Fishing after rain

[MUSKY18]

As I sit here at work listening to the thunder and watching it pour outside, it got me to thinking. I just checked the radar and it looks as if the rain will be done by the time I get off of work. My question to all..........is it worth going out and trying to fish tonight? How badly will the storms turn the fish off?

[JRedig]

I've caught several fish in and out of rain/storms. It affects fishermen far more than it affects fish, IMO.

-Jeff

[RK]

Hiya -

It really depends, and unfortunately it's nearly completely unpredictable. All I have are some general observations I guess.

- Short t-storms that pass through quickly don't seem to hurt much.

- Big crashing light shows never seem to do fishing much good.

- Crazy 'round the compass wind direction changes - me no likee..

- Slow steady rain is fine in my book. I've never done well during or after a hard downpour, however.

- I hate, hate, positively HATE fast-moving patchy clouds that create the strobe light effect of bright sun and overcast that you sometimes get after storms come through and the cold front rolls in. I'd rather go home and mow the lawn than fish when it's like that. Did I mention I don't like conditions like these?

- If there's a threat of lightning nearby, get off the water. Common sense, but worth repeating. If any of you feel like pushing the envelope on this one, call me sometime and I'll tell you a couple stories. One involves a lighting bolt to the back of the head... No fish is worth it.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[MUSKYMAN1011]

Bret, Are you talking Metro waters?

or Up-North Waters?

Brian K

[Dan Mawer]

I guess in that situation it's all about what sucks worse - missing out on possible fish, or getting skunked. I try to think about the former but I will admit the second usually is on my mind. Maybe you have a nagging significant other that you want to get away from and that could make up your mind? If you're fishing a usually heavily fished lake I would go because you are going to be in the minority and then you can have a chance to cover more water with less boats already hitting spots - no waterskiers either. All my catches have been with storms approaching but never after anything big. I would think and this is just pure speculation that if the weathermen are anticipating light/moderate rain off and on with stuff moving through (but little or no lightening) or even isolated light/moderate rain that I would go. If we were talking 3 days of rain and then it stopped and bluebird skies were coming in I would say no. Plus if the storms were early enough even if severe and then there was most of the day without storms I would go tonight.

[frogtosser]

I had one follow before the storm hit and then I saw the lightning and got out of there. Lazy fish but it did come back after the small bass my son was reeling in that was cool, but no strike.

[MUSKY18]

Storms have blown through already. Rained hard, some thunder, but nice and sunny now. Was thinking about Miltona, but who knows now..............

[propster]

RK, now we know how you turned out the way you did

[cjac]

Quote:

It really depends, and unfortunately it's nearly completely unpredictable.

I believe Rob just summed up the whole game of muskie fishing in one sentence.....

I've caught them on sunny Saturdays amidst the cruisers on 'tonka, the sailboat Regatta on White Bear, and in weather only duck hunters should be out in. Consistent rain is fine, the changing stuff gets tricky.

I try to make the most of my free time, but I simply don't mess with bad weather. I've tried to "time it" before on the lake as weather is approaching, only to end up in a log jam of other "timers" at the ramp. Not good. Lightning is scary, but even those big rain drops hurt and hail hurts worse!

Be safe and have fun.

[Rebel9921]

Thats Mother Nature for you... either you can love her or hate her...

[MUSKY18]

Well...........me and the boy hit the water after work. Windy, kept switching directions. Was out of the SW when we got on the water, switched to the east and starting blowing, and when we trailered the boat, it was out of the SE. Someone else summed it up earlier.............IT SUCKED!!!! Managed to get the worse backlash I have ever had , and that was the icing on the cake. Still haven't gotten it out, and will work on it tomorrow when I have my patience back!!

[cupper]

Tried Tonka tonight from 7-10:30... skunk. Had someting bite the tail off of one of my swimbaits but that was my only action.

[MUSKYMAN1011]

Bret,

What Water temps you find on Miltona?

thanks

Brian K

[MUSKY18]

Found most of the water to be in the 74 degree range.

Wasn't really impressed with the cabbage as of yet. Thought it might be higher and thicker, but really wasn't as great as I had hoped for. What cabbage i did find was no deeper than 12 foot, but very green!

[The Dogger]

Tonka 3-10. Skunked last night. Next itme i have those conditions I am going home ot get stuff done there instead. RK was right.

[steffanf]

Well, I managed to fish all morning BEFORE the storm hit on 'Tonka. I did get skunked, but at least I left in time before the storm rolled in.

The bad part was the dang construction on Hwy 12 near Wayzata. This put traffic at a standstill. This also allowed the storm to catch up and after driving a few miles on I-494, I was in the middle of it. Truly a bad situation with hail, winds and a rediculous amount of rain. I swear it got as dark as night. When I pulled into a gas station near home, I turned on the bilge pump. I must have had a foot of water in there as all the lower storage was soaked and the pump ran for about 5 minutes. At least I have no hail damage, but I should have stayed home...

-Gregg B.

[JRedig]

Tonka 3-10. Skunked last night. Next itme i have those conditions I am going home ot get stuff done there instead. RK was right.

Proof that muskies are muskies- On a different metro lake, a friend of mine had 5-6 follows and caught two last night right after sunset.

-JR