Bait suggestions for rainiy weather

[juicebass]

Hey guys,

 

What's the best (your favorite) baits for rainy weather?

Specifically cold water 50-60 degree stained water with decent viability.

 

I'm thinking top water like buzz baits might be good?

And maybe a spinnerbait to fish different water column?

 

Any tips/advise as to what baits are the go to for this scenario would be great!

 

Thanks

[68camaro]

Good questions, I wait the responses also.....

[bassh8er]

Chatterbait for the vibration if the water is really muddy.

 

This is also a great time to fish the newly flooded vegetation and bank structure that is normally above water with your confidence bait.  Mine is a jig but a square bill or a fluke style bait is great for covering water.

[Bluebasser86]

Bladed jig or jig would both be good options in those conditions. If it's fall when the water is cooling, I'd probably fish a buzzbait too. A spinnerbait would probably also be a good option. 

[Deleted account]

spinnerbait, chatter, square bill, a big jerk bait, swim bait, a loud swim jig. Those fish will be looking to eat and shallow, they will bite most things if you find them. I don't go with top water until after the spawn, but that's not to say it may not work.

[ww2farmer]

I always like to start with a reaction bait in over cast, and/or rainy weather. In 50-60 degree water temps, and lightly stained water, the entire tackle box is in play. Depending on wind conditions, my choices would be:

Quite windy/breezy:

Lipless crank bait

Chatterbait

Square bill

Light wind/chop:

Swim jig

Suspending jerkbaits

Bumping/grinding a Biffle head with a craw or creature bait on the bottom or

Pitching flipping a jig to cover if they don't seem to want to chase in these conditions.

Slick calm, yet rainy/drizzly/cloudy:

Frog or other topwater

Soft jerkbaits

Wacky rigs.

 

Now these are just general starting points, the mood of the fish tell me what to go with most of the time, because there are days when it's really windy and you would think they would chase, but are not, and vice versa some times on calm days they want something moving. I'll have all of the above rigged up and on deck during all those conditions described and rotate through them until I get an idea of what they are doing.

[68camaro]

1 hour ago, ww2farmer said:

I always like to start with a reaction bait in over cast, and/or rainy weather. In 50-60 degree water temps, and lightly stained water, the entire tackle box is in play. Depending on wind conditions, my choices would be:

Quite windy/breezy:

Lipless crank bait

Chatterbait

Square bill

Light wind/chop:

Swim jig

Suspending jerkbaits

Bumping/grinding a Biffle head with a craw or creature bait on the bottom or

Pitching flipping a jig to cover if they don't seem to want to chase in these conditions.

Slick calm, yet rainy/drizzly/cloudy:

Frog or other topwater

Soft jerkbaits

Wacky rigs.

 

Now these are just general starting points, the mood of the fish tell me what to go with most of the time, because there are days when it's really windy and you would think they would chase, but are not, and vice versa some times on calm days they want something moving. I'll have all of the above rigged up and on deck during all those conditions described and rotate through them until I get an idea of what they are doing.

 

How long do you stay with a set-up before deciding to switch to another?

[Fishin' Fool]

1 hour ago, ww2farmer said:

I always like to start with a reaction bait in over cast, and/or rainy weather. In 50-60 degree water temps, and lightly stained water, the entire tackle box is in play. Depending on wind conditions, my choices would be:

Quite windy/breezy:

Lipless crank bait

Chatterbait

Square bill

Light wind/chop:

Swim jig

Suspending jerkbaits

Bumping/grinding a Biffle head with a craw or creature bait on the bottom or

Pitching flipping a jig to cover if they don't seem to want to chase in these conditions.

Slick calm, yet rainy/drizzly/cloudy:

Frog or other topwater

Soft jerkbaits

Wacky rigs.

 

Now these are just general starting points, the mood of the fish tell me what to go with most of the time, because there are days when it's really windy and you would think they would chase, but are not, and vice versa some times on calm days they want something moving. I'll have all of the above rigged up and on deck during all those conditions described and rotate through them until I get an idea of what they are doing.

