Was thinking about heading this weekend but it looks like there is a cold front coming through, though no rain is predicted. What are your thoughts on fishing after a cold front blows through? I don’t get a chance to get out very often so I’d rather not get skunked one of the rare times I get to the water.
This is one of my favorite quotes…“The two best times to go fishin’ is when it’s rainin’ an’ when it ain’t!”…Patrick McManus.
Given that Johnny, and back to reality, I’ll offer this. In warmwater fishing my lakes of MN. notably, when a coldfront passes through it puts the fish off for a couple of days until things stabilize.
Stabilize means 72 hrs of non-changing weather. This is primarily coming from the walleye side of things. I’m not certain how it pertains to what you’re after.
That’s not to say you can’t try…
Jeremy.
in our neck of the woods, which is, admittedly nowhere near yours, the fish come out again when the sun comes out. sounds like it’s worth a shot.
and besides, when is it ever “not worth” going fishing!
Fishing can really turn on before a storm or cold front moves in. Now after the storm or cold front, Jeremy is correct, I would wait 2 or three days for the weather to stabalize.
Sometimes, you never know…the fishing can be rather fickle…sooooooooo. it’s always worth wetting the fly line (i’ve tied into some real beauties at the wierdest times) !!!
Good grief man, go when you can. Cold-schmold. Dress warmer.
If you just want to fish then go fish. But if you want to catch fish too, then don’t bother. It just happened here this weekend. Front came thru on Thurs night, Fri and Sat sunny w/ gusty north wind. The fish just won’t bite. I didn’t even consider going. Done it too many times. Instead I took my wife for a long drive to look at foliage and now I have that box checked!
I’m with Castwell on this one. Go fishing. If I waited until the weather was good I would never get any fishing in. Besides a Northwest steelheader isn’t happy til’ the temp drops down to thirty nine degrees, he is standing waist deep in forty degree water and it is pouring down rain so hard you can’t see the other side of the river. Gawd, I love winter steelheading.
Slow things down. Speed things up. Throw smaller stuff. Throw bigger stuff.
Point is, treat it like any other day fishing. Vary your presentation and flies and the type of water you’re fishing until you find something that works. Enjoy yourself while you’re at it!
I fish before, during, after, it doesn’t matter to me.
Think of it this way. If you fish, there is at least a chance you will catch some. If you don’t, there is no chance. And you might find out the fishing is just fine.
I’m not worried about being cold…my big claim to fame is getting out of the truck when the temp read 17 degrees and I was as happy as can be (how sad is that!!!). We don’t get to 17 very often here in TX.
Anyhow, I think I’ll make my way up to Beavers Bend and fish small nymphs and midges, hopefully catch something, and if nothing pans out so be it. At least I’ll be out on the river with the fall colors changing!
I’ve been told, here on the BB, that trout don’t react to fronts the same way warm water fish do. Something about the bladder arrangement is different, and barometric pressure doesn’t affect them as much. That being said, I only get to fish for trout twice a year, when the TDPW stocks 'em.
Since trout like colder water anyway, I’d probably have to go for it. Even tho I HATE cold weather. (That’s anything below 50 for you whitelanders 
)
Kirk
50? That’s a HEAT WAVE for those whitelanders!!!
I think c4oc said the majic word. It’s the pressure and how it acts on the fishes air bladder. However, I have no idea if trout react to this the way lake fish do. Lake fish suspend. They need a stable air bladder to do this. Trout don’t when in streams. Any biologist’s out there?
Bob
<Bowing and scraping towards a font of wisdom>
I agree with EdD, CaseyP, J.C. and Kerry. Get out there and fish. If you are fishing still waters think deep. Good time to fish weighted nymphs like a gold ribbed hares ear or pheasant tail as well as deep streamers and buggers.
Well, thanks for all the advice, but it doesn’t matter at this point. Looks like unexpected funeral trumps fishing this weekend.
JohnnyB
Sorry to hear of your change of plans.
DG hit the nail on the head. You are for sure sunked if you don’t go fishing every chance you get. You might be surprised how good it can be when the weather is crap.
Staying home is like false casting. The fly has no chance to attract a fish if it is not in the water.
fishbum logic
You didn’t mention what type of water you would be fishing.
A strong cold front on the salt waters of the Gulf Coast will not only muddy the back bays but also blow the water out of the bays. My experience is that at least 48 hours are required for fishing to get back to normal.
At this time of the year (November), the couple of hours right before the passage of a front have yielded the best fishing of the year for me for Speckled Trout.
Where I live a big change in the weather…especially a cold front turns the trout off for a few days. Personally I don’t go fishing when I “KNOW” they are not biting. I try not to waste my time. Never had much fun and gonna try to enjoy the few little years I got left. So I don’t fish after a cold front.
Gemrod
When I do get around to going fishing it will be on the Lower Mountain Fork in OK (small little tailwater river below Broken Bow Lake.