can follow the fish most anywhere in a yak and the whole time I'm not worried about busting a prop on an oyster bar. I go right through sparse shoreline grass like a gator and the engine runs on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Fighting a fish from a kayak isn't really difficult and fish don't pull me too far, although it is a different experience from bank or motorboat fishing. Keeping fish is still an option in a kayak, provided your boat has a compartment that will accommodate a small cooler with ice. Personally, I tend to release the fish I catch on kayak trips and actually have had gators and dolphins urge this by chasing my hooked fish around and attempting to gain custody of them before I have a chance to.

Anchoring isn't something I normally do because drifting and casting works well enough, but a small, lightweight anchor, even a brick, is enough to hold a kayak in most instances. For shallow water, a six to eight foot length of half inch PVC stuck in the bottom and tied to the yak will keep the lightweight craft immobile.

Above all, kayak fishing puts me on a more intimate level with my surroundings. I feel a bit more connected to the water when I am able to sit right down in it and move with the same silent and efficient grace of nature's creatures. It is definitely a unique way to see the outdoors and a great way to get a leg up on the fish.

There are drawbacks. You can only paddle so far and it's not much fun if it's real windy, but for the most part kayak fishing is an adventure that yields a lot of good times and good stories.

And no you won't fall out. Why do people always ask me that? You can email Jeff at Kayjacker@aol.com

By Stu Valentine

There are really only three things anglers want to know: when, where, and how. They want to know when to fish, where to fish, and how to catch the species of fish they’re after (what equipment and bait to use).

When to Fish

The question of when to fish is a function of the time of year, the time of the month, and the time of day.

Time of Year:

There are distinct seasonal differences in the feeding behavior of fish (and their prey). Because fish are cold-blooded animals, their metabolic rates vary with the temperature of the water. Simply put, this means that as the water (air) temperature drops, fish move around more slowly and move less often, and therefore need less food. Conversely, higher water temperatures result in more activity and thus a greater need for food.

Fish specie exposed to more extreme seasonal variations in water temperature instinctively begin feeding in preparation for a time when their metabolism will prevent them from aggressive feeding. Fish inhabiting Florida waters are more active in the winter than more northern populations because the drop in water temperature is not as severe. You may have to slow down the presentation speed of your bait in January and February, but you can still catch fish in Florida in the winter.

The spawning behavior of most fish also takes place within a certain season each year. Three distinct behaviors can result during spawning. First, the rituals surrounding the spawning process require a great deal of energy, which causes the fish to feed more heavily. Secondly, fish may become more aggressive during spawning, attacking anything which might endanger their eggs or fry. Third, some species of fish do not feed much at all during spawning.

Time of Month:

Monthly factors which effect fishing success relate primarily to the rotation of the moon around the earth and the distance of the moon from the earth.

There remains some controversy concerning how the position of the moon affects fishing success. It is a fact that the tides and tidal currents are directly caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the oceans, which varies as a function of the proximity of the moon to a particular geographic area and the distance of the moon from the earth.

However, other theories which have been advanced concerning fish feeding behavior and the phase of the moon are not as well-accepted or documented. For example, many anglers swear that fish bite better on the full moon, while others put no credence in this belief. But it really isn’t such a far stretch to believe that the interaction of the moon and earth affect animal behavior simply because this planetary interaction is as ancient as the instincts of the animals which evolved under its influence.

Time of Day:

Daily fluctuations which affect fishing success include the amount of light, the barometric pressure, prey distribution and behavior, the phase and range of the tide, and tidal and river currents.

A prevailing theory states that fish feed more actively just before and after the four daily solunar events, which are sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset. This feeding behavior is said to begin 45 minutes before each event and lasts for a total of 90 minutes. It is easy to understand that fish feed at sunrise and sunset when changes in light angles create ambush opportunities. And it’s not hard to see how fish might feed more when then light of a full moon is shining on the water.

