Under Pressure??

There has been a lot of talk lately about how pressure and weather effect fishing.  Specifically immediately after cold front conditions when high pressure has moved in and you are battling some fish that are unwilling to cooperate under these conditions.  Below is actually a piece I wrote last year on basically the same subject and since we just went through a few weeks of these conditions, I thought I would bring this one back.

Before we get ahead of ourselves we need to step back and talk a little about pressure.  As humans we are relegated to looking at a barometer to determine pressure changes.  Ok, yes I know, everyone has an uncle or grandfather that can tell when the pressure is falling because their left knee starts to hurt.  But, if you don't, you need to look at a barometer. Fish and most animals are much different, as they thrive in an environment where pressure, in combination with temp, time of year and daylight often drive their daily habits.

There is no disputing that changes in pressure effect fishing.  However, how and to what degree is something that can be debated forever.  For the sake of this piece we will deal with the scenario Joe asked about, cold front conditions with high pressure.  Anyone who has ever ice fished can related to these conditions, as we tend to see them a lot in the upper Midwest.  In fact, the previouos two weeks were a prefect example of these conditions.  So, what do I do to get fish to bite under these conditions?

First, to be successful in tough conditions, choose a lake that is known to have a good bite going this year.   Poor fishing conditions are not the time to be out sampling new spots or lakes you are unfamiliar with.  Pick a proven lake and a proven spot and you will up your odds significantly.  You know, one of those lakes that seems to be a good lake for ice fishing year after year.

Second, fish when the fish are biting.  I know this changes from day to day but for the most part, fish are more aggressive in the morning and evening so plan your trips around the time they "should" be biting.  They may not be biting, but your up your odds significantly by fishing when the should be biting.

Use good equipment!  Anyone that reads this blog knows I run Humminbird Flashers on the ice.  At a minimum, a flasher is a must under tough conditions.  When fish are not biting, it certainly helps to know they are down there.  Using your flasher, you can see how the fish are reacting to your bait.  Can you get that fish to chase your bait?  Will that fish come up more than 3ft off the bottom?  What is their reaction when you jig aggressively?  What do they do when you stop jigging?  A flasher will help you determine the mood of the fish which is key to putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

Now lets add a camera to the equation if you have one.  If you have an underwater camera, this is a perfect time to drop the camera and see how the fish are reacting.  If you can get fish to bite on camera, you will do very well,  no matter what the conditions are.  Since the conditions are so cold outside, slowing down some and sitting on top of your fish and trying to pluck a few of those tough biters with a camera is a great way to beat the pressure.  A camera will give you that visual so you can actually see the fish approach your bait.  You can watch them move forward or backward, depending on what you do.  This information provides a couple more crucial pieces to the puzzle.

You have now deployed all your technology and still think the bite is tough.  This is where you have to start thinking about the situation.  You noticed the fish will chase some, but will not bite.  Time to change up your presentation.  As a rule, under these conditions I would go small.  Small bait, small jigs, small minnows or whatever I am using, under tough conditions it is going to be small.  The next rule of course is slow.  Instead of fast or aggressive jigging action, you have to slow it down.  Sometimes little to no movement is the key and sometimes it is just a slow steady take away that will get them to commit.   When I say slow, I mean slow.  But, use the technology you have to determine the best approach.  Ninety percent of the time the slow takeaway is deadly under tough conditions.  Just pull it away from them at a very slow and steady speed and they usually can't resist.

Yes, these times can be frustrating but that doesn't mean that the fish won't bite.  By doing even a few of the things mentioned above you will put more fish on the ice in tough conditions.  Remember, if you let the conditions beat you, they will!  You can get fish to go under the worst conditions because they are always biting somewhere!  This is something I have to remind myself a lot when things get tough.