Fishing After A Cold Front

[RSM789]

Living in Southern California, I have much less experience dealing with cold fronts moving through the area compared to anglers in the rest of the country.  If I have the choice, I will fish 2 or 3 days after the front as opposed to the immediate day following (especially in the winter), but that is based on what I have always read as opposed to direct experience.  This weekend provides a classic example of that choice. 

 

A front moved through today, raining most of the day with a few scattered showers forecast for throughout the evening & early morning.  The forecast for both Saturday & Sunday are pretty similar, partly cloudy with temps in the mid 60's, with Mondays forecast being cloudy and another storm moving through Monday evening/Tuesday.  While I would like to fish both days, I can only fish one day this weekend and was planning on doing it Saturday.  However, as the weather situation unfolded, I decided to flip my schedule around and fish Sunday instead.  The last few weeks, the majority of fish have been deep (9-10 feet), so I don't anticipate a shallow bite based on runoff into the lake (which, if it happened, would be better Saturday than Sunday).  My hunch is that the change in weather tomorrow may make the fish a little sluggish, some of which may dissipate after 24 hours.

 

Would you do the same or have you found one day doesn't make enough difference?

[Ozark_Basser]

I don't know what type of lake you're fishing, but as the cold fronts have come and gone around where I'm fishing (Small, Shallow lakes with grass being the primary cover) they just seem to hold tighter to cover.  Pitching to holes in thick grass and running swimjigs through as much grass as possible has worked out well. 

[Fisher-O-men]

I am in San Diego and fished yesterday, pre-frontal.  It was no bueno!  If you have good rain gear, you should fish the storm,  provided there is no lightening and the wind is not too bad.  Throw big baits!

[everythingthatswims]

  On 12/13/2014 at 6:02 AM, Fisher-O-men said:

I am in San Diego and fished yesterday, pre-frontal.  It was no bueno!  If you have good rain gear, you should fish the storm,  provided there is no lightening and the wind is not too bad.  Throw big baits!

^this

[Fish'N Impossible]

Being from Ohio we experience the gambit of weather conditions daily. Looking at the weather from Thursday and Friday the temps in your area have been pretty consistant but the only change has been the moisture / rain. Looking through the past weekend even carrying into next week the temps are very consistant so unfortunately what you are dealing with is not a "cold" front but a "dry" front. The standard conception of a cold front is the rain, but alot of times the rain comes and there is no major change in temperature. When this happens it's just a storm front followed by a "dry" front.

Under those conditions not much will change in the way of fish activity but the location will change, but not like you think. You will have to downsize your baits a touch but you won't have to really slow down as trhe fish will maintain about the same activity level. If you go out during one of the storms they should be suspended over structure, once the rain stops they are going to push up, nose to the bank and stalk the new waterline created from the run-off. The run-off will also carry new neutrients into the water that attracts baitfish too. Once the water level starts to drop again the bass will move back out to their regular locations for this time of year.

 

 

This is justy my experience in dealing with fronts here in Ohio, California bass may be more fickle due to not experienceing the frontal changes as we do on a consistent basis.

[PersicoTrotaVA]

  On 12/13/2014 at 6:02 AM, Fisher-O-men said:

I am in San Diego and fished yesterday, pre-frontal.  It was no bueno!  If you have good rain gear, you should fish the storm,  provided there is no lightening and the wind is not too bad.  Throw big baits!

YES!  I lived in SD for 7 years, rain is scarce so when it does rain the fish sorta go thru a feeding frenzy.

[tatertester]

I've actually found that sometimes right after a front the fishing can be outstanding....go figger!

[RAMBLER]

Nothing worked, today.  Saw the front coming (line of clouds).  Should have left 4 hours before I did.