It’s a bit harder to accept that a moonset at ten in the morning, which we can’t even see, can affect the feeding behavior of fish. But the sun, the moon, and the water are the only factors which have been around since the beginning of life on this planet. The problem is that there has been very little research in the area of recreational fishing success as it relates to the sun and the moon.

Another area which is lacking in definitive scientific research is the influence of daily fluctuations in barometric pressure on fish feeding behavior. However, anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that both the relative barometric pressure level (the high and low range for a day) and the barometric pressure trend (whether the pressure is rising, steady, or falling) do affect fish feeding behavior.

The daily barometric pressure trend is highly predictable. The pressure rises until about 10:00 or 11:00 AM, falls until about 2:00 or 3:00 PM, and rises again until about 10:00 or 11:00 PM. In warmer months this cycle is interrupted only by the passing of storm. As a storm approaches, the pressure falls rapidly, only to rise once the storm has passed. Most anglers have reported catching more fish during periods of rising barometric pressure.

The barometric pressure level changes over a period of days rather than hours. The level changes in response to the movement and interaction of weather systems. I have found that I catch more fish when the BP level is between 29.90 and 30.40 inches. In other words, the best fishing days in terms of barometric pressure are those which are not too nice (sunny, and a BP level over 30.40) but not too nasty (lightning, and a BP level below 29.90).

The feeding behavior of predators like the largemouth bass, the redfish, and the seatrout are directly dependent upon the distribution and behavior of prey species. Clearly, game fish will be located near their food supply or along routes routinely used by the prey species. Typically, prey will hide in grasses, among fallen limbs, under rocks, or around/in some other structure. Other prey species travel in large schools and are constantly on the move, forcing the game fish to either lie in ambush or to follow the schools.

In saltwater fishing situations, the major variable in fishing success is the tide cycle. Each species has evolved its own specialized feeding behavior which occurs at specific times during each tide cycle and at a certain level in the water. The tidal currents, which bring the prey species to the game fish, are fastest from about three hours after low tide until about three hours after high tide.

Because the tides are caused by the position of the moon, some anglers follow the tide cycle even when fishing in non-tidal waters. While this may or may not be productive, there is no question that currents in rivers and streams provide feeding opportunities in much the same way as do tidal currents.

Where To Fish

Where one fishes is primarily a function of the target species (either saltwater or freshwater) and the number of places available to fish. But exactly where to fish within a body of water is more complex and can often be a hit or miss process.

As mentioned above, the best areas to fish are where you believe the target fish’s prey to be hiding. So, fish the grasses, the fallen trees, the eddies, the holes, etc. first. And also fish the areas where the target species might be while not feeding, such as in deeper water. And, of course, fish the areas where you have previously had success. Many fish are creatures of habit and feed in the same ways and in the same places day after day, with these patterns being interrupted only by seasonal changes or spawning.

How to Fish

How to fish depends on what you’re fishing for; whether you are lure fishing, live-bait fishing, or dead-bait fishing; where you are fishing; and when you are fishing. There are probably as many ways to fish as there are types of fish. So I will not attempt to discuss this topic in detail here. The point is, you must learn either from experience or from others just how to fish for your target species. Thankfully, there is a great deal of information on the subject of how to fish.

Guidelines

Here are some guidelines which will help you to know when to fish, where to fish, and how to fish. Follow them and you will be well on your way to catching more fish more often.

1. Find out the habits and behaviors of your target species, such as when they spawn, when they migrate, how they react to changes in water temperature, what they eat, etc.. Read everything about them you can get your hands on. There is a wealth of free fishing articles on this site and on other fishing sites.

2. Keep a fishing diary or log and record all of the variables you think are important on your fishing trips. Soon you will discover patterns in your data which will point you to the right places to fish, the right times to fish, and the right bait to use.

3. Experiment! Try different lures and different lure presentations. Change baits or use more than one bait at a time such as minnows on one line and and shrimp on another. Move away from areas where you have caught fish before if they aren’t biting and into unlikely areas. Keep on the move and don’t spend too much time in one spot if the fish are not biting (spend no more than 10 - 15 minutes).

