Bass fishing after rain will offer you challenges and opportunities. You need to handle all of the changes in water temperature to shifts in bass behaviors.
But don’t worry if the rain is coming. Wait for it to end, and the following tips will help you catch big bass. Let’s start your trip now!
What Is Water Run-Off?
Heavy rains will lead to a lot of run-offs. Hence, before casting your line, check how muddy the water in the fishing area is. If it was clear but then turned out muddy, you can’t find the fish easily.
As a result, look for a place where the mud doesn’t affect the water. Bass often move to the intersection of the muddy and the clear water.
Also, check if the water level rises after the rain. If yes, bass tend to travel to the bank. It sounds good for anglers, but unfortunately, the government may open the floodgates to reduce the water level.
Bass can’t decide whether to move shallow when the water levels are decreasing. Hence, your fishing trip will become more challenging when you notice this condition.
Atmospheric Pressure And Oxygen Concentration
Aside from the water run-off, atmospheric pressure and oxygen concentration are two things you should pay attention to while bass fishing after rain.
Atmospheric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure is a crucial factor to consider when catching bass after the rain because it affects the fish’s behavior.
Atmospheric pressure refers to the atmosphere’s weight on the earth’s surface. We measure it in millibars (mb). A low pressure indicates poor weather conditions, while a high pressure suggests that it’s good weather. The optimal rate for bass fishing is from 29.5 to 30.5 mbs.
Bass are sensitive to atmospheric pressure changes. When it’s rainy and the pressure drops, they are more active and travel to shallower waters. It’s because their swim bladder expands as the pressure decreases, making it simpler to swim.
With that thought in mind, you can use the barometric pressure to predict the bass’ behaviors. Then, plan to cast your line to yield the best result. For example:
- Shallow water: As aforementioned, bass move to shallow waters when it’s rainy. Thus, go fishing near fallen trees or weeds, where they may hide and hunt for prey.
- Fast presentation: When the pressure decreases, bass become active and don’t mind chasing after your lures. You can use spinnerbaits to create a fast presentation to attract them.
- Upsize the lures: Upsizing the lures make them more attractive to bass.
- Prioritize the structure: Bass gather around structures, like points or rocks, during the falling atmospheric pressure. Hence, look for places where shallow water meets those structures.
Oxygen Concentration
Rain falling adds oxygen to the waters. The heavier the rain, the more oxygen the water absorbs. Then, the bass’ metabolism increases, raising their activity levels.
So what can you get from this behavior? First, throw topwater lures. Since the fish move closer to the water’s surface due to their increased activity levels, they can grab your lures quickly.
Buzzbaits are terrific for this strategy. Other lures that can generate plenty of pressure waves will help achieve the same effect.
Choose A Lure That Can Be Cast And Flash After Rain
Choosing the right lure to cast when fishing bass after rain is essential. We have tried many options, but these lures are the best:
Spinnerbait
A spinnerbait is suitable for fishing bass in the rain because it always moves, covering a large area. Besides, the blades provide some flashes and allow you to reach different heights.
Hence, you can use a double willow blade to settle right below the water’s surface in the summer. When the winter comes, go for the double Colorado blades.
Because of the rain, the light conditions are low. The light can penetrate the water’s surface well when the water becomes slick. And when the raindrops break the surface, the light can’t get into the water easily. Luckily, the constant of the bait and its flash will attract fish even in low-lit conditions.
Topwater
Like the spinnerbait, the topwater lure works effectively after the rain all year round. You can use soft plastics, like topwater frogs, to lure your prey.
The surface disturbance caused by rain causes your bass to rise to the surface. In this case, topwater frogs are easier to catch their attention.
So, drag your topwater frog through some grass and lily pads. Many experienced anglers found that frequent presentations near the edges of vegetation during the rain were an effective method for catching bass.
After your frog moves from the lily pad to an open area, many bass will come to it as the frog now becomes an easy-to-catch meal that your prey can’t resist.
Chatterbait
Bass activity and habitat vary significantly depending on the season you are fishing in. Please also note that as time passes and the water temperature cools off in the fall, the rain will increase.
As a result, you have to look for bait to get bass’ attention in different depths. The chatterbait comes into play as it’s an excellent choice in water-changing conditions.
The chatterbait produces a metal-on-metal clanging sound that helps bass locate it quickly. They also like to bite the bait.
At first, skipping bait in a downpour may not seem helpful. Bass often move around and feed in low-pressure environments rather than sticking to hard cover.
Nevertheless, there are brief periods when bass can still be near the cover, like docks and shrubs. You may notice it once the front is just coming in, and the high pressure creeps back. Skipping your chatterbait now can actually draw the bass.
Jig
Bass jigs are a common lure that anglers use to catch fish in different situations. They have a trailer plastic and a large skirt. These features make the jig look like prey that bass hunt for.
Every angler should have a jig in their tackle box because this bait is versatile. For example, some use it to handle slower styles of fishing, whereas others find it best suited for fishing bass in the rain when they modify the jig’s presentation.
So, try fishing with jigs around or in trees. You can swim your jigs in a bobbing way at high speed. They can even work with follow-up casts that you miss when using a buzzbait.
To achieve this goal, rig your jig on a different pole while fishing with the buzz bait. When you miss a fish, pitch your jig immediately to the side of the missed shot and entice the bass to hit.
Other Challenges For Bass Fishing After Rain
The challenges are ongoing, as fishing always asks you to level up your skills. So consider these possible cases and learn how to deal with them effortlessly.
Falling water
Sometimes you fish for bass in a reservoir when the dam determines the water level. In this scenario, heavy rain means the opened dam will result in too much water in the area.
So, be ready for a hard fishing trip since bass may swim away from the shallow waters. Instead, they find deeper places to swim and hunt freely in a more consistent water level.
Water temperature
Rainwater affects the temperature of a particular water body. Although it can be a good sign, the cold run-off gives you a disadvantage.
Bass prefers warm places. Hence, if the water gets colder, they will go way and look for a more comfortable area to hunt for food.
Besides, cold water temperatures mean that bass become less energetic. So even when you use the right lures, your prey will find them unattractive.
Winter fishing is more challenging because the rain lowers the water temperature dramatically. The run-off from the icy areas is also colder. It’s a motivation for bass to seek warmer waters.
Thunder and lightning
Rain may come with thunder and lightning. During the storm, bass like to feed in muddy places. Hence, you can cast your line on the edges of those areas.
However, we don’t advise catching bass in such a dangerous condition. Fishing after the rain is a better idea. So when the weather looks fine, head for muddy waters.
Conclusion
Water run-off, atmospheric pressure, and oxygen levels are the most important things to check while fishing bass after the rain. These factors affect your prey’s behaviors. So follow the tips we have shared, and you will succeed.
Using suitable lures is an important part of success. We have mentioned four ideas, but you can experiment with your favorite and determine which works best.
Hopefully, fishing after the rain won’t bother you anymore. Instead, it’s a precious chance to upgrade your fishing skill and gain interesting experiences.
Thank you for reading!
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Born in Lakeland, Florida, Daniel has started fishing since he was just a tiny little kid. His father was a real good fisherman, as he taught Daniel tricks and tips to catch the fish better. From those childhood memories, Daniel has built up his love for fishing. Until now, he has been participating in several bass tournaments and currently serves as the Chief Editor of fishingonsunday.com to share his precious knowledge and experiences with many more people.
