Fishing after rain? Why is it thought to be so Great?

A lot of fishing guides and anglers believe that fishing after rain has some benefits over fishing in other weather conditions. The belief is that the fish get more active right after rain stops, which is true. This article will discuss the aeration effect of rain on lakes, as well as the effect that a cloudy sky has on how active the fish feed.

How does a rain storm change the Fish’s feeding?

Rain makes fish more active and hungry, and the activity of fishing after rain is just as good as fishing in other weather conditions. Rain causes lakes to be more aerated than usual because it washes air through the water which helps oxygen levels increase. When fishing before or during a heavy rainfall (with or without cloud cover), you’ll find that fish are usually very active.

The fishing in the middle of a heavy rainfall is typically great because fish are very active and hungry, looking for food to fill their stomachs after all that energy has been used up in the storm. There is also an increase in oxygen levels which makes fishing even better!

Rain storms typically make fish much more active, so fishing after rain is a easy way to get more fish to take you lure or bait.

Is cold rain better?

Does the temperature of the rain change the activity of the fish?

Cold rain can make fish lethargic and less likely to bite, as they don’t want to expend energy.

There is no advantage between fishing in cold rain or clear weather conditions, the fish will be more active than normal either way! Rain can also bring colder water temperatures but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll find more inactive (cold-water) fish during warmer weather.

Warm rain will typically make fish more active, which makes fishing after rain a great time to get out on the water.

Cold temperatures can cause fish to be less active and lethargic making it harder for anglers to catch them.

Fishing in cold weather conditions or during a heavy rainfall isn’t typically better than when there is no precipitation in the area. Fish are typically more active after rain no matter the temperature, but when comparing warm to cold the warm rain will make the fish more active.

In general the water temperature has an effect on how active the fish are. Anyone that has been ice fishing is aware of how calm and docile the fish can be under the ice.

Rain’s effect on the water Oxygen

Rain helps to add more oxygen to the water by aerating the water essentially.

Heavy rain can make this even more pronounced with will help you catch fish, because the more oxygen there is the more active the fish are and it can send them into a feeding frenzy.

The nice thing is this is true for any kind of fishing, bass fishing included!

Another thing to know about fishing after rain is that there is typically changes in the air pressure, or barometric pressure. This can change how fish behave as well.

Air pressure usually changes when rain is coming, which can cause fish to act differently.

Rain typically causes changes in the barometric pressure of an area and this will affect how active any type of fish are.

Water Clarity and the rain

Rain causes water to become cloudy, and this can effect the water clarity.

Sometimes the clarity is decreased because of the fact that the rain has made muddy water out of clear water.

The rain can stir up the dirt, and the more the dirt gets stirred up the more likely it is to become very muddy water and this as you all well know can drastically affect how clear the water is.

What about the cloudy skies?

When the skies are darker, like after or during heavy rains it is a great time to catch bass and all other fish as well, especially mountain lake trout!

The darker skies make it so fish believe it is later in the day, and fish like to feed during the darker times.

So this means it’s a great time to go fishing and you’ll find more active fish during this kind of weather.

The darker clouds can make fish more active and hungry, making rain a great time to get out fishing. It is counter intuitive to think that the darker clouds will make fish more active, but sure enough the data shows that fish prefer the darker skies and become more active in their feeding during that time!

Lights effect on the fish

As we mentioned above fish like to feed more when the skies are cloudy.

When it is bright out fish will typically slow down or even stop feeding all together.

Fish like to feed in the dark and during cloudy times because they feel safe and secure, this is also when they eat most of their food.

The cloudcover and darkness in general do make the fish feel more secure, and they are more likely to leave the under water cover areas like rocks and foliage to go out and feed.

This is why fishing in the morning is typically better than fishing in the afternoon!

It is darker in the early morning hours and fish are much more active when it is darker.

Do fish bite more after it rains?

Yes, fish bite more after it rains.

The rain makes fish more active and it causes the water to be aerated, and more oxygen makes the fish more active.

The other thing about the rain that makes fish bite more is that there is typically cloud cover and darker conditions make fish more active as well.

So, next time it rains you can count on fish biting more after it rains because of two things

More oxygen in the water

Darker skies above

So, bust out the rain coat and get out there right at the end of the storm, because you will increase your success during that time for sure!