4. Go fishing as often as you can. The more often and the more thoroughly you fish a body of water, the more fish you will catch and the more you will learn about your target species.

5. Visit fishing web sites. These sites can help you to find out where other anglers are catching their fish. They may not reveal their exact spots, but by reading message boards and fishing reports you can get an idea of where to fish and how to fish.

Stu

By Stu Valentine

When it comes to boats for fishing Guana Lake, the Gheenoe is hard to beat. Having used my Gheenoe for some time now, I thougt I would provide an unbiased review.

Factor	Score	Comments
Comfort	95	The Gheenoe's seats are quite comfortable and remain so for up to six hours. There is plenty of room to stretch out your legs when you are facing the center of the boat. The person in the front can also stretch out when facing the end of the boat.
Handling	90	It doesn't take a very big motor to power a Gheenoe because it is so light; it glides very smoothly through the water. There is a 10 HP limit but even a 2 or 3 HP motor works fine for most fishing. The boat is a bit hard to guide at times, owing to the awkwardness involved in reaching around to grasp the motor handle while trying to see where you are going. It also has a wide turning radius, which takes some getting used to.
Stability	95	The Gheenoe is quite stable, allowing the angler to safely stand up and to move around. It is not prone to tipping over like its cousin, the canoe.
Portability	85	While the 15 foot Gheenoe can certainly be carried on a car top, it is best transported using a trailer. This is because its design makes it awkward to pick up and to lift (120 pounds).
Storage space	95	The 15 foot Gheenoe has plenty of space for two anglers to store their poles, tackle, cooler, anchors, and more. You can carry two coolers, two tackle boxes, and four combos and have room left over.
Affordability	95	Compared to other boats which have also been designed for lake, pond, and marsh fishing, the reasonable cost of the 15 foot Gheenoe is a pleasant surprise (around $800).
Fishability	90	Let's face it. All boats have some limit on how well you can fish from them. The Gheenoe is no exception. Whereas facing either the center or the end of the boat provides easy fishing, facing the side of the boat and fishing while seated is difficult unless you hang your feet over the side of the boat and into the water. But this is not a major restriction to fishing.
Overall rating	92	I have owned all types of boats, including jon boats, canoes, mini bass boats, large bass boats, and ski boats. The Gheenoe beats them all as a fishing boat. I am very happy with the comfort, ease of handling, roominess, and performance it delivers. It is the best boat around for fishing the intracoastal marshes and Guana Lake... Stu

By Stu Valentine

Over millions of years, fish have evolved complex feeding behaviors as they have adapted to their environments. Each species has its unique foods, feeding times and reasons for feeding, along with certain triggers which initiate feeding. The very complexity of fish ecology makes it unlikely that we will ever be able to sort out all the variables associated with fish feeding behavior.

Unless you are fishing in a small pond, just finding fish (let alone feeding fish) can often be very difficult for all but the most sophisticated professionals armed with the latest electronic devices. Even if you are equipped with a fish finder, there is often too much water and not enough time to fish it all. As time passes, so do each day’s fishing opportunities.

To complicate the issue even more, each time we go fishing, the variables related to the feeding behavior of fish differ. Fish move around, water warms up and cools down, natural bait populations move, inter-species competition varies, weather changes occur, the time of day spent fishing varies, the water level may vary, etc..

Even if we wanted to, we are powerless to duplicate the circumstances surrounding a great fishing day.

Controlling The Variables

While it is true that there are many variables that we will never be able to control or even know about, some variables can be controlled.

The main controllable variables are: where you fish, when you fish, what you fish for, and what bait you use. These controllable variables can be used to construct a fishing strategy.

Example Of A Fishing Strategy

The best way to know where to fish is to try many spots over an extended time period within your chosen body of water to get a feel for where the fish tend to congregate, based on your catches. When Dale Ball and I first started fishing Guana Lake for redfish, we moved around the lake trying all of the different habitats. After a couple of years of fishing in this body of water, we discovered, in general terms, where our target species usually schooled. We could almost always find them open water about 20 – 40 feet from the vegetation or shore in about a half dozen spots.

