Fishing before, during, & after a storm

[Granny]

Yesterday temps up here were in the mid 90's all day and it was muggy (water temp 81)! Around 5:00 p.m. a storm moved in and it clouded up and the temps dropped to around 75. We hit the water around 7:30 p.m. and hit our usual spots with little luck. I was fishing a worm wacky style for the first time and picking up a few smaller fish but nothing big. The fish wouldn't hit a frog or spinnerbait. It started to rain a little and then a downpoor for about 5 minutes. As soon as the rain stopped the wife-to-be picked up a 20" and a couple minutes later a 19", both off of a white & yellow spinnerbait in 3ft of water. We ended up catching a few more fish all off of spinnerbaits and these fish were hitting very aggressive. Is this aggressive turn-on a pattern for this type of weather?

Thanks in advance,

Granny

[EBass]

I've heard of some showers or brief strom will turn them on as well as turn them off. Weather + Bass = weird. LOL!

[Granny]

Ebass,
You think that if I take a shower before I go out I might have better luck?

[st.crioxfishin]

I have found that when I am fishing right before a storm comes through the bass really seem to be biting. Early this summer I was fishing with a friend in the metro and we had been out for a few hours and had only picked up 2 or 3 bass, then all of a sudden we saw the clouds roll in. In the next 15 min. we caught about 10-15 bass, avg. 2-3.5lbs. We would have stayed out longer but the clouds got closer and were bringing lightning with them so we had to leave. Also over the 4th this year I was fishing about 45 min north of Branierd and the first day I was doing very well, I caught about 20 nice 2-3lb bass(all C and R). Then a storm rolled in later in the afternoon. The next day the front hadn't moved through yet and it was misting all day - although I still did very well, about the same as the day before. On the third day it was still misting and then it turned into rain. I did well on this day as well, and especially when the rain stopped at the end of the day i caught to 17in bass and a 19in bass before the day was over.

So from my experience i do believe that storms do affect the mood of a bass, although it might not always make them more active, as i have figured out from other times fishing after storms come through.

b. downey

[EBass]

A shower is always good Granny. More for your soon to be bride though Congrats by the way. Does she know you're M80 fetish? LOL

As a rule of thumb before a cold front is better, but the bass still have to eat. I think they go in the thickest slop, or bury in the deep weeds, or hang off the edges of humps.

Now if you're talking about a pop up storm then with unstable weather conditions (jet stream overhead) I think a light storm gets them going.

[Granny]

It was pretty much a pop-up storm but nothing too bad. We were kind of on the edge of it.

I gave up my M80 work a while ago but the wife-to-be's nephew is a little piro (sp). I have been teaching him a few new things.

Granny

[genegodawa]

My dear old departed dad used to say "it's good fishin' after it rains" so we always give it a try then. Plus, while waiting for it to stop raining we get kinda antsy to be back on the water. Before, during, or after doesn't matter much to us-can't catch 'em if you aren't out there.

Gene

PS 30 yrs ago I made my friend go out with me on Leech after a rainstorm and he got his first wallhanger-a very nice crappie.

[BigMike]

If you are like the pros, they are like weather men and can tell exactly what kinds of cloud formations indicate what kind of weather is approaching (cold front, high pressure, thunderstorms, etc...) but none of us here are, so here is my experience...

About 1-5hrs before a cold front moves through, bass will really put the feed bag on! Especially if it's been consistantly hot for a few days and then a front comes through. The first thing is, play it safe and never fish in a thunderstorm! Secondly, fish will move to the first deep water drop or weededge after/during a front moving through. You were smart to switch to slower moving baits (worms, jigs, tubes). However, I've heard and experienced exactly what you experienced after the storm rolled through. The reason why some fish turn on after a downpower is because food (bugs, crawfish, etc, worms) get washed into the lake shorelines/rivers and is a prime time to finish up filling the feed bag before they go dormant with the coming cold front. Try casting topwaters and shallow lure (even slower baits like senkos, tubes, etc...) towards the shorelines and overhanging trees/brushes and creek inlets immediately after a big downpour!

Then again, it can be a hit or miss. Sometimes it feels like Ebass' theory of weather+bass=weird is more the norm... Just keep casting!

[sami0115]

i had a great morning of fishing this summer during a rainstorm! i also hear that topwaters are great during rain because the fish have a tendancy to look up at the surface because of the rain making noise on the water.

[fishyje]

i dont know much about high pressure or cold fronts...but cloud cover is awesome for topwater