Fishing For Bass In The Rain

• Heath Anderson

Is Bass Fishing Good In The Rain?

Yes! When it rains during the spring or summer the rain oxygenates the water and the bass, and other fish like grass carp and baitfish, come to the surface to breathe the fresh and cooler water. This gives them a burst of energy and they go into feeding mode. When both the bait and the predators are in the same area, it is on, and you need to be ready to take advantage of this! But just as soon as it heats up it can stop, so know where and what to fish to make the best use of your time on the water.

When the summer heat hits don’t stop fishing, just change your tactics, or go on a Florida fishing charter and learn from them! Be ready for a burst of rain, or switch your timing to take advantage of night fishing.

Why Fish in the Rain?
When rain starts falling it enriches the top part of the water with oxygen and also cools it down. Bass need oxygen to breathe, and it helps keep them active and quickens their metabolism. Fish tend to stay in cooler water during the summer because it can carry more dissolved oxygen. Just a 10 degree difference in the water temperature can have a significant impact on the amount of dissolved oxygen the water can hold.  Therefore when a large amount of oxygen is introduced to the top water level, bass move up and it gets them into feeding mode.

• Rain makes fish active because water is cooler and more oxygenated.
• With rain usually comes cloud cover as well as surface agitation which makes fish less likely to be spooked and gets them out of cover.
• Bait gets washed into the water from branches and shorelines. The rain also flushes out small baitfish.
• Gets other boaters off the water so the fishing pressure drops way down.
• Bass are more predictable in the rain because they’re actively looking for food in a few key places

Where To Find Bass in the Rain

• Shallow Water – Rain washes insects, frogs, worms, and nutrients into the shallow water. Bluegill and other baitfish come into the shallows to feed on the nutrients and small insects. That, in turn, brings the bass in to feed on everything.
• Topwater – Look for areas with fish hitting the surface. Cast to that spot right away to hook up with a bass. The bait will be at the top taking advantage of the small insects and oxygen-rich water, and so will the bass.
• Ambush Points – Bass are actively hunting for food when it rains, so you need to think like they do. Bass like to stage up at ambush point to wait for small baitfish and insects that are being dragged out of cover by the current created by the rain. Good spots to focus on are points where everything has to pass through and bass can sit and wait. If you can find an area where rain is causing some type of a current flow, then throw a plastic worm out and let it get washed down that current. Bass will be waiting facing into the current ready to slam anything they think is food. Try focusing on the exit flow of a canal mouth, a rocky point, or an abrupt depth change.

Best Lures for Fishing in the Rain
Rain offers some unique fishing because there are some common areas that the bass will go. You’ll want to have topwater lures that mimic natural bait and can really get it going in a rain storm. Also include soft plastics such as worms, lizards, and crayfish. These are good to fish in the ambush points and shallow water. Don’t forget to bring some crankbaits to run along rocks and upper areas of the water column. If I could pick my top three lures for fishing in the rain they would be:

• Weightless Gary Yamamoto 5” Senko Worm – Check Current Price on Amazon
• Rapala Skitter Pop – Check Current Price on Amazon
• Texas Rigged Lizard – Check Current Price on Amazon

My color selection would depend on the fishing conditions (Check out our article about lure color selection), but in general I would tend to go with a darker lure for the plastic and something with a bright splash of color on the bottom of it for the topwater.

There is no way around it, if you’re fishing in the rain you will get wet, but it is definitely worth it. Invest in a good rain jacket and if the forecast calls for rain don’t stay home, load up your gear and land a big one….except if there’s lightning…don’t fish in lightning.