Concurrently, we learned when to fish. We discovered that we almost never caught fish from about 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM (when the barometric pressure was falling). We caught few fish during cold fronts or on beautiful clear days (when the barometric pressure was too high or stalled) or when rain was approaching (when the barometric pressure was falling or was too low). We caught most of our fish when the barometric pressure was rising or steady and was within the range of about 29.90 to 30.15 inches; this corresponded approximately to 6:00 - 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM, and later during months of daylight saving time.

We also learned what baits to use. We tried mud minnows, but found the reds preferred our dead shrimp. We tried live shrimp a couple of times, but they were no more effective than dead ones and a great deal more trouble and cost more. So we just use fresh dead shrimp, and the occasional fresh crab piece or cut ladyfish, two favorites of the BIG reds.

Summary

Stated simply, our fishing strategy is:

We fish in our proven Guana Lake areas (limit the where), in the morning or late afternoon/evening when the barometric pressure is rising (limit the when), for redfish (limit the species), using dead shrimp or cut fish (limit the bait).

By limiting the where, when, what species, and what bait variables, our success level has skyrocketed. In 2003 we caught and released over 900 fish in Guana Lake using our strategy; 610 of these were redfish.

We know that if the redfish are not biting where they have bitten before, despite applying our strategy, it’s time to go home!

Stu

By Stu Valentine

There will always be two sets of anglers. One set of anglers will approach the sport as a leisurely one that has the benefits of solitude, proximity to nature, and the somewhat remote possibility of a plentiful catch. This group claims to enjoy just getting away for a while. The other set will have as its primary goal catching as many fish as possible in the time allotted. If you fall in this second set, this article is for you.

Although an angler may say he or she didn’t mind spending six hours on the water without catching a single fish, he is most likely very frustrated and disappointed over his lack of anything to show for his time, money, and effort.

Yes, each of us will have trips that do not produce many fish. But there are ways to dramatically improve your catch rate on a regular basis without spending money on fish finders, GPS gadgets, or a fancy boat.

You can catch more fish more often by analyzing your fishing habits as they relate to the following variables:

1. The number of poles you use
2. The distance of your casts
3. The number of casts you make
4. The body of water you are fishing
5. The pattern you employ to fish an area
6. The number of hours spent fishing
7. The number of spots fished

Number of Poles

If you are strictly a lure angler, then you can never fish with more than one lure-rigged pole at a time (although you can have several pre-rigged with a different lure on each line).

But if you are fishing with live or dead bait, you can have several lines in the water (limited by what the law allows). This serves three purposes. First, it doubles or triples your chance of a fish finding your bait. Second, it allows you to cover a larger area. Third, it allows you to more quickly determine if there are feeding fish in the spot you have chosen.

However, the disadvantage to having more than one line in the water if the fish are feeding aggressively is that you may get a bite on more than one line and not be able to set the hook on both or either.

Therefore, if the fishing are not feeding aggressively (you are getting bites, but not close together) it pays to use two, maybe three rigs. But if you are getting bites every few minutes you should weigh the risk of missing a bite or even losing a rig against the added bait exposure of using more than one rig.

Finally, all of these scenarios are mitigated by the amount of time you spend in each fishing spot. If there are no feeding fish in the spot, it doesn’t matter how many lines you have in the water. So, you must know when to move on (more on that later).

Casting Distance

Many anglers don’t give much thought to the distance of their casts. But this distance equates to the perimeter of your current fishing spot. That is, when you move to another spot, you want to make sure you are least twice the distance of your average cast from your previous spot. Otherwise, you will be overlapping into area which you have already fished.

Remember that you moved to a new spot for a good reason; either you were not getting any bites, or you caught some fish an then ceased getting bites. At any rate, you don’t want to fish this area again.

