Pre thunderstorm bass fishing

[TriStateBassin106]

How do you guys do before a thunderstorm hits your area on the water? I'm talking like an hour or 2 all the way up to when it gets windy and the dark clouds appear, I've always heard the fish get extremely fired up before a storm hits but never believed it...until I caught 5 bass back to back last summer on a 5acre pond. it was pretty cool because you could see the clouds and lightning in the far distance but it was still blue skies over the lake.

 

What about you guys? Do the bass bite more aggressively before a thunderstorm? 

[LrgmouthShad]

Yeah, in my experience they do become more active and shallow right before a storm. Good fishing during those times.

[Mobasser]

I've had some fast action prior to a storm.Lipless baits or spinnerbaits have been good.

[jbsoonerfan]

Yep, in fact, I have been catching them so good I put myself in a bind a couple times. Hopefully I learned my lesson.

[jimmyjoe]

   I did it yesterday. Rain was predicted late PM. In the AM, fish hit spinnerbaits low and slow. Black clouds moved in about 2 PM, and fish hit shallow. Same lures, but not deep at all. Rain started at 4:30, and action in the margins was nuts. Then the lightning started, so I got my wet self and my highly conductive carbon fiber "antenna" into the car and went home.  ?         jj

[papajoe222]

Yea, that sudden drop in pressure really seems to turn them on.  I was likely as close to getting struck by lightning as I ever will be because I was catching fish at a rate of about one every five casts and didn't want the action to end. I beached my boat and ran to my truck as a bolt of lightning hit a shoreline tree about 50-60yrds. from where I beached it.  I waited out the squall and went back to fishing, but only caught two fish in the hour that followed.  It wasn't the first time I'd been on the water when the action turned hectic, but I guarantee it'll be the last time I don't get my fat behind off the water when the light show gets going.

[TriStateBassin106]

5 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

Yea, that sudden drop in pressure really seems to turn them on.  I was likely as close to getting struck by lightning as I ever will be because I was catching fish at a rate of about one every five casts and didn't want the action to end. I beached my boat and ran to my truck as a bolt of lightning hit a shoreline tree about 50-60yrds. from where I beached it.  I waited out the squall and went back to fishing, but only caught two fish in the hour that followed.  It wasn't the first time I'd been on the water when the action turned hectic, but I guarantee it'll be the last time I don't get my fat behind off the water when the light show gets going.

Yeah like when I went during my outing that day the storm was maybe a mile out from the pond and I didn't leave until the dark clouds just started to roll over. Glad I did though because the winds caused a tree to fall near my bank I was fishing. Ripped the roots and everything. Also the rain was extremely heavy. 

[Dye99]

Yup, Yesterday. Frog fishing a local lake and as soon as the wind kicked up and the rain started they started smashing my frog. 7 fish within 45 minutes...All very nice largemouth...Then the storm hammered us. I dont think the fish mind since they are already wet but I got soaked. Worth it though..

[DitchPanda]

21 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Yep, in fact, I have been catching them so good I put myself in a bind a couple times. Hopefully I learned my lesson.

I've had this happen before a few times. Waited to long a few summers ago and tried to race home last minute. Driving ain't easy in 60mph winds and quarter size hail. Good thing I live a mile away.

[WRB]

Thunder means lightning, different from low pressure light rain. You are a lightning rod on the water not good.

Tom

[Spankey]

15 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   I did it yesterday. Rain was predicted late PM. In the AM, fish hit spinnerbaits low and slow. Black clouds moved in about 2 PM, and fish hit shallow. Same lures, but not deep at all. Rain started at 4:30, and action in the margins was nuts. Then the lightning started, so I got my wet self and my highly conductive carbon fiber "antenna" into the car and went home.  ?         jj

I dogged off yesterday to fish. But my day was terrible. Thought I’d catch the calm before the storm, generally produces with good results. On the water by 5:30 am. Our storms moved in at around 5:00 also. Was off the water long before that. Maybe should have planed my trip for the afternoon. The way my fishing went yesterday a late afternoon trip would only have gotten me struck by lightning. Better day ahead. 

[Krux5506]

I always liked fishing right before a storm and immediately after. I've had varied luck, but typically it's peaceful in the summer because all the leisure boaters are high tailing it back home. 

[TnRiver46]

How on earth do you know a thunderstorm is coming? Meteorologists sure don’t 

[Bankc]

54 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

How on earth do you know a thunderstorm is coming? Meteorologists sure don’t 

They speak in code, and I've cracked it!  30% means is guaranteed to storm hard.  50% and 80% means it will stay as dry as a bone.  70% or 20% means there's a 50/50 chance.  90% and 40% means it will be a light drizzle for 10 minutes.  And 10% and 60% mean moderate showers lasting about an hour or two.

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

They speak in code, and I've cracked it!  30% means is guaranteed to storm hard.  50% and 80% means it will stay as dry as a bone.  70% or 20% means there's a 50/50 chance.  90% and 40% means it will be a light drizzle for 10 minutes.  And 10% and 60% mean moderate showers lasting about an hour or two.

That’s fairly astute, also add 10 to predicted wind speed 

[Boomstick]

I've often got nothing all day and right as it starts I will catch one or two.

[Bird]

In hot summer months, It's really good after a cooling thunderstorm. 

 

[geo g]

Before or right after is usually good.  If there is a lot of rain dumped that will screw up fishing for a while because the PH gets screwed up for a day or two.

[Bankbeater]

A warm rain in the summer usually turns on the bite big time.  A cold rain in the spring usually kills the bite for the rest of the day.

[CrankFate]

I have not found a connection between day to day air pressure affecting catches for any fish. I have been tracking this nonscientifically for a few years. I was sure that it was true, especially for deeper water ocean fish, but I have not found that connection by checking the air pressure all the time on my iPhone. Rain seems to kill the LMB bite here. Sometimes for days. I assume that is from auto brake and tire particles, fertilizers and other pollutants that may be in the rain from the air, since everyone everywhere else says the rain is good for the fishing.

[einscodek]

On 5/28/2021 at 1:56 PM, CrankFate said:

I have not found a connection between day to day air pressure affecting catches for any fish. I have been tracking this nonscientifically for a few years. I was sure that it was true, especially for deeper water ocean fish, but I have not found that connection by checking the air pressure all the time on my iPhone. Rain seems to kill the LMB bite here. Sometimes for days. I assume that is from auto brake and tire particles, fertilizers and other pollutants that may be in the rain from the air, since everyone everywhere else says the rain is good for the fishing.

Been fishin for decades in all conditions high, low pressure systems.. dawn, noon, dusk, night..

Through all that, I've also not found correlation between day to day air pressure and the bite neither.

So many other much more important factors affecting their bite.

Certain rains is good for during and post-frontal fishing.. 

[gim]

I’ve had some really good fishing before a storm. Not necessarily right before it because it’s borderline dangerous to be out there, but a few hours before or the day before. If it’s just rain, I’ll fish right in it. I’ll take rainy or cloudy conditions over bright sun every time. When we get a few days of hot, humid weather with a change coming, it often fires the bite up after it’s been poor for days.

[E-rude dude]

Caught my PB on a Revenge bluegill buzzbait immediately AFTER a thunderstorm. Threw it to parallel some lily pads saw a huge wake and kaboom.