Tony C. Zappia       Focus on the Outdoors

I vividly recall an occasion back in the mid-1990s, when I was a media participant during a BASSMaster's Classic in Birmingham, Ala. The fishing pro in the boat, Paul Elias, spent the morning casting his signature, fist-sized crankbaits onto middepth brush piles. During that time, a very large cold front made its approach, finally inviting lightning strikes on the lake only a mile or so from our position.

It wasn't long before I asked Elias if he intended on avoiding the oncoming storm, and as soon as I got the last word out of my mouth, Elias, while keeping his eyes focused on his target, violently shook his head side to side.

So, he continued to fish and catch fish while lightning strikes quickly closed in on us. It was the world championship tournament of fishing, and Elias wasn't about to quit, as fish were the feed prior to the oncoming front.

At one point, Elias cast his bait to a distance of approximately 40 yards. As the crankbait broke the surface of the water, the monofilament line hovered a foot above the water. There was so much static electricity in the air that the line suspended, as it appeared weightless. In order to settle the line, Elias had to slap it back onto the water with a sharp jerk of his rod. A few seconds later, Elias looked at me and said, "Tony, you can do what you want, but I suggest you sit yourself down in the bottom of the boat."

Elias didn't have to say another word. I knew we were in imminent danger of being struck or having lightning strike close to the boat.

Luckily for both of us, we walked away from that vicious storm unscathed — a bit unnerved, but unscathed, and Elias had a livewell full of bass.

I'm not telling you this anecdote because I recommend fishing during a lightning storm. Quite the contrary. Instead, I want anglers to think more about why and how fish react during certain weather patterns.

The fact that Elias continued to fish hard prior to the storm meant he knew how fish would react immediately following. Elias was fishing a successful pattern that morning, and he knew the oncoming thunderstorms would spook bass, sending them to deeper cover, where they generally turn off for anywhere from a few hours to a few days following the storm activity.

This time of year, warm fronts will usually keep fish into the shallows, and it's during this time anglers can capitalize by fishing shallow-water patterns. Look for those wispy cirrus clouds and warm south breezes to signal the start of good fishing.

Lately, the north country has experienced moderate rains. For the most part, angling in the rain or during moderate cloud cover can push light-sensitive fish, like walleye, into shallower water.

Now, I'm not suggesting going out during a wild downpour. Hard rain will turn off fish like a lengthy lightning storm.

According to many anglers who fish bass to muskellunge, the best time to fish is during a falling barometer. This is the moment when fish become very active and prime angling techniques are casting surface and shallow-running lures with a much faster-than-normal rate of retrieve.

It is important to note that the effects of barometric pressure are greater in shallow waters than they are in deeper waters. This is probably due to the fact that the pressure of water is much greater in deeper waters, making the air pressure above it less significant.

Many anglers enjoy fishing stable weather patterns. Any time the barometric pressure remains stable for two to four days, fishing can be very productive. Walleye fishing is generally good during periods of stable weather because the fish maintain fairly predictable feeding patterns.

In the book, "Walleye," by Dick Sternberg, he suggests that after a severe cold front, the sky often becomes exceptionally clear. Because there is no haze to filter out the sun's rays, 10 to 20 percent more light penetrates than normally would. This condition, says Sternberg, causes walleyes to stop feeding and move deeper or seek cover beneath the weeds.

Pro anglers and a handful of seasoned charter captains I have had the pleasure of sharing a boat with, have used the interpretation of clouds to determine oncoming weather and how it relates to fish and fishing.

Clouds, of all the weather elements, can be easily seen and studied. They float by in the moving air, forming, growing, and disappearing. They appear in a bewildering variety of forms. Some appear as thin filaments in the high sky. Others appear as ominous dark masses generating lightning bolts, thunder and torrential rain.

By analyzing clouds, anglers will be able to determine how fish will react in the present and future. If it works for charter captains and pro anglers, it'll work for you.