Bass fishing in the rain???? Please respond!

[Smashmouth]

Guys,

I'm really hoping for a lot of advice on the topic. I've posted before and received very few responses but this is more of a general question that I hope will bring out more response!

I'm heading fishing this coming weekend where the weather is expected to be raining the whole time. I don't mind the rain but have no idea what it means to changing methods, presentations, where to fish, etc. I've read that Bass actually like the rain as long as it doesn't include thunder and lightning because of the additional oxygen it provides the fish. The overcast skys also make the fish more active and increases the strikezone from what I've read.

The question I have after all of this is what baits to use, how to fish them, and where do you fish in a steady, constant rain?

Thanks,

Smash!

[Smashmouth]

What's the point of posting anything here if 70 people are going to look and not respond?

To the top!

Smash

[red89]

Smash-

My opinion is that rain is probably a good thing, and a good time to toss reaction baits like spinnerbaits, similar to windy conditions. I think most fish are more active during these times. One example is a day I went musky fishing with a friend and he was praying for rain whole time. We had mostly sunny clear skies for hours. All of a sudden a little rain cloud came over and starting coming down heavy for only a minute or so. Of coarse in that minute he put the first and only musky of the day in the boat. I guess its your call whether you want to apply that to bass fishing or not, but I do.

So I would think fishing fast, shallow maybe, and using reaction baits. I wonder if a cold rain pushes fish deeper though, or there might be other factors like; fish are more agressive at the start of a rain storm. Just something to think about...

[RSS2930]

Fish the same way you would if it wasn't raining. Try lures with a flash (Spinnerbait, chatterbait, etc.) because the rain can cause the fish not being able to see as well with less light coming through the water.

[twizzy43]

look for little coves where the rain water runs off into the lake and the shad will gather here for new forage like worms and other food thats washed into the water and bass will follow and usually sit at the edge of murky water line where it meets clear water to ambush the shad. stick with shad imitation baits, spinnerbaits are great for this they have good flash and imitate shad very well

[damian_megabass]

During the rain and after the rain are best time to fish. After the rain, depending on where you are the forage (sunnies, shads etc..) tend to be more active in the shallows which means reactin baits work the best around this time.

BTW, if you really want answers you can always sign up on a more active actual fishing forum.

[Smashmouth]

Damian,

what do you consider a more active actual fishing forum?

thanks,

smash

[BassFisherman8]

Hi,

I encountered this at a tournament a couple weeks ago, it was a steady rain all day. I caught some bass on a spinnerbait in deep water(5-6 feet), which is a very good choice during the rain, also a chatterbait. Yet my most productive pattern was Flipping and Pitching. I was pitching a 1/2 oz black and blue jig with a baby paca craw trailer into thick brush, fallen trees, cattails, and reeds. The weird thing is that as soon as the rain stopped the bite turned right off. It might be different at the water you fish but this is what works for me.

-Stephen

[gbbasshunter]

i like to throw spinnerbaits and topwater if it's not raining too hard.

[Phoenix721]

For me before the rain or during, but when the rain stops seems the bite slows way down.
Depending on the time of year determines my bait.
Mostly I will use square bill CB, spinner baits, top water, (heavier the rain fall, nosier the bait) To heavy a rain fall can kill a bite as well.
This time of yr (summer) main lake points with cover for shallow running square bill CB and Spinnerbaits. In front of a approaching thunderstorm will flip Texas rigged plastics and or Jigs. Have had good success with Buzzbaits in this area as well.
Anyone try flipping (yes I said flipping) a CB into cover?
Outside weed lines with deep water (summer) are also great during a light to moderate steady rain fall, for weightless plastics (flukes, wacky rigs)
Hope this helps some or gives you some ideas.

[The Bassing Guy]

Hi

Did some homework on rain, thunder and lightning on my blog for the bass fisherman in South Africa, http://thebassingguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/effects-of-lightningpart-2.html , you may get something from it.

Cheers

[gubahead]

Fish into the wind. Find the spot where the wind has blown all the stuff on the surface of the water and fish there. Shallow first. Like fishing any day match the hatch. Swim baits first, then if you can't get anything going go to spinners, then plastic worms. But put on a Scrounger head jig with a fluke like plastic and jerk it around. That always gets them for me.

[gubahead]

We had scattered thunderstorms all day. During a break in the down pour I wet some line at my local fishing hole. I was finesse fishing a Berkley turtle back worm on a #8 octopus hook weightless. The stream that feeds the pond created a line where the stirred up muddy spring water met the clearer stained pond water. I fished the edge where the muddy water met the stained water and got four nice fish in an hour. I'd say rain was a good thing today.

[BassMaster904]

Well i have fished the rain and i always use a football head jig or topwater like a pooper splashing it rlly hard so the fish can tell it aint a rain drop. or a small like 5 in redfish or trout topwater if u have a good topwater pole than it can move back and forth and let it sit here and there.