Fishing has been a big part of my life since I could walk. I still have a picture of a three-year-old me holding up a giant largemouth bass with my late grandfather. Everyone in my family enjoys fishing, but primarily in nice weather. You will rarely find us fishing in the rain, extreme heat, or cold weather. Not only do we tend to lose motivation in poor weather, but I think we all convinced ourselves that fish will not bite in rough weather.
There is some truth to this theory. You will find that fish will change their location and feeding habits based on weather and water temperature. However, you can use these weather-based changes to help you find more fish. If you fish more often and adapt to the conditions, you will always catch more fish than if you just stayed home.
Part of our assumptions about fish behavior was based on the fact that fishing trips were events for us. We typically fished on public waterways or visited family or friends with water on their properties. Every single time we went fishing, it was marked on the calendar in advance. We set aside at least one day, collected our gear, and drove to our fishing spot. If the weather was bad, we preferred to skip the entire trip versus driving out there just to get skunked in miserable weather. When we did get our lines wet, we had a great time and made lots of memories.
Then about a decade ago we moved to a good chunk of land with a stocked pond. I was now a two-minute walk from the nearest fishing spot. This opened up a whole new world of fishing for me. There was no planning involved. When I had a free minute I could head out and see if the fish were biting without any inconvenience. I finally got to test out fishing in different weather conditions. We caught lots of big bass on some days and nothing on others. It was fun, but a bit unpredictable.
I started doing some research on how weather can affect how fish behave. Quickly I learned that fishing around rainy weather can be some of the best times to catch fish. I was finally able to start seeing the correlation between weather and catching fish. Once we figured it out, there were many days that we caught fish on every other cast. In this article, we will discuss some of the tricks I learned about fishing in and around rainy weather.
Wet Weather Blues
The first thing you must accept is that fish will absolutely bite in the rain. However, you must consider how the fish thinks. Fish are primitive animals that primarily act and react on instinct. They are predators more than anything and act in many ways as any hunter would. Typically they will move and feed strictly to avoid big predators, stay in comfortable temperatures, and hunt for food.
Fish are often very visual and rely on their eyesight to find food and look out for predators. Being cold-blooded, they will change water depth to find the most comfortable temperatures they can. If you want to be successful fishing in and around the rain, you will need to adapt to deal with the challenges. Here are the tough parts of rainy day fishing and how you can come out on top.
Foggy Water
One of the toughest parts about rainy weather is that it clouds up the water. As rainwater runs downhill it will end up in feeder streams. This water works down to the rivers and lakes we are trying to fish. All of the mud and debris it comes across will travel into your body of water making it murky. You will not be able to see fish, and they will not be able to see your lures or bait. When fish cannot clearly see their food, they often just hang out until the water clears up. In addition, fish can get spooked from heavy rain hitting the surface of the water. This activity disrupts the fish’s ability to see above the surface, so they feel more vulnerable.
When the water starts getting muddy, you have a few options to keep catching fish. One is to move away from the source of the murky water. If you are right near these feeder streams, you can move above them so the muddy water is moving away from your location. It can take quite a while for this muddy water to move across a lake, so moving a few hundred feet could do the trick. Fish will be a bit more paranoid when it rains, which makes their behavior unpredictable. You are best to try as many spots as you can until you start getting some action. Just make a few casts and move on to the next spot to cover more area.
Another option to fight the cloudy sky and murky water is to go with dark-colored lures. This seems counterintuitive, but dark colors work better on cloudy days with muddy water. Lighter colors like white, yellow, and orange lures need sunlight to stand out. They tend to get swallowed up by the shadows on rainy days. Dark colors create the dark profile that fish can see in cloudy water.
One of my favorite options is to give up on the appearance of your lure and make some noise. Fish do not just hunt based on their eyesight. They also react to noise and vibrations in the water. No matter how muddy the water is, a fish can still react to a topwater or a rattler. With aggressive fish like largemouth bass, they will hear that noise and attack. You might also try adding some scent to your lure or bait so they can literally smell it. Sometimes to fight the noise and distraction of rain you need to make even more noise.
Water Depth
Other issues that are common with all bodies of water are changes in water depth. Sometimes these changes happen quickly like a river rising after a day of downpours. Others happen more slowly like a pond or lake during a drought. When you are looking at potentially fishing in or after a rainstorm, you should consider these changes.
When water levels are low, there will be lots of areas near the shore that are too shallow for fish but are full of the vegetation and cover that they like. When the water rises due to rain, these areas can become deep enough for fish to hunt. These areas will also typically have more food sources for fish. Take advantage of this opportunity and fish areas that you cannot fish when the water is low.
Water Temperature
Fish are cold-blooded and are constantly trying to find comfortable water temperatures. Rainwater is usually colder than the water you are already fishing. As it rains, the rainwater will change the overall water temperature where you are fishing. Fish will quickly move out of areas that are below 60F. Typically, areas without currents like coves and around structures are hiding spots where the water will remain warmer. These areas will also be less affected by wind on the surface. Move to these spots to accommodate for the changes in water temperature.
Benefits of Fishing in the Rain
There are challenges to fishing in the rain. So far we covered how you can adapt to these challenges, but there are actually advantages to fishing in and around rainy weather. If you have the right strategy, you can be more successful than on a clear weather day.
