Fishing low pressure on Thursday and Friday brought strong results at the end of each cast. Overcast, chilling East North East winds and puffing may make the adventure a mental and physical challenge but it’s also a “signature” for success in the bitter depths of Winter and early Spring.
It’s exactly opposite most anglers “inclination” when reading the weather. While many would think “we’re in for a tough day” the outcome is just the opposite during the blustery Low Pressure pattern. The challenge comes to you when the winds back down, the sun comes out, and High Pressure eases in. Running days on end through weather transitions from Low to High Pressure are the chalk board where the lessons are taught time and again, results pretty similar, sometimes better or worse than expected.
I caught a post on the fishing reports page illustrating a “shut down” and tough fishing on Saturday and I can tell you that results on Sunday were pretty similar. Solidly centered in Low Pressure on Thursday and Friday, Capt. Steve Boldt and I witnessed a tremendous feeding cycle on both Trout and Redfish with a “no brainer” bite in virtually every location fished.
As High Pressure slid into the area on Saturday, it was a full bay lock down with success coming to a few and hard times visiting many. On Saturday morning, I powered our Air Ranger right into the thick of things with no results in two concentrations of fish. This is obviously a “huge difference” compared to the day before, centered in Low Pressure, when we caught fish with ease. Have I seen this play out before, many times. As winds back down and High Pressure sets in, Winter and Spring will often find a greatly diminished feeding pattern as weather gets better. These are the challenging days, the days you hope you are wrong. Sometimes you can fight your way out of it, tenacity, luck, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Why does this occur? In my opinion, the fish have been on such a strong feed during the Low Pressure pattern (hammering wind driven bait and working ambush strategies in off color water) to the point that they are simply engorged. This, in combination with “diminishing wind driven bait patterns” in calming winds and/or fog and resulting “slick-off”; clearing water (which clears much faster in the Winter & Spring); can lead to a tough day.
On Saturday, with the writing on the wall, we were fortunate enough to dig out 7 Redfish scattered throughout the “slot”. I considered us “blessed” based on what I was seeing, feeling, and hearing from fellow anglers on the water.
Strategies For High Pressure Lock Jaw
The first lesson would be to “avoid pre-disposition” on the eventual outcome of the trip, keep some PMA (positive mental attitude). The second most valuable lesson would be patience, only in terms of finding a “bite of some kind” and then grinding it down. Under these conditions, patient chipping and chiseling away at a slow bite on a “lock down” will out produce the impatient “churn and burn” every time. Patience can be hard to find when you can see the fish, know they are there, watch them kick mud-stirs, swim next to the boat, but won’t jump on the end of the rod.
Sunday, wade fishing with guests working Brown Lures over mud/grass in the Back Lakes, Capt. Steve Boldt called me at one point and said “we’re in literally two acres of Redfish and can’t get them to bite”! Steve ran into a solid Trout bite, mostly undersized, which were appreciated by the clients that were practicing “catch and release” anyway. The trip was delayed somewhat right off the bat with fog. Steve mentioned “it really didn’t help that we were fishing a slick-off all day”. One thing I will gladly take during a High Pressure weather event is wind, and lot’s of it. Steve dug in until 4:30 when the clients yelled “Uncle”. Tenacity, he’s got it…..luck, well that’s something that visits us from time to time.
Other strategies for conquering Spring High Pressure lock jaw include “lightening things up” for slower presentations. Dumping the lead heads and adding an Eagle Claw Lazer hook to a Devil Eye; switching to “ultra slow” suspending baits; or inciting some “Rage” with a rattling cork from Midcoast Products. Dump the 2x4 and grab a sensitive rod like a Rhino tough and sensitive Skeleton Series Castaway Rod from 6’5 to 7’ and “bring it”. It’s time to bring all the weapons in the arsenal and leave it “all on the water”.
In essence, weather patterns will shake things up during the late months of Winter and Spring. High and Low Pressure weather patterns will have a much different interaction during the Summer and Fall months but we’ll leave that one for another time. Regardless, a challenging day on the water beats the best of days in the office so let’s go fishing come hell or High Pressure!
Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge, Inc.
109 W. Austin
Seadrift, TX 77983
1-888-618-4868 Office
361-785-4487 Fax
361-648-3474 Cell
Centrally located in Seadrift, Texas, Castaway Lodge encompasses two adjacent campuses covering 3.5 acres with 700' of bayou frontage and 15,000 sf of comfort, convenience, and privacy in the Heart of Seadrift!
