Weather can have a huge affect on fishing and its just reality that you must pay attention to the forecast whenever you’re heading out on the water. While we generally do not recommend fishing in thunderstorms, there is no reason to call off a day of fishing just because of a little rain.
Rain can add something to the conditions to turn on the bite. Fishing in the rain can be a boon for anglers because the rain breaks up the surface, creates a current and can flush nutrients into a waterway.
After all, you’re already wet, so you might as well catch some fish!
Here are 3 great tips for fishing in the rain.
1. Fish Faster
With no sun, bass are more likely to roam when it’s raining than when it’s sunny. For that reason, the bass that were once locked on that little sweet spot are now likely spread out over a much bigger area. To connect, speed up whatever presentation you are fishing – so you can cover more water in a day. If you’re fishing in the rain and throwing a spinnerbait, start burning it. If you are fishing in the rain and throwing a worm – don’t soak it as long. The fish are more aggressive during the rain, so you shouldn’t need to work as hard to make them bite.
2. Look for Drains
Surface runoff brings nutrients into the water, which attracts baitfish, and in turn – bass. Focus on any places you find where runoff is coming into the lake, particularly if it’s still reasonably clean. Bass will move quite a distance to line up and feed on bait along mud lines, culvert pipes, and creek inlets. Focusing on these areas when fishing in the rain can be extremely effective when it really starts coming down.
3. Try Topwater Baits
Because the surface is broken up by the raindrops, and the clouds are obscuring the sun – rainy days are some of the best times to fish topwater baits… All day long. Fish are more willing to roam and actively pursue bait – which makes them much more likely to demolish a topwater as it skitters across the surface. On the famed blueback herring lakes of Georgia and the Carolinas, anglers can have epic days with big stick baits while spotted bass push baitfish up against the surface as it rains. When fishing in the rain, focus on classic schooling areas like points, ditches, ledges, or current seams, but keep a topwater on your deck all day – you never know when a group will come up schooling.
This article is brought to you by Mystery Tackle Box, visit the MTB blog for more great fishing content, tips, tricks and videos.