This quick guide will go over some expert advice on bass fishing in the rain so that the next time you can plan a trip around the rainstorm rather than avoiding it.
Many anglers make the error of believing that when it starts to rain, they must put their rod away. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fishing in the rain has a special set of benefits, even though it’s obviously not the best time to do so and you should be cautious of thunder and lightning.
By the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll know all the benefits of bass fishing in the rain, which is a wise decision for a variety of reasons. I’ll also go into some of my best advice and techniques that will not only get you out on the water but also help you catch some bass while you’re there.
Bass Fishing in the Rain Tips
Let’s start by discussing some of the things I’ve discovered over the years and the fishing wisdom that has been passed down through the generations. We receive a respectable amount of rain in the spring and summer where I live in Northeast Pennsylvania.
It’s not unusual to spend the entire weekend soaked, but let me tell you, there are lots of benefits to doing this. I’ve gone through the following, to name a few.
Further Reading:
- Bass Fishing In Muddy Water: Best Lures & Best Baits
- How To Bass Fishing In Wind?
- Tips For Bass Fishing In Deep Water
- How To Bass Fishing In Summer?
Runoff is Your Friend
Because it adds numerous nutrients and vitamins to the water, runoff is an interesting phenomenon. When it rains, the soil is drained by surface runoff, which brings a variety of things that bass like. It also adds minerals and oxygen to the water in addition to food.
Because they want all of these things, bass will congregate wherever there is surface runoff. This is your chance to take advantage of the situation. Now that it is raining, you have a clear indication of where the bass will be. Find areas of overhanging ground where the ground beneath has eroded. The bass is probably going to be hanging out there.
The water will be more obscured by the runoff, which will make it easier for you to disguise yourself so that they won’t be startled by the boat or motor.
Bass Are Actually More Active
Contrary to popular belief, fish actually become more active when it’s cloudy and raining. You can benefit from this knowledge, but you must exercise caution. You must quicken your presentation and use faster lures because the bass is more active.
Good luck if you’re used to whacking a slow crankbait off the rocks and hitting the water with it. For this fishing situation, that presentation is too slow.
Use a rubber worm or mid-level spinner bait, or something else that moves much more quickly. You are giving the bass what they want by quickening the presentation. If you can be the one to present the fish with a challenge today—they’re eager and looking for one—then go for it.
Keeping in mind that bass is more willing to travel farther distances to pursue a lure because they are more active is another crucial consideration. Because of this, you won’t have to spend the entire day in one place and will want to cover more ground.
The bass may have simply moved to a new location, so you should follow suit if you find a hot spot on the water where you are catching bass left and right but then it abruptly stops for a few hours.
Be Aggressive With Your Lure Choice
When it’s raining, you should toss the top water. During times of low barometric pressure, the bass is drawn to the surface. Let’s quickly return to science to discover why.
An overcast sky results in a larger strike zone because less light can penetrate it. Throwing something really aggressive into the water will draw a lot more attention because the sun is reflecting off the water and your lure.
Therefore, when bass fishing in the rain, you should use a buzz bait, spinner bait, or spoon because the tiny amount of light refraction you produce will attract a lot of attention and prompt the eager bass to strike.
Fish the Surface
The best advice I can give you is to fish topwater or near-surface lures on days when it’s raining. The best time to catch largemouth bass is when it is raining. Work a jitterbug or buzz bait in open waters close to weedy patches of water or other areas where you wouldn’t typically be able to fish.
Bass are drawn to surface lures because they usually move quickly and call for a quicker presentation. In fact, some science is involved here. Barometric pressure is decreased by rain, which enables bass to feed more actively.
Further Reading: How To Fish A Swimbait For Bass Fishing?
Fish the Places You Couldn’t Reach Before
The ability to fish in places you couldn’t previously access is probably my favorite aspect of bass fishing in the rain. It’s exciting to enter the water from a boat or even from the shore and discover areas of water where casting previously proved to be impossible due to the presence of too much cover. You should seize these chances.
These areas of the water are what I call “honey holes” because they’re flooded with bass that has been pushed out of their traditional cover because it’s overloaded with water. They must now relocate, but the water is so high that they are unable to do so.
The water is now much higher, so you don’t have to worry about getting hung up or stuck in your boat; instead, they remain in their original location.
Go With Frogs
Another excellent choice of lure for bass fishing in the rain is frogs. It makes sense to use a topwater frog when fishing in weedy areas. If you think there might be frogs hanging out in the tall grass or under hanging trees along the shore, search those areas.
Make sure your presentation is free of weeds because you’ll want to pitch your frog right into the grass if possible. Otherwise, you risk getting stuck.
By retrieving slowly and pausing for a moment in between, you can induce movement in the frog. Casting parallel to the shoreline is the best course of action in this situation, giving shore anglers the upper hand. That’s what I advise doing if you can properly maneuver your boat.
Find the Bass-guarding Beds
Bass will be watching over their beds, especially during pre-spawn and spawn in the early spring. Though you may be doing everything else that you know you should be doing during this time, you might still have trouble getting them to bite. When that occurs, you’ll want to find the beds by keeping an eye out for any deviations from the norm.
It’s usually a sign that something needs to be done if you notice some weed beds that appear to have been ruffled or pushed down. While it is pouring heavily outside, I’ll take a Texas-rigged worm and drop it right into that opening.
Because you need to hit them square in the nose and enrage them severely enough to earn a strike, make sure it’s a bright color.
Lures for Bass Fishing in the Rain
The best lures and bass fishing techniques to use when fishing in the rain will be discussed in more detail now that we’ve briefly touched on them in some of the earlier sections.
Further Reading: 6 Best Braid For Bass Fishing: Fish More Bass!
- Spinnerbaits – Because of the dropping barometric pressure and the fact that bass will go after a fight in these conditions, spinners are by far the best lure to use when it is raining. The best chance you have is with something a little lighter than you would typically pick, and make sure you’re working it quickly.
- Topwater Frogs – Frogs are great, and these work especially well if you can access areas where you wouldn’t typically fish. I’m a huge fan of frogs. I would advise using these, sizing up the presentation a little because the bass will feel a little bit more daring than usual, giving the extra energy. You should toss your frog right in and work it using a stop-and-go technique if you can locate a weed bed or an area where runoff drains into some dense cover.
- Worms – When the bass is feeding, I believe worms are always a better option than jigs because you can work them quickly and they’re adaptable enough to be used for a variety of situations.
After the Rain Subsides
You’ll notice that fish activity significantly decreases after thunderstorms, especially. Your bottom contact will be most helpful at this point when you’ll need to significantly slow down your approach.
You want to hang out in these areas because they are where worms, grubs, and other small prey items are washed into the water from the bank and from the trees. You should use more natural colors in clear water, but Junebug soft plastics in black and other dark hues will work best in muddy water.
Conclusion: Fish More Bass!
Gaining mastery of the art and science of bass fishing requires knowledge of how to fish for bass before, during, and after a storm. There is a place for you in the world of bass fishing, whether you are a total beginner, a weekend warrior, or a pro-level tournament angler.