 

He nailed it. I find the fish tend to wander more from cover and feed in these situations. The challenge can be rainy and windy just because it's difficult to fish but otherwise throw a reaction bait that is suitable for the water clarity and you should catch some.

[NYWayfarer]

Umbrella rig...

Sorry, had a corn-E muffin for breakfast.

[Catt]

Define "rain"?

Misty, showers, or downpour?

 

What kinds of cover?

Vegetation, brush, or timber?

 

Is the water temperature due to the rain or time of year?

 

Is the water clarity normal or caused by the rain?

[jr231]

Fish shallow if it's a flooded area. 

 

I've had success in these situations with everything from a shad rap to rage craw. 

[RoLo]

11 hours ago, Catt said:

Define "rain"?

Misty, showers, or downpour?

 

What kinds of cover?

Vegetation, brush, or timber?

 

Is the water temperature due to the rain or time of year?

 

Is the water clarity normal or caused by the rain?

 

 

I opened the reply box last night to respond to this thread,

but realizing the number of unknown variables, I got cold feet.

 

=> For instance, a misty drizzle might have more affect on fisherman than fish.

      In contrast, refracted light caused by a torrential downpour can be a big game changer.

 

=> Rain formed in the upper troposphere is usually colder than the lake water,

      but runoff water that traverses sun-baked soil is usually warmer.

 

=> A downtrend in water temperatures normally degrades fishing activity,

      and if you're dealing with muddy water on top of that, you've got yourself a BIG monkey wrench!

 

=> In a perennially dark lake, bass are well adapted to pursuing food with their median lines & auriculars.

       But in a gin-clear waterbody, a sudden influx of muddy runoff can take away the punch bowl

 

In brief, adding a list of lures to an unknown scenario would only 'muddy' the waters 

 

Roger

[Adleyfishes]

Jig or bladed jig and if the fish want it a spinnerbait.

[Bankbeater]

Lately I have been going by the wind.  Over the past few weeks when we get a downpour there has been very little wind with it, but when it drizzles or sprinkles, there are heavy gusts of wind.

[juicebass]

18 hours ago, ww2farmer said:

I always like to start with a reaction bait in over cast, and/or rainy weather. In 50-60 degree water temps, and lightly stained water, the entire tackle box is in play. Depending on wind conditions, my choices would be:

Quite windy/breezy:

Lipless crank bait

Chatterbait

Square bill

Light wind/chop:

Swim jig

Suspending jerkbaits

Bumping/grinding a Biffle head with a craw or creature bait on the bottom or

Pitching flipping a jig to cover if they don't seem to want to chase in these conditions.

Slick calm, yet rainy/drizzly/cloudy:

Frog or other topwater

Soft jerkbaits

Wacky rigs.

 

Now these are just general starting points, the mood of the fish tell me what to go with most of the time, because there are days when it's really windy and you would think they would chase, but are not, and vice versa some times on calm days they want something moving. I'll have all of the above rigged up and on deck during all those conditions described and rotate through them until I get an idea of what they are doing.

great info! will try these suggestions out! thanks!

[FCPhil]

I think covering water with search lures would be a good place to start. In light rain I'd suggest a more subtle topwater: walking bait, wakebait, popper. In heavier rain if there is wind I'd suggest a loud topwater: buzzbait, whopper plopper, pompadour, etc. 

 

if the topwaters are not working I switch to crankbaits and lipless crankbaits that are on the louder end of the spectrum. Especially if the rain is hard. 

[scaleface]

If its a mist to light rain , I  give buzzbaits a real good go at it .

[papajoe222]

Conditions, other than rain, will help you narrow down your starting bait selections. If it's spring and the water temp. is rising you can assume that the fish will be active as the rain will continue to warm up the surface temp.  If it's fall and the water temp is dropping, the rain will have the opposite affect and the fish will likely be in a neutral or negative mood.  Now consider the water itself. Is it rising, did it go from clear to stained? Either situation will position the fish tighter to cover. Now that you've narrowed down you choices, occasionally switch presentations until you find the most productive one.