How do you fish after a rain storm?

There are some techniques after rain that include using the same lures and baits that you would use during other conditions.

For example, if you’re fishing for bass after a rain storm it is best to find fish near underwater cover like rocks or logs because they will be more active in these areas.

Another great technique when fishing after rains is crankbaiting with black plastics such as the “hula grub” or some other soft plastics that are black.

You can also use spinnerbaits with treble hooks, and be sure to find fish near underwater cover like rocks or logs because they will be more active in these areas.

What you do when it isn’t raining can be done after the rain as well. What they eat doesn’t change based on the rain ultimately, they just feed more aggressively.

What lures to use to fish after rain?

You want to use lures like chatterbaits or crank baits that create a lot of vibration.

There is a lot of movement that is taking place after a rain storm, so having a lure that vibrates a good amount will grab the attention of the fish nearby.

This is the main change in lures to use, other than that the fish will bite what they always do.

Lures with a lot of vibration have shown some benefit, but you don’t need to go out and drop a ton of money on these lures, because at the end of the day the fish will still bite what they have always bitten at that spot.

Where do fish go when it storms?

Fish usually go under cover when it storms.

When fish are scared they typically go under underwater structure like rocks or logs, and this is where they feel most secure because there is protection over their head.

So rain causes the water level to rise which scoops up these fish hiding in crevices of underwater structures and puts them at risk for getting swept away.

When this happens you want to be at the other end of where they are swept because that is typically where they will go when it stops raining!

After the storm, the fish are likely to move away from these covered areas, because they are more energized and if clouds are present overhead they will feel protected from the darker skies in general.

Is it better to fish before or after a storm?

First and foremost, make sure you are safe.

Don’t go out fishing in a crazy lightning storm, just because the fishing will be better. Make sure you are safe!

Fishing before a storm is beneficial because:

• Lower barometric pressure
• The water is clearer
• Fishing after a storm is great because:
• Fish feed more aggressively
• More oxygen in the water
• Cloud cover makes fish think they are protected

Fishing right before a storm typically leads to a drop in the barometric pressure. Which can improve fishing.

Fishing after a storm offers the benefits that we have gone over so far in this article, so you already know the benefits of that.

If I had to choose between before a storm or after, I would take into account the other factors not related to the storm.

What is the road like out?

Do I have somewhere to go while it rains?

These are the types of questions I would ask.

Do fish bite when it is windy?

Wind doesn’t really matter too much for fishing because it is typically not that strong of a force on water where fish are located anyway.

The wind doesn’t have a direct affect on what the fish do in terms of taking your bait.

The wind can create choppier water and that can hide your bait better and not reveal its flaws, which can maybe make the fish more likely to take it.

At the end of the day though, the wind doesn’t affect if the fish bite or not.

There may be other conditions like cold air temperature, rain, melting snow, what are the feeder creeks doing, has the rain made deeper water, created mud lines, these kind of things are what to worry about with weather and fish feeding.

Wind in and of itself doesn’t change the way that fish feed.

What is the best weather for fishing

The best fishing weather is on a clear day in the early hours. Fish are typically feeding during this time, and if it is going to be a warm day then they are more likely to feed during those cooler morning hours.

The fish will be most active during this time, so you want to make sure that they can see your bait and get a good idea of what it looks like before they bite, which increases your chances for success!

What is the best time to go fishing?

The best time to fish is early in the morning.

This is because fish are typically more active during this time, and will be feeding and just more active in general.

If you want good results when fishing then make sure that you can get out early enough to take advantage of these conditions. If not, there were still some benefits to fishing early in the day, but not as many.

The best time of year for this is typically during the spring because it has all these benefits plus warmer temperatures which are also prime conditions for more active fish.

Another factor that you want to take into account what your target species is and how they behave at different times throughout the season.

So make sure you grab your rod and reel and get after it in the morning hours!

Conclusion

Fishing after rain or around storms in general has its benefits.

This article covered a lot of them, remember safety is paramount before catching fish. If there is a ton of lightning don’t go out, but if there isn’t then by all means take advantage of rain and the darker skies.

What have you noticed about fishing in/after rain storms? Has it been better fishing in general?

Let me know in the comments!