Struggling with the weather choices

[BigAngus752]

I guess I'm starting to get soft as I get older.  I have always felt like sketchy weather can produce some good fishing days.  That's not to say I haven't had good days on hot, blue sky summer days, but I get more excited about fishing when it's not sunbathing weather.  Now I'm trying to plan my fishing day for tomorrow (June 3rd) and I'm looking at the weather.  The lake that I really, really want to fish (1.5hrs away) has sketchy weather and I'm starting to hesitate.  It's not even bad weather!  Just a chance of some wet.  Then I look at another lake (1hr away) and it's a bluebird day and I'm tempted to go to a lake I don't really want to fish.  Am I getting soft?  Am I wrong about the fishing/weather relationship?  When you have choices, how much does weather (not including dangerous weather because that's a no-brainer) play into your decision?  Once again I'm overthinking and I should just be praying thanks for the blessing to be able to fish.  

 

Clarification:

What I want to ask those that have been fishing for decades, does weather trump all other considerations for you?  Have you found weather to be the most important "deal" when you head out to fish?  

                                                  

 

                             

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by BigAngus752
clarification

[TnRiver46]

I never look at weather forecasts because they are not only erroneous but totally useless to me

[BigAngus752]

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I never look at weather forecasts because they are not only erroneous but totally useless to me

Ok, you've set the hook so reel me in.  I think of weather as the most important thing and you don't even consider it?  Or is it that the forecasts just suck so you just play it the way it's dealt to you?

[TnRiver46]

3 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Ok, you've set the hook so reel me in.  I think of weather as the most important thing and you don't even consider it?  Or is it that the forecasts just suck so you just play it the way it's dealt to you?

I’m just going fishing if possible regardless, I’ve never been much of a thinker haha. Every time I have some thought about “fish should be eating this or that because the weather is this or that” it turns out to be absolutely completely wrong almost every time. So I keep bibs and a rain jacket in the boat and say forget about the weather

[BigAngus752]

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Every time I have some thought about “fish should be eating this or that because the weather is this or that” it turns out to be absolutely completely wrong almost every time

Well, me too.  And yet I persist.  

 

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

So I keep bibs and a rain jacket in the boat and say forget about the weather

This is the technique I will work on this year.  

[Tennessee Boy]

If I was retired and could pick my days I'm sure I would pay more attention to the weather.  I pretty much go when I can now if the weather is not dangerous. 

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Well, me too.  And yet I persist.  

 

This is the technique I will work on this year.  

You probably catch more and bigger fish than me , I just don’t really care about weather because it’s going to do whatever it wants. And so will the fish. I just want to be there with a chance to catch them as much as possible. We as humans have a way of convincing ourselves that we are correct when really we don’t know jack 

[GreenPig]

The weather plays a role on what & how I fish. I'll always choose stormy, cloudy, night, and/or windy/very windy over bluebird days. But I'm going if I get the chance and will play the hand I'm dealt. 

[TOXIC]

When I was guiding a trip was a trip and we had a standing rule that we only cancelled at the ramp.  That was because you never really knew what the weather was going to do.  When we go to Michigan for our annual trip, we are fishing no matter what and we have the clothing to deal with whatever the lake wants to dish out.  Fun fishing.....I just stay out of the extremes of temp, wind, rain, etc.  I can handle most anything that doesn’t impact safety.  

[Catt]

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!

[scaleface]

I try to pick the days that will be most comfortable for me . I like a little bit wet . 

[LrgmouthShad]

Wunderground for the win. Having this same dilemma right now. Pouring rain but what else do I do for fun? 

 

Edit: also, I cant say about fishing during the rain but I always prefer cloud cover.

[BigAngus752]

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

windy/very windy over bluebird days

Definitely agree with this.  Ever since I put an Ultrex on the boat I have found that wind can make for some spectacular fishing.  

55 minutes ago, Catt said:

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!

LOL.  I have gone from tough as nails to soft as tissue, that's for sure.  

[throttleplate]

its suppossed to hit 99 tomorrow and we are going bank and wader fishing at a lake in north dakota 45 miles away named brewer lake which i have only seen but never fished it.

I have caught some big fish in the evening hours with a high heat index.

 

I dont care if it rains and the wind blows as i am prepared with gear even if it snows in july ?.

 

If the fish dont bite in the afternoon i will chill out till evening and then start again. I and the wife are retired so we dont have to be home untill we feel like it.

[A-Jay]

I am retired and I'll get out when I can (insert safe).

But I can openly admit to being a serious weather watcher.

Wind direction & speeds (over 15 kts) usually dictates which Lake Menderchuck I'll be on. 

Plays even a bigger role in the Canoe.

Either way, I have been known to get a little giddy in advance of a launch

when the 'forecast' is a certain way.

But as @TnRiver46 pointed out above,

seems the weather man & I have completely different ideas

when it comes to the meaning of the word 'accuracy'.

So the whole deal ends up being "fluid". 

Fish Hard

?

A-Jay

 

[gim]

I try to go when I think the conditions will result in an improved bite.  Sunny, warm, bluebird days are my least favorite.  Sometimes I don't get a choice though because I have other obligations.

 

The other issue I favor is less competition and less boaters.  Sun seems to bring out more of them, especially on the recreational boating side.  So if I'm able to fish in rain/clouds, I do it.  Not only is the fishing often better, but there's less people present too.  Its a win-win.

 

High winds keep me off certain bodies of water too.  Its not only unsafe, but boat control becomes an issue.

[BigAngus752]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

The other issue I favor is less competition and less boaters. 

Agree completely. I will choose lakes that have less traffic every time.  

[Bankbeater]

The wind will decide if I'm riding in a boat, or walking around a pond. Thunder and lightning will decide if I'm going at all.

[DitchPanda]

For me the biggest weather consideration outside of the mentioned dangerous weather is wind. 30mph plus and I'm out...its just a PITA. If its bluebird and hot ill fish early and late if possible to negate that. All this being said I'd take cloudy and rainy day over anything.

[huZZah]

I go when I can go, but bluebird hot as hell is the worst. I’ll take hurricane winds or a typhoon over it.  Lightening is only thing that sends me home. 

[.ghoti.]

Age and medication have settled that question, in my case. If it’s les than 50°, I’ thinking about it. Les than 40°, I’m not going. Over about 82°, and I have better things to do. That chops off a pretty big chunk of the calendar, but, it is what it is.
 

I am a poster child for, “if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of my self”.

 

recently, I have bought a nice Yamaha keyboard, a special edition Fender Tele, and an Ibanez fretless bass. An Alesis drum machine and a Tascam 12 channel digital recorder are on the way. 
 

I have plenty to do. 

[Boomstick]

I usually go out regardless of the weather, but last weekend was around 40 degrees from Friday until Tuesday and at one point it actually snowed. Then this weekend was in the 90s. I would have gone out anyway, but I was woken up all night Friday night and again Saturday night and just exhausted. Plus I had some things to get for my camping trip in a couple weeks which I had to go out of town for (still can't find any propane canisters anywhere for my grill). Given that we're mid heatwave and late spawn, it probably would not have been the best fishing anyway.