The Fishing Barometer explained

We’ve already talked about how to read a barometer and interpret it’s measurements; we’ve also discussed about all the possible types of barometers – may it be a mercury, aneroid, digital, pocket or any other type of barometer – but we haven’t yet talked about the way a barometer could be used for fishing.

Barometers are usually used to measure the atmospheric pressure and for weather forecasting. According to a certain study published in the in-fisher magazine the weather conditions affect the feeding behavior of fish. Apparently they’ve discovered that when a cold front is building up the fish will be more eager to bite and thus you’ll catch more of them. There isn’t a valid explanation till now why this happens but it’s ‘proven science’.  Fish can go up and down in the water thereby moving through different pressure areas with little or no bad side effects. The only logical explanation so far as to why a fishing barometer works the way it does is because the variation in atmospheric pressure affects the air bladder in the fish. When the barometer is low, the bite is off, as the fish will spend most of their efforts on equalizing their air bladder and pay less attention to eating. However, when the pressure is high the chances for catching fish is far greater. Fish will feed at the onset of a storm and between the approaching fronts, or as the barometer rises and falls through the course of the day.

Unfortunately it’s not as easy as it sounds – you might know how to read a barometer and interpret it’s measurements, but as I’ve previously stated this isn’t quite an exact science – it’s more of a ‘field tested science test’ that worked on most occasions. You can get a fishing barometer from Cabela’s – a specialized fishing store and much more. Here’s a link to one of their cheap models that’s currently being rated at $12.99 and it’s got a rating of 3.6 out of 5 – so it’s not quite perfect but you’re getting what you’re paying for so it’s understandable.

Here’s a review of the Cabela Fishing Barometer:

Keep a constant eye on atmospheric pressure changes to take full advantage of the best times to be on the lake. When the barometer is on the rise, the needle moves through the multicolored key to let you know the fish are at their best. A red indicator shows you where the needle was at the last time you set it to give an instant indication of rising or falling pressure. The rubberized body provides an easy grip, wet or dry. And it comes with a lanyard to prevent accidental drops.

Below is a picture that best describes how the fish is affected by the change in the atmospheric pressure. The fishing barometer is used to interpret such signs and give results based on those interpretations. All in all, a fishing barometer is a must-have tool for every professional fisher and not only. As a rookie fisher it could help you improve your fishing skills.

fishing barometer