Fishing after rain

[Mike Keane]

Ive heard its good fishing before a storm, but what about after a storm? or just a showert? Anyone know??

Thanks,

Mike

[SammyLee]

Just one quick experience.  10 days at the local lake with fish having lockjaw.  I only caught one small LMB in that whole time.

Yesterday morning it stormed like three devils with two inches of rain.  It cleared up by mid afternoon and I got to the lake about 6pm.  I caught four nice ones in the first hour with chigger craws on 3/8 ounce black jig head hook, bouncing off the bottom with a slow retrieve.  Those fish tore up the soft plastic so badly that I ran out.

They would bite nothing else, not a worm, not topwater, not crank.

Ten days of skunk, a heavy storm, four fish in an hour.  Hmm.

[Mike Keane]

Interesting, what was the weather like the week prior to the storm? Hot & humid?

[bilgerat]

Some guys, myself included, "fish the fronts". Several hours before a storm can be very productive. I believe it's tied in to the changes in barometric pressure. It's not a sure hit, but works more often than not.

As long as there is no lightning, fishing in the rain can be great also.

[BIG B.]

I've had a few situations fishing after the rain, and it seems like I've always done pretty good. One evening sticks out really well in my mind. I had fished for about 3-4hrs one evening without catching hardely anything when a bad storm came up. Long story short, I ran for cover and thought about going to the trailer. I didn't, the storm passed, and when it did it was game on. I caught 9 that evening with two going over four pounds.

[NasTMcfingas]

As long as there is no lightning, fishing in the rain can be great also.

Some of my best fishing has been in a light to moderate rain storm.

[tnbassfisher]

I have fished in the rain twice in the past week.

[Elite Image Fishing]

Now, this is an experience from a pond shortly after a deluge, so I don't know how well it would translate to a river, lake, etc... Rain run off water was flooding into the pond from a large pipe, stirring the water. I ran rooster tails, spinner baits, and cranks through with tons of success. Just something to keep in mind.

[DMac]

Fishing before the rain can be very productive because of the pressure changes. And fishing during a light rain in summer can be outstanding. But the best fishing is right after rain when you see the steam rising off the water...cant beat it!

[Fishing Rhino]

I enjoy the days when bands of rain come through. Fish before during and after the rain.

I really enjoy fishing in the rain. Gear that keeps you dry is a plus.

Why are fish more active during the rain? Are they more active during the rain?

You know what a downpour sounds like above the water. Imagine what it sounds like beneath. Water is a much better conducter of sound than the air.

I doubt the cacaphony panics the bass, but I suspect it heightens their senses. Clunk stuff around on the hull of a boat, and it is muffled by the din of the rain.

Heavy rain also knocks insects and bugs onto the water, which should induce fish to feed. If they are in a feeding mood, then the fishing should be better than when they are not.

Whether I'm close, or out in left field, matters not. As Eddie Rabbit sang, "I love a rainy night". I love a rainy day too.

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain. Telling me just what a fool I've been.

Nevermind.

[Dalton Tam]

Well in my area it has been really dry latley and and hot as hell itself and the fish hadnt been biting in the heat but after a rain they go to biting because the rain puts oxygen back into the water just like a ariator in someone's livewell.  This is the main reason I believe fish may bite better after a shower or rain.

[SammyLee]

In my case, the days before the rain were hot as heck and humid without much wind.  The rain raised the lake level about a foot and made the top water at least 5 degrees cooler, based on the way it feels to me.

I went back this afternoon, got one bite and not much more.  I didn't have a lot of time but I am thinking of going back now, 9:30 pm and see how the night fishing is the day after.  It's been cooler and dryer today.  We'll see.

[bigbill]

I owe this to my late older brother who passed away a few years ago. I was never really into fishing the way i should of been but i went with him anyway all the time anyway from when i was 6yo. till he passed away. We fished in the rain every chance we got.

His Quote; You have to stay going and sooner or later the fish will turn on no matter what stay going.

Too bad i found out after he was gone what he was talking about.

I fish hours before the rain, during the rain and after the rain stops. I also try to catch it when the rain lets up between the showers.

I try to hit the frenzy that happens during the front comming in and while its here.

One night while fishing a large swamp with my son I was reeling in a night crawler and had a strike. Seeing this I said you want something moving, i'll give you something moving. I put on a Mepps #3 inline spinner silver blade with a brown tail. By my third bass my son hollers out you have another one of those lures??? I threw him a #3 red and white blade with a brown tail and we caught many doubles that trip it was non stop bass after bass. This was two hours before the rain hit. This is a shallow 4' deep swamp and i'm fishing in the channel were it drains.

I went to one of my favorite spots that i fish often and one night when it was between storms for a few hours during a 3day rain period I nailed 19 bass in one spot fishing from shore using a 1/4oz joesfly bass inline spinner that is a glo tiger with some YUM shad scent. This place has flats and drop off's.

Another time it was around supper time when it got cloudy just before the rain hit I caught many 2lbers, 3lbers and up to 5lbers plus one crappy the size of a 5 gallon bucket lid it was that big. I was using a Rebel BIG Claw crawfish lure with craw scent. I'm casting along a weedline in a channel about 10" deep.

Fishing from shore in these spots I can use my Combo C Lector and check the waters PH. When the fish aren't biting I notice the PH is way off. I figure the bacteria is really high and the bottom is really stirred up.

I been still trying to figure out what causes this feeding frenzy so i could time it better. It doesn't happen that often or i'm missing it most of the time. I still fish before, during and after the fronts come thru. I'm thinking about my location where i'm fishing too.  I'm into fishing by the moon phases too and i'm thinking the fronts timed with the full moon phases may cause this feeding frenzy too.

My brother did say you have to keep on going and sooner or later they will turn on. How right he was.

[kingfisher85]

i was out one day and it was a rainy day with a couple sunny breaks and i got quite a few nice largemouth.. it was actually the best day ive had so far..

[mrlitetackle]

just my 2 cents on this one,

with no real knowledge behind it, except personal experience.

......ive found that about an hour before a storm hits seems to rustle up a few more strikes.

.......during the rain (with the exception of lightning) seems about the same as always.

......and immediately after the rain subsides, has produced some of my best fishing this year.

[Clark Stewart]

I read somewhere several years ago that barometric pressure plays a huge part in fishing - that bass are more active the higher the pressure as are we, that changes in pressure trigger feeding responses in bass, and that fishing while the pressure is dropping but before the weather event arrives is very effective.

Bass eat more right before a front hits because they don't know what the weather will do to their ability to eat. The clear water now may be muddy in an hour and thus harder to find food. So I've read. All I do know is that my personal best was caught while it was thundering and starting to sprinkle! Then I couldn't buy a bite once the rain came.