John's Journal...

How Understanding Weather Helps You Catch More Bass with George Cochran

Day 5: Pro Fisherman George Cochran Explains the Effects of the Moon and Barometric Pressure on Bass

Editor’s Note: With the 2014 Bassmaster Classic taking place at Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, February 21 – 23, Night Hawk talked with George Cochran, a past Bassmaster Classic winner about ways to always catch bass. Cochran of Hot Springs, Arkansas, passed a milestone in his fishing career, earning over $2 million in tournament winnings. According to Cochran, “I believe my understanding of weather and its effect on bass has helped my fishing career. Any bass angler who wants to regularly catch more bass must know what various types of weather do to the bass he’s trying to take.” To help us get a better understanding of the importance of weather in successful bassing and how you can change your fishing patterns to react to the weather like the bass do, I’ve asked Cochran to pick weather situations, tell us what happens to the bass under each weather condition and explain how his fishing changes with the weather.

Click for Larger ViewClick for Larger View“If you go to a police station on a full moon, you’ll find out that more crimes are committed on a full moon than at any other time of the month,” Cochran reports. “Although this may be coincidence, I believe that moon phases play a major role in not only human activity but also fish and animal activity. Therefore, I study the solunar tables to learn primary feeding times, so I’m fishing and not running my boat around the lake looking for a place to fish during those important times. If you’ll notice when you’re out fishing, birds, farm animals and wild animals will be feeding during these major feeding periods. But when the time isn’t a major feeding period, according to the moon, none of the animals, birds or fish will be feeding. So, I believe a bass fisherman should plan to fish during the major feeding times designated by the solunar tables and search for a place to fish at other times.”

Barometric Pressure:

Click for Larger ViewClick for Larger View“Usually very-high or extremely-low barometric pressure causes bass not to bite,” Cochran observes. “If the barometric pressure is average for several days, the bass seem to bite better and to feed more than during the times of either high or low barometric pressure. I’ve found that extremely-high barometric pressure seems to be the least productive time to bass fish. I believe that weather plays a far-greater role in an angler’s success or failure when he’s trying to catch bass than does any other factor. If the weather changes, and the fisherman doesn’t understand how that weather change affects bass, then more than likely he won’t catch bass. But if an angler alters his fishing tactics and lures as the weather changes, then he usually can stay in contact with the bass and consistently catch more bass each time he goes bass fishing.”

To learn more about bass fishing, get John E. Phillips’ Kindle ebooks, “How to Bass Fish Like a Pro,” “How to Win a Bass Tournament” and “Catch the Most and Biggest Bass in Any Lake: 18 Pro Fishermen’s Best Tactics” go to http://www.amazon.com/kindle-ebooks, type in the names of the books, and download them to your Kindle and/or download a Kindle app for your iPad, SmartPhone or computer.

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About the Author

John Phillips, winner of the 2012 Homer Circle Fishing Award for outstanding fishing writer by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors. Click here for more information and a list of all the books available from John E. Phillips.


Check back each day this week for more about How Understanding Weather Helps You Catch More Bass with George Cochran"

Day 1: How to Catch Bass During Cold Fronts and Rising and Falling Water with Pro Fisherman George Cochran
Day 2: How to Catch Bass During Warm Fronts and Stable Weather with Pro Fisherman George Cochran
Day 3: Bassmaster Classic Winner George Cochran Explains How Rain and Blowing Wind Impact Catching Bass
Day 4: Pro Fisherman George Cochran Explains the Impact of No Wind and Wind Direction on Catching Bass
Day 5: Pro Fisherman George Cochran Explains the Effects of the Moon and Barometric Pressure on Bass

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Entry 756, Day 5