Effect of Rain on Fishin LJ
 

When these typical winter cold fronts blow down from the NW, other than potentially rougher water and wind, how does rain affect the bite?

Day before rain?
During an off/on rainy day?
Day after rain?

Does this affect the bite?

Is it different or the same for SD Bay?

Here's my take on the effect that rain has on fishing. Probably very little.. However, the associated winds and rough water can definitely adversely affect the bite. If the water rolls and turns green, and the temp drops a couple degrees overnight, I know I will have a tough day. Never a good enough reason to not go, for me, but my tactics change to slower presentation, looking for pockets of cleaner water and dropping on any sonar anomalies rather than waiting for the perfect meter mark. Bottom line is get out there whenever you safely can and know that most of your noteworthy fish will come on not so perfect days.

From my experience, it seems that lake fishing a day before a storm is coming slows down. Witnessed that a few times over the years. Not sure if that is a solid correlation and if so, how it applies to ocean fishing.

The wind is a much bigger factor than rain or even large swells. North winds moving down the coast cause the suffice water to move out to sea, drawing colder bottom water to the surface along the coast. South wind has the opposite. By early to mid winter the local fish have usually moved deep where the water temp is colder but more stable. So I guess what I'm saying is storms shouldn't effect fishing much. Mike

Best bugging for me is always the first calm night after a storm/wind/rough conditions. I think they hunker down in their holes and can't wait to get out when it calms down.

The cooler weather and water always helps in the bay for the sandbass bite. I love when it gets cooler like this. For the bay just change up from the translucent colors to the more solid colors. Whites, blