Nature has no bad weather - a famous saying that has nothing to do with fishing. Even a novice fisherman knows that the fish bite is influenced by numerous factors - atmospheric pressure, rain and other types of precipitation, air and water temperature, wind strength and direction, phases of the moon and the migration season of fur seals.
Pike also do not always bite equally actively - the fisherman’s task is to constantly analyze, observe and put together bits of information in order to know what pressure, wind direction, as well as other weather factors are to the liking of the pike, and when, as they say: “June - go fishing spit” (it’s not true!).
All the information presented is not dogma, there are no rules without exceptions. Sometimes, in the heat of July in the middle of the day, a pike goes berserk and grabs a camera carelessly dropped into the water, and sometimes on a cloudy day with a light drizzle it is silent, like Gerasim over a mumu.
Correlation of weather phenomena and pike biting
So, experience shows that the following weather phenomena and events influence the pike bite:
- Season . Spring Summer Autumn.
- Time of day . Morning afternoon Evening Night.
- Atmospheric pressure (low, normal, high).
- Precipitation (rain, snow, hail).
- Wind strength and direction (calm, moderate breeze, strong wind, squall).
- Air temperature.
- Water temperature.
- Moon phases (lunar calendar for pike fishing).
- Water level, its transparency.
Almost all weather parameters that influence pike biting are closely related to the season of the year, therefore, taking into account the general principles, we will also start from the main factor - seasonality.
What weather is best to catch pike?
Does pike bite in the rain?
The ideal weather for pike is light rain with moderate wind. It is on those days when it rains evenly that this fish is most active. For a fisherman, such weather will not be a problem if he has a good raincoat or membrane suit; he will happily endure such weather and will enjoy the frequent bites of pike.
In what wind does pike bite better?
Pike bite better when there is a slight wind, which creates large ripples in the water, but so that they do not turn into waves.
It is impossible to say the exact wind strength because it will depend on the size and openness of the body of water. In one place the wind can raise waves, but in another place, at the same speed, create only barely visible ripples.
The fisherman needs to observe the surface of the water in the body of water where the predator is being caught.
The influence of moon phases on biting
The active bite of pike is influenced by various factors. These also include the phases of the moon. Understanding the lunar cycle will help you understand the behavior of a predator and achieve excellent results in catching it.
Time of day: illumination, visibility in water, biorhythms
In summer, pike can be caught at the following times of day in descending order:
- morning dawn from the spruce tree is visible until the first rays of the sun;
- two hours after sunrise;
- evening - from 17 to 19;
- in the daytime - the more sun there is, the weaker the bite and vice versa;
- at night - rarely, but it happens, especially if the night is moonlit.
This gradation is associated with biorhythms - the predator fills its belly in the summer during those hours when the water is as cool as possible. In sunny days, you should look for it in the pits, although even there success is not guaranteed at this time - the somnambulist is resting.
At night, visibility is minimal, so the activity of pike also decreases; it is not a nocturnal predator, not burbot or catfish.
In spring and autumn, the time frame is blurred, the water is already cool, and zhor is observed - post-spawning and pre-freezing, respectively. Therefore, pike are caught throughout the day, activity depends on many factors, weather conditions are also important, but more on that later.
Optimal atmospheric pressure for pike fishing in spring, autumn and winter
Atmospheric pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury; the normal value is 760 mm at sea level. This pressure is considered normal, respectively, higher than this indicator is increased, lower - decreased.
With increased pressure, the pike rises to the surface of the reservoir, and with a decrease, it sinks to the bottom. This is due to the fact that when the pressure decreases, carbon dioxide and other harmful gases rise to the surface of the water. This is worth considering when fishing.
With low pressure, rain and wind are usually observed; on the contrary, an increase is accompanied by clear and sunny weather.
Note that the main axiom is that the stability of atmospheric pressure is important, and not its qualitative value. If the pressure does not change, or changes within 3-8 mm over several days, you can safely go fishing. But the races force the fish to change their usual way of life (change their parking place and depth, activity decreases due to a painful condition), due to the fact that the composition and density of the water changes.
From experience in catching striped predators, it can be noted that pike bite well at consistently low pressure in the region of 740-750 mm . A slight breeze from the west, south or south-west will be a plus. At high pressure (which means heat and heat), the predator does not take it, or takes it only at dawn.
Migration of pike depending on atmospheric pressure
Thus, with stable pressure, pike bite at any time of the year; in summer they prefer a slightly lower pressure; in spring and autumn, on the contrary, a gradual increase - this clearly looks like an improvement in the weather.
How pressure affects pike fishing in winter
Looking ahead, let's say right away - no way. Assessing the effect of pressure on pike biting in winter is associated with one well-known fishing myth. Its essence lies in the fact that atmospheric pressure affects the internal pressure of the fish itself (in particular, the swim bladder). And in order for the pike to feel comfortable during pressure surges, it is forced to change the depth of its stay in proportion to the increase or decrease. In fact, the fish pressure indicator is equalized in the ratio of 1 cm of depth to 1 mm of mercury. That is, if the pressure drops by 15 mm, then the pike will need to rise only 15 cm.
Nevertheless, a trend in the depth of location of the toothed predator in proportion to pressure is observed. You can be guided by this factor, but you can’t put it at the forefront. Moreover, calculate the possible bite based on the mercury column indicator. Strictly speaking, it can be completely neglected if other, more influential factors are known. We'll talk about them further.
Read how to effectively catch pike in winter using a balance beam and why you should choose this bait.
Wind strength and direction
The breeze has a positive effect on the activity of pike. It raises ripples, this disorients the fish and makes it easier to deceive, plus the wind is often accompanied by a smooth decrease in pressure, which is a plus when fishing for catfish and striped fish.
The power of the gusts can even be significant; if there are no pressure surges, then this does not worsen the bite. Another point is that it is very difficult to fish in a strong squall, especially with a spinning rod.
In calm weather, the bite is usually not so active, although at dawn the opposite is true. The best weather at dawn is fog or light drizzle, calm or a light breeze.
The best wind directions are west, south and south-west without sudden changes in direction.
At what pressure is pike successfully caught in the fall?
Pressure affects the activity of a large predator much more than the direction and strength of the wind. The main thing a spinner should take into account in the fall is stability. If it is consistently clear for several days, this does not contribute to a good bite, but the chances are higher than if conditions change daily. Cloudy days are almost always accompanied by low pressure. In this weather the bite is more intense.
The best atmospheric pressure for successful pike fishing in the fall is stable in the range from 750 to 760 mm Hg. If it has not changed significantly for 2-3 days, the bite promises to be good. For a trophy weighing 5 kg or more, this period extends to 4-5 days.
A jumping barometer needle, that is, changes, negatively affect the activity of pike. It’s easy to understand why it’s better caught with a certain indicator - in the fall the barometer often shows low values, and when they do, small fish go to the depths - where the toothy ones prefer to hunt. Its activity is associated with the availability of sufficient food. There are many objects of hunting in the immediate vicinity of it - it attacks them, while losing caution and does not always have time to distinguish the spoon from the fish.
Precipitation - does pike bite in drizzle, rain, downpour?
It has been noticed that pike respond very readily to spinning baits in light, drizzling rain, which either intensifies or stops altogether. This is especially true in the summer - the air and water temperatures drop, and the pressure drops. This provokes the predator to become active and eat.
It is important to know! Before a thunderstorm in the summer, within 2-3 hours, there is very often an instant activation of zhora, which begins abruptly and ends just as abruptly. Don't miss this opportunity.
Water temperature
Pike does not tolerate extremes. Water boiling from the heat in the summer, or cold to zero in the winter - don’t expect a pike bite. In the June-August heat, the water warms up to its maximum and at this time it is worth looking for a predator in the pits, on the stream, in areas where several multidirectional currents collide and create the effect of an aerator - seething, oxygenated water.
It is also worth shifting the emphasis to catching pike at dawn, in rain and fog - in such weather there is more activity and the fish bite greedily.
In winter, in the dead of winter, it is usually impossible to lure a pike, but if the hunt is worse than captivity, you can try to look for places where the water is warmer and saturated with oxygen - dams, bridges, hydroelectric power stations.
Great winter weather for pike fishing
Despite the fact that meteorological conditions do not dictate the behavior of fish, there are still models of the best weather for catching pike in winter. They are different for each season and location, but in general, “ideal” pike weather looks like this. A cloudy winter day with a slight frost, there is a slight wind and snow falls from time to time. This is if we take the weather in general. Next, we will pay attention to several individual parameters and even delve a little deeper into the numbers. We remind you that these factors do not affect the predator’s bite itself.
With their help, you can only determine the approximate behavior of the fish in a given period.
Water temperature
At the start of the season, when the thermometer is not yet off the charts, the water temperature does not in any way affect the behavior of the toothy fish. Still the same moderate activity.
In the dead of winter, when the warmest water has a temperature no higher than +4, all living creatures go into energy saving mode. Pike is no exception here. The fish's metabolism slows down, the amount of food decreases, and pike attacks occur less frequently than usual. The abundant catch of small white fish speaks precisely of the passivity of our predator.
In the final stage of the winter season, water temperature also does not play any role, since everything here depends on the amount of energy that the fish have saved over the winter. If there is not enough of it, the fish will be active no matter what.
Oxygen
We have already discussed that in winter pike loves those places where there is a large accumulation of oxygen in the water column. But what does this have to do with? With energy consumption, of course. In oxygen-enriched water, fish do not need to strain their gills much to breathe, as a result of which energy is saved. The predator can spend them on more important matters (searching for potential food and hunting).
If there is prolonged warming in the winter, then go to places where the most melting occurs. After all, with melt water, oxygen also comes under the ice, which gives strength to the pike and encourages the fish to be active.
Pressure
This factor, as we found out, does not play a big role on the behavior of the toothy one. But more weather-dependent fish (including forage fish) with pressure changes are forced to change the depth of their location. In this regard, the most favorable atmospheric pressure for catching pike in winter fishing is considered to be 740–745 mmHg. It’s best if these numbers last for a couple of days. Plankton and small fish have already managed to occupy the depth, and along with them our toothy predator.
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Dependence on the time of year - seasonality of pike biting: a brief summary
Good cool weather for pike in spring
In spring, pike begin to actively feed before and after spawning 7-10 days later, usually in mid-April to early May. In reservoirs where there is no ban, it is worth trying to catch it with silver bait, due to the fact that the water is cloudy and dirty. You can often find it in heated areas of the reservoir - it is at this time that heated water is a plus.
Quiet days with a light wind from the south are good. Cloudy weather conditions are also working.
Spreaders, noisy minnow wobblers and crankbaits are good.
Summer time - what does the toothy one like in the heat?
In the heat of the day, fishing should be postponed until dawn - evening and especially morning. It’s good when the pressure is settled around 740 mm for the middle latitudes of Russia and the CIS.
If there is fog outside, cloudy and rainy weather without showers, or just the sky is overcast, then you can catch a predator throughout the daylight hours.
Lures - jigs, oscillating and rotating spoons, wobblers.
In the hottest sunshine we go to holes, edges and areas next to a fast current. We fish in the water column and near the bottom.
When is the best time for pike to bite in the fall - pressure, wind and other weather factors
In early autumn - mid-August-September, pike live in many respects according to the “rules” of summer time - they are active due to low pressure, and tend to feed on heavy rain and cool days.
Autumn October - November, when the average daily temperature drops below 15 degrees, is the time for the pre-spawning feast of pike, which no self-respecting spinning fisher will miss.
The best pressure for fishing in the fall is stable, slightly above normal or normal. Good fishing throughout daylight hours. There are usually several bursts of activity: 7-9 am, 15-17 pm and at sunset.
Winter suffering
In winter, pike bite well on the first ice. Particularly active during light snowfall and light frost. During snowstorms and blizzards, activity is weak. In the wilderness, it is worth looking for places saturated with oxygen - dams, bridges, ice holes, cracks in the ice.
What really affects a predator’s bite in winter?
Let's start with the fundamentals. The main thing you need to know when preparing for winter fishing for pike is its location. It directly depends on the migration of food fish (it is logical that the predator is in the area where potential food lives). Fishing will become useless if you choose the right weather, stock up on excellent baits and equipment, and there are simply no fish in your place of stay.
The second most important will be the fishing period (first ice, deep winter or thaw). In each of these seasons, pike behave differently: the level of activity increases at the start of winter, as well as with the first rays of the spring sun.
Depending on the location of the predator, the time of day chosen for fishing may be important. It happens that on some reservoirs fish go hunting at certain hours, “according to a schedule.”
The secondary factors influencing the bite include the following:
- Moon phases;
- illumination;
- magnetic storms;
- general weather situation.
Snowfall
Let's consider the influence of weather on the winter bite of pike by projecting natural phenomena characteristic of the Russian winter onto the behavior of the fish. When fishing in snowfall, for example, it is important to assess the degree of its power. If you came fishing on a clear day (or it was yesterday), but light snow began to fall during the process, then pike activity is possible. This is due to the fact that the predator senses the approach of a cyclone and wants to eat for future use.
If the precipitation situation is stable (for example, it has been snowing for three days), then the toothy will feed as standard. Under other positive conditions, you will only need to wait for the bite.
If on the day planned for fishing there is a snowstorm and blizzard outside your window, then the point of going for pike will be small. During the period of raging elements, the fish will not be active and lies at depth. There is no point in being a hero - the pike is full, because before the onset of the cyclone it ate much more than usual.
Freezing
Here it is worth taking into account the fishing period and how severe the frost is. If we are talking about the start of the season, then a light frost will work on the angler’s side, since the pike behaves quite actively on the first ice. And from a technical point of view, the process is simplified (at least, there is no need to drill a deep hole).
In the dead of winter, in bitter frost, the chance of a bite is noticeably lower. Pike do not like water that is too cold, on the verge of freezing. But if you are extremely determined, then you should go to places where there is more oxygen in the water (accordingly, it is a little warmer). As a rule, these are bodies of water near dams or hydroelectric power stations, as well as areas of water located under bridges.
In general, the usual winter frost does not spoil the picture. It is especially good if the temperature remains stable and slightly below zero. In this case, the thermometer reading can be neglected, since the toothy behavior will depend on other factors.
Wind
“Do you want it with or without ice?” It is not difficult to guess that in ice the wind does not affect the behavior of the pike at all (the fish simply does not know what is happening above).
Another situation is when the water has not yet crusted over. In this case, the wind currents will play for you again. The movement of air causes ripples that cause the pike to become temporarily disoriented. At such moments it is easier to deceive the predator.
This theory extends not only to a light breeze, but also to stronger wind currents. Another thing is that in this situation it is easy for the fisherman himself to lose his bearings. Especially when it comes to spinning fishing.
Some fishermen even note the wind directions that are most favorable for biting. These include southern, southwestern and western directions. Of course, this is more of a convention than a real factor.
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