Hiding from Trout
All fish have great eyesight, but trout are known for easily spotting movement above the surface. Trout love cold, spring-fed waters and usually will not move due to drops in water temperature like bass or crappie would. They will continue hunting when it starts to rain, but they will not be able to see you wading towards them. This can allow you to get closer without spooking them.
Barometric Pressure Drops
This is one of the most effective tricks I have learned about fishing in the rain. As a storm rolls in, you will notice a drop in barometric pressure. As the pressure drops, it also reduces the pressure on the fish allowing their stomachs to expand. When this happens, fish feel hungry even when they have what would normally be a full stomach. If you fish about an hour before the rain hits, you will often catch a feeding frenzy until it actually starts raining.
Cloud Cover
Many anglers love going out on bright, sunny days to catch a tan while they catch fish. The problem is that all of that sunlight makes it easier for fish to see above the surface of the water. This is even more true if you wear bright colors. Just like fish can see bright-colored lures on sunny days, they can see your bright clothes on sunny days. Always, stick to muted earth tones like browns, blacks, greys, greens, and blues. In addition, take advantage of cloudy days to stay hidden from the fish.
Runoff
While we mentioned that rain causes feeder streams to wash mud and debris into your fishing hole, this can also create an opportunity. This same runoff deposits all kinds of little creepy crawlies into the water. The fish know this, and will often go into a frenzy just after the rain stops to gobble up all of the worms and bugs that are now available. This is a great time to get out and get your line in on the action.
Rain Gear
Unless it is especially warm out and you just want to cool off, you should plan on having some rain gear with you. Even if the plan is to only fish before and after the storm, you might still get surprised by a pop-up shower. Be aware that your body temperature will drop 20 times faster when wet. If there is any chance you might get cold, bring your rain gear.
I feel that a full-body rain suit is the best option when available. A poncho can work to keep most of you dry, but they are horrible in the wind. They will blow all over the place, and your legs and feet will probably still get wet. Fishing requires some mobility, so try bringing a rain suit that is loose and comfortable. They can get hot quickly, so you may want to dress in layers. This will allow you to strip down if you start sweating.
Safety First
Any kind of fishing can be a safety risk, but adding rainy weather adds some additional risks. I will quickly mention hypothermia as it is the number one reason for people dying in survival scenarios. If you get wet by fishing in the rain and the temperature drops below 60F, there is a potential for hypothermia. This is a life-threatening condition in which your internal body temperature drops below 95F causing your body to shut down. If temperatures will be in that range, you need to find a way to stay dry.
As a kid, it was always drilled into my head to watch out for flash floods. We did a lot of fishing on the Eleven Point River in the Ozark Mountains. This river has carved out huge limestone cliffs on both sides of the river. When a flash flood rolls through, there is absolutely nowhere to go for safety. All fishing is done on relatively low ground, so be sure you have a clear path to high ground if needed.
Be sure to keep an eye on water levels and immediately move if you notice they start to rise quickly. You should try to bring a weather radio to listen for flash flood warnings in your area. Flash floods can happen miles upriver when the sky above you is completely clear. The other scenario in which water levels can rise is when you fish below a dam. Often dams will release water at scheduled times each day. This can raise the water level by several feet in just a few minutes. Be ready for this and get to the shore quickly.
As a teenager, I fished for trout in Northern Arkansas with my dad and all of his friends. We fished below a dam and had to watch for the water dump. He warned that people drown because they get caught off guard and their waders fill up with water. Several years later I was fishing with him on another river and had a scare. I waded around the bend to look for new spots to cast and noticed the water getting deeper. I turned to head back, and the water hit my chest pouring into my waders. Thankfully, I was able to swim to the shore safely. Not everyone is so lucky.
One of the biggest risks with rainy weather is that it can bring all kinds of other dangerous conditions with it. Where I live it is common for a normal storm to lead to lighting, large hail, or strong winds including tornadoes. When we head into the wild to go fishing, we are completely exposed to these threats. When fishing in bad weather, try to stay as close to your vehicle or to a structure as you can. Always watch out for green-colored clouds or wall clouds as these are often signs of dangerous weather. If the winds pick up or you notice lightning, get away from the water and head for cover. If you are on a boat, get to shore and get underneath the boat.
As you can see, there are lots of different ways that you can improve your odds working in or around a rainstorm. While I prefer an overcast calm day in the 70s, fishing in the rain can be quite successful. I know we covered a ton of information, but here are the top tips to remember:
- Head to the shallows when the water gets deeper.
- Try around coves and structures when the water gets colder from rain.
- Fish before the rain to use the barometric pressure.
- Fish right after the rain stops as fish target runoff meals.
- Use dark-colored lures in cloudy water.
- Move up from feeder streams to avoid the runoff.
- Try poppers or rattlers to make some noise.
- Add scent to your lure.
- Use a rain suit.
- Be safe and always watch for the weather to turn on you.
One thing I do love about fishing on rainy days is that I often have the water to myself. I am not the type of person that will fish shoulder to shoulder with a dozen other anglers. I like to find a spot for myself where I can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Most anglers will opt out on rainy days, so you may have exclusive access to spots that are normally crawling with people.
As is with many challenges, rainy weather just needs the right strategy. If you consider how fish think, when they will move, and how they will hunt you can predict their actions. This means that you can turn a frustrating scenario into a successful fishing trip with just a few changes to your normal fishing routine. Take the time to review these changes before your next rainy day fishing trip and see what they can do for you.