It's been raining and cold in Central Texas for a week. Today is beautiful and sunny, but the air pressure is through the roof (30.48 and climbing).
Would you go fishing today?
I do because I have to fish when I have time. I can not wait for a perfect day and time. If I did I would never be able to fish.
Yes. I go when I can go.
yes!
It depends. If it's a long drive to the lake and I know I have days off later in the week, I'll postpone until then. If it's a short drive or I don't have any opportunities in the near future, I'll go ahead and go. But things never seem to work out that way so I usually just go. One of my hopes for if/when I retire is that i can be a little more choosey.
Well I'm looking at a Winter Wonderland here so you'll get not sympathy from me.
But I'd say, Yes by all means, hit the water. Enjoy the sun & fresh air.
But I will add that if you have historically struggled to get bit under similar conditions, you may want to utilize a different technique and / or presentation than what has not worked in the past.
One way to look at is you can catch nothing doing anything - might as well try something new. Who knows you just might bump into a few. During the conditions you've mentioned the fish are often in a neutral or even negative mood. This does make trying something new hard to believe in and results could be less than hoped. Not knowing much about your particular waters or fishing style makes it hard to provide viable suggestions. But stay positive, at least your fishing . . . . . .
The other way to go is to pick one presentation and only one and stick to it All Day. I'd recommend that it be something that you enjoy doing and have a high level of confidence in. For me - I'd be tying on a jig / craw and soaking that bait anywhere and everywhere until I got bit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.
Good Luck
A-Jay
I fish when I can. I don't let weather dictate too much.
The only thing which keeps me from the water is when I can't punch a jig through the ice. LOL
On 11/27/2013 at 10:20 PM, Siebert Outdoors said:I do because I have to fish when I have time. I can not wait for a perfect day and time. If I did I would never be able to fish.
x2
I go when I can
All the weather does for me is help me to decide what type of clothing to wear. The only exception is wind but then it just changes which bodies of water i will be targeting for the day.
All day, everyday-work permitting that is!! Weather has no influence, rain or shine, as long as there is no lightning, Ill be fishing..
On 11/27/2013 at 11:02 PM, flyfisher said:All the weather does for me is help me to decide what type of clothing to wear. The only exception is wind but then it just changes which bodies of water i will be targeting for the day.
X2
Yup - me too. And even in the summer during a full days fishing, it feels like I get a bit of all four seasons in one day. So I'm stripping off clothes and them later piling them back on again - kooky.
A-Jay
I figure if i am going to become a better angler I need to learn to catch fish in any type of conditions. And there is no way i am canceling an outing when the weather is good because it is post front.
I have thoguht twice about not going out when it is 40 and rainy but then i just change it up and actually go takethe long rod and chase trout in the mountains on most occasions. They are more likely to play nice when the weather is bad and i am moving more so staying warm is a little easier.
I fish any day I can. Except:
Thunderstorms & Lightning (rain OK)
Wind greater than 25 mph
Temp less than 50* (I'm getting old and I've lived in -20*)
I'm no hero.
I fish central Texas, and yes, I will go on a day like today. We had a situation similiar to what we're experiencing this week and i had really good results, but the pattern was very narrow. I was fishing Lady Bird Lake in Austin and what ended up happening was that i had to find the greenest and thickest vegetation or heaviest available cover and flip a 1/2 jig into these areas. Caught alot of fish doing this with multiple 5lbers. I also used a finesse worm in places where the water was to clear for the big jig; this also worked well.
I went out a few days ago before it cleared up, and it was miserable. I managed one 6lber but it was so cold and wet that i was concerned about becoming hypothermic, and so called it a day.
On 11/27/2013 at 10:20 PM, Siebert Outdoors said:I do because I have to fish when I have time. I can not wait for a perfect day and time. If I did I would never be able to fish.
You took the words out of my mouth, Mike.
Weather is always a factor to deal with, if it's safe to fish, the water isn't frozen, dress for the elements and go fishing. Looking at today's weather report it look like another storm is passing through your area. The bass are already deep and that is where you should be fishing.
Tom
I'm in the "go when I can" group. I also like to time a good moon too but I don't let it dictate when I can go.
I ended up going for three hours around lunchtime. It was second time on this BOW. Pressure was over 30.43 the entire time. Caught seven dinks and one 2.5 pounder.
At one point I swapped out the baby brush hog because I was tired of catching dinks. Nothing until I switched back. Caught the bigger fish on my last cast of the day.
Despite the lack of size, I had a fun time!
On 11/27/2013 at 10:40 PM, A-Jay said:Well I'm looking at a Winter Wonderland here so you'll get not sympathy from me.
But I'd say, Yes by all means, hit the water. Enjoy the sun & fresh air.
But I will add that if you have historically struggled to get bit under similar conditions, you may want to utilize a different technique and / or presentation than what has not worked in the past.
One way to look at is you can catch nothing doing anything - might as well try something new. Who knows you just might bump into a few. During the conditions you've mentioned the fish are often in a neutral or even negative mood. This does make trying something new hard to believe in and results could be less than hoped. Not knowing much about your particular waters or fishing style makes it hard to provide viable suggestions. But stay positive, at least your fishing . . . . . .
The other way to go is to pick one presentation and only one and stick to it All Day. I'd recommend that it be something that you enjoy doing and have a high level of confidence in. For me - I'd be tying on a jig / craw and soaking that bait anywhere and everywhere until I got bit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.
Good Luck
A-Jay
I agree with this, when the bite is tough it forces you to change up and go away from your traditional approach. I NEVER used to like finesse fishing but this year I went from tossing big hudds, ripping cranks, to throwing shakey heads and drop shots when I couldn't get bit. I used to dread post frontal thinking I would have to punch all day if out on the lake but with learning new techniques it can be just another good day out fishing!
Yeah thatOn 11/27/2013 at 10:48 PM, slonezp said:I go when I can
Yes. I don't get to fish that much, so I go whenever I can.
I fish every day.
I fish when I can
I fish when I can and am quite grateful for the times I can get out!
Don´t know about you pal but you can´t say it´s gonna be a bad day until the fat lady dances. and the dance usually takes place at sunset.
Not if I can help it.
On 11/29/2013 at 4:18 PM, SirSnookalot said:I fish every day.
do you always have to rub that in :)
On 11/30/2013 at 10:18 AM, flyfisher said:do you always have to rub that in :)
At least I'm not posting the photos anymore, lol.
You just never know when lightning is going to strike, some of my most memorable fish have been when the odds were totally against it. Couple of years ago I catch a permit on a jig from shore in the current of an inlet, they are not supposed to be there. Not a big fish by permit standards, I did have to run it down just short of 300 yards to avoid being spooled, amazingly the braid was not severed as it was rubbing up against the seawall. Yeh I already posted the pic, don't have to do it again...........hahaha.
The only times when I do alter my plans is when the water is too rough, I'll then find a place from shore, but I don't let bad conditions stop me.
I hope to get to a stage in my life where I could choose. Right now I'm in the go when I can route and hope for the best.
I go pretty much every day if my bones don't creak too much. This year I'm trying to learn as much as I can by putting into practice what I've read here! I'm a terrific reader but slow hands-on learner. After a cold front I pick a shallow pond, practice casting, presentations, feed the ducks and have a beer
Any day on the water is a good day!!
It's not always about catching fish..
Instead, it's about having fun and enjoying yourself!!!
If that's what weather is, and I've planned to fish, then so be it!
When your working you fish around your work schedule. So the answer is yes.