"Steve S" said:
Fished: 10am till 2:30pm
Wind: 5mphNE the switched to the NW at 5 to 15
Snowing to beat the band
3 flags 2 fish 22" & 25"I would have figured with the barometer falling and the storm coming, it should have been crazy. Does the barometer falling not make as much difference ice fishing?
I've never ice fished, but heard from several others that before a snow storm hit, the fishing was good. But during – not so much.
I'm not an ice fisherman, either, but I'm also not a big believer in the barometer, either. Drops in barometric pressure occur when a "front" passes, and these almost always include a substantial increase in cloud cover, too. My feeling is that the change in light is more responsible in triggering the fishy movements and activity. And the magnitude of these changes in light are reduced by the ice (and snow) covering the water in winter, making the arrival of the front less of a trigger in movement when ice covered, not to mention the fact that the fish are simply less active in the colder water of winter, too.
This is all pure speculation on my part, but I think it's relatively large changes in light levels that are more likely the stimulus of fish activity than the small change in atmospheric pressure, where the pressure only changes a few percent under normal conditions, which normally are about 30 inches of mercury plus or minus 0.5 inches.
"hemichemi" said:
I'm not an ice fisherman, either, but I'm also not a big believer in the barometer, either. Drops in barometric pressure occur when a "front" passes, and these almost always include a substantial increase in cloud cover, too. My feeling is that the change in light is more responsible in triggering the fishy movements and activity. And the magnitude of these changes in light are reduced by the ice (and snow) covering the water in winter, making the arrival of the front less of a trigger in movement when ice covered, not to mention the fact that the fish are simply less active in the colder water of winter, too.This is all pure speculation on my part, but I think it's relatively large changes in light levels that are more likely the stimulus of fish activity than the small change in atmospheric pressure, where the pressure only changes a few percent under normal conditions, which normally are about 30 inches of mercury plus or minus 0.5 inches.
Very, very wise answer!!
"hemichemi" said:
I'm not an ice fisherman, either, but I'm also not a big believer in the barometer, either. Drops in barometric pressure occur when a "front" passes, and these almost always include a substantial increase in cloud cover, too. My feeling is that the change in light is more responsible in triggering the fishy movements and activity. And the magnitude of these changes in light are reduced by the ice (and snow) covering the water in winter, making the arrival of the front less of a trigger in movement when ice covered, not to mention the fact that the fish are simply less active in the colder water of winter, too.This is all pure speculation on my part, but I think it's relatively large changes in light levels that are more likely the stimulus of fish activity than the small change in atmospheric pressure, where the pressure only changes a few percent under normal conditions, which normally are about 30 inches of mercury plus or minus 0.5 inches.
Ok, Albert. Which book did you copy that from? 🙄 [smilie=biggrin.gif] Makes perfect sense, though!
Intereisting, when the wind picked up from the NW and it snowing big time and it got a little bit darker. Iturned around and was facing N and you couldn't see 3/4 of the lake. When I turned back to my tip-ups the hot hole went off again with the 2t5. Don't know if the wind, snow or being darker. So what do you think Dr. Demento!!
"Steve S" said:
Maybe I'm sick, but I always enjoyed getting up early and plowing, money was good! 😯 you'd look like this at the end of the day!
Yeah, money is good, and I don't mind it. It's just tough when it's your 2nd job and you are working a full-time one during the days when the other plowers are napping!
"hemichemi" said:
[quote="Steve S"]…it got a little bit darker … the hot hole went off again
'Nuff said! 
I mean, if I were an ambush predator, I'd wait for a dark period and then quickly move into action… 
Unless you were a pike!… Not that they don't ever move into action under low light conditions, but its not their prime chow time. Their eyes physically cannot gather as much light as other predators, so they don't have that advantage over their prey and that definitely holds true that you don't often catch pike under those conditions.
As for the barometer, there is absolutely 100% no way for human understanding to comprehend fish being able to sense barometric pressure changes. BUT- that doesn't mean that they don't! I'm not 100% sure they do… but it seems like it (independent of clouds/light change), and without question fish sense and react to subtle environmental changes that we do not perceive.
Right! My experience has been that I've rarely caught pike the last hour before dark on the ice. I've done much better at first light and throughout the day. I've only caught a few pike after dark on top water in open water. They are tuning in to the sound and not so much site. Normally, pike are not a night time feeder.
I've had some really good days this year fishing for Gills. There are so many variables that go in to this. First ice location, seasonal movements, last ice location. This is true whether targeting pre spawn pike, gills, perch, walleye, etc.
I normally have best success on overcast days. Light precipitation in the form of snow, or rain if it jumps above 33 or so, has been magic at times but not always. Strong winds and blowing blizzard like conditions have not usually been good although I can remember one time many years ago when the crappie absolutely went crazy. I've had a few sunny and calm days this year that were absolutely great for site fishing for gills in a shanty. Time on the water, whether it's open water or hard, and paying attention to weather and when you've been most successful will then develop patterns. There are times when I feel they just shouldn't really be active and they go on a feeding binge. There are other times when conditions are perfect and it's a tough bite.
Some lakes have an early and late bite related to lower light conditions. Fish move in to weeds during the day and can be caught but are more neutral so must be finessed. Other lakes have a good mid day bite.
"TimD" said:
Right! My experience has been that I've rarely caught pike the last hour before dark on the ice. I've done much better at first light and throughout the day.
That is exactly what I have experienced as well. Through the ice my buddies and myself have little to no action after about 2-3pm, with mid to late morning being our best time. My grandpa used to always tell me that pike don't bite at night, and for the most part that seems to hold true. We walleye fish my grandparents lake at night quite often because not only is it the best time to walleye fish, but you also don't have to mess with 16-20 inches hammer handles the whole time like you do during the day.
"hemichemi" said:
[quote="Steve S"]…it got a little bit darker … the hot hole went off again
'Nuff said!
I mean, if I were an ambush predator, I'd wait for a dark period and then quickly move into action…
Some of my most successful muskie outings have been on cloud covered windy/rainy evenings on Austin, our biggest fish so far was caught after 1030pm..
Just to add to theory and conjecture pool.
52
33