Number of Casts

Lure anglers know full well that the more casts you make per unit of time, the greater the likelihood of catching fish. But live and dead bait anglers should also make as many casts as possible in any given spot in order to increase their likelihood of encountering feeding fish.

Generally speaking, if there are fish where you have positioned your bait, they will bite very soon after you cast, usually within five minutes or so. Therefore, you are probably wasting valuable fishing time if you spend any longer than this on any given cast. Obviously, more time should be spent in any area where fish are caught. And all of your lines should be cast into this area.

Body of Water

Clearly, the body of water you are fishing is a critical component in the fishing equation. Fishing in still water is different from fishing in current. Fishing wide open areas differs from fishing in restricted waters.

The key to optimizing your catches per hour is to create a plan to efficiently cover the surface area of the body of water. There are several basic coverage patterns which can be used to fish a body of water. Which one to choose depends upon the shape of the lake or stream.

To increase your chances of catching fish, you should also keep on the move. Your chances of encountering fish increase when both you and the fish are moving.

Fishing Patterns

Most anglers choose their spots using only intuition. They get a “feeling” about where the fish are based on how a particular spot looks.

But there is amazingly little known about the habits of most game fish, making predicting their location quite difficult. Making matters worse is the fact that fish don’t usually stay in one place for very long. While fish do have a “home” range, this range can be fairly large, and the fish within it are constantly on the prowl for food.

To increase your chances of catching fish, you should also keep on the move in a planned manner. Your chances of encountering fish increase when both you and the fish are moving.

Try to abandon all preconceived notions about the location of the fish, especially in a body of water where you have never fished. In open water areas, for example, imagine the body of water you are fishing as a grid composed of squares measuring 90 feet on each side. The 90 feet is arrived at by assuming that your maximum casts are forty feet and that you put a 10 foot buffer space between spots to avoid overlapping areas.

Each of these squares represents a fishing spot. Imagine that your boat is positioned in the center of one of these squares. In order to maximize your coverage of this square, fish in a circular manner, casting your bait in eight or ten different directions.

This pattern will result in nearly complete coverage of each spot, assuming that the fish can find your bait if it is within a few feed of them.

Other patterns can be conceived and utilized which efficiently cover the water surface area, such as using a semi-circular pattern when your boat is positioned near and parallel to the shore.

Just remember that the pattern you choose should result in maximizing your coverage of each spot.

Number of Hours Spent Fishing

You might think that the more hours you spend fishing on any one fishing trip, the more fish you will catch. To some extent, this is true, especially if you employ the principles in this article. But at some point, it won’t matter what you do; the fish are through feeding until a later time. Typically, fish feed in the morning, shut down in the afternoon, and begin feeding again in the evening.

The key is to maximize the use of your limited time when the fish are most likely to be feeding. Try to eliminate any activities which eat up valuable fishing time, such as travel time, boat positioning, bait or lure rigging, eating, and so on.

In short, work out methods which cut the time it takes to get to a spot and to start fishing. Once fishing, focus on maximizing the coverage of your new spot.

Number of Spots Fished

If you are destined to catch fish during your trip, you and the fish must meet up. But just being in the same place at the same time is not enough. The fish have to be hungry and they must be attracted to the bait you are using.

The more spots you fish, the greater the likelihood that all of these factors will come together to result in a catch or, hopefully, many catches.

The maximum time you should spend at any spot (square) without getting any quality bites is about twenty minutes. This time will vary depending on the number of anglers and the number of poles used simultaneously by each angler. For example, if two anglers have a total of six lines in the water and neither of them gets a quality bite in ten minutes, it’s best to move to another spot.

Twenty minutes may sound like a pretty short time to spend in a spot, but remember that your proactive goal is to systematically search for the fish, not to wait for them to come to you.

Once you have fished all around your boat, move on to the next spot (square). It’s a good idea to sketch out your spots on top of an aerial photo before leaving on your trip. You can find these photos at www.google.com.

At some point you may have to admit that no matter what you do or where you fish, you are not going to have a good fishing day. It’s best to go home and try again some other day.

Stu