You might think the rainy weather has spoiled all your fishing plans, but there are some who would disagree, and some others who would even prefer rainy weather. But is fishing in the rain good?
Fishing in the rain can be good, considering that rain causes some agitation and increases the fish’s activity. This improves the likelihood that you’ll catch a fish. But this all comes at a risk: you get drenched.
Read below to find out whether you should go fishing in the rain.
Is Fishing in the Rain Good?
There are many thoughts on this, but the most popular one is that rain can be good or bad depending on where you are, what kind of fish you want to catch, and the time of day.
Let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks of fishing in the rain.
Benefits of Fishing in the Rain
First, you might catch more fish if you go fishing when it’s raining. This is because fish activity tends to increase after it rains.
These fish have a better chance of biting your hook, which raises your catch rate. Many kayakers take advantage of the fish being more active after light rain by heading out on the water. This allows them to access less populated places where the fish are not often disturbed by boats.
Another benefit of going fishing while it’s raining is that it’s a great way to beat the heat. If it’s too hot to go outside, but you still want to enjoy your favorite activity, going out in the rain is a terrific option. Heavy rains will agitate aquatic life, leading to a feeding frenzy near runoffs.
Finally, the rain can make for a more tranquil fishing experience. Spending time in the great outdoors during a downpour seems to have a calming effect on people. If you’re looking for a method to relax and unwind, going fishing while it’s raining might be just the medicine you need.
Drawbacks of Fishing in the Rain
There are, of course, certain disadvantages to fishing in the rain. Staying dry is one of the hardest challenges. If you don’t equip yourself with the right gear, you’re going to become drenched, which is not only going to be uncomfortable but also freezing if it’s wintertime.
Wet weather also makes it more difficult to see your line and bait. This makes it harder to tell when you have a bite, which ultimately results in lost fish.
When it rains, the water becomes murkier, making it more difficult to see certain species of fish including bass and trout.
Last but not least, unfavorable weather can turn an otherwise nice activity into an unpleasant one. It’s hard to have fun when it’s cold and raining outside. If you must go fishing in the wet weather, be prepared with the right clothing and equipment.
What is the Best Time to Go Fishing?
In this section, we’ll talk about the best time to go fishing based on factors like time of day and season.
Times of Day
Most fish species are most active in the early morning and late evening, making those times of day ideal for fishing. One possible explanation is that baitfish (a collective term for various types of small fish consumed by larger fish) are more active at night.
When it’s dark outside, fish are safer from predators like ospreys that prefer to strike during the day. The temperature of the water is also a contributor to this phenomenon; during the day, when the sun is shining brightly in the sky, the upper layer of water has a tendency to start heating up. This often results in temperatures that are outside the “comfort zone” of many fish species (each species has an ideal temperature range that it prefers).
This is why certain species have a tendency to “go deep” and relax during the mid-day hours in cooler water under a thick covering of weeds, logs, or even just the water itself.
Seasons
There are a great number of fish species that are either easier to catch or, at the very least, more easily accessible during certain times of the year. For instance, lake trout are cold-water fish that thrive in water at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lake trout will spend much of their time aggressively seeking smaller fish near the surface after the ice breaks and the water temperature near the surface rises to about 40 degrees. At this time, you can go fishing from shore using “regular” fishing equipment.
When surface water temperatures reach the mid to upper 50s, fish begin migrating to deeper water, where it is more challenging to catch them and nearly impossible without a boat and the use of specialist equipment, such as downriggers or wire/lead core lines.
There are many species that migrate, and the time of year can have an impact on where and when people fish for such fish. Some anadromous species, those that spend most of their lives in the ocean but reproduce in fresh water, can disappear from a given river system for days or even weeks at a time before suddenly returning in the thousands.
On the other hand, they can “disappear” almost just as quickly, while others, such as the species of salmon found in the Pacific Ocean (Chum, Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye), pass away after they have reproduced.
Some fish, such as the Black Bass (Smallmouth and Largemouth), begin digging spawning beds as soon as the water begins to warm in the spring. The male and female of these fish will aggressively defend the nest from any potential predators, including fish of a lesser size, until the eggs hatch, which can take anywhere from two to three weeks.
This makes them easy prey for fishermen, since they will bite at virtually any object put into the water. This is why many areas prohibit or severely limit bass fishing in the spring.
Conclusion
So, if you’re thinking of canceling your fishing plans due to the rainy weather, think again. You might get lucky and catch a whole lot more fish, making your trip fruitful, albeit a little wet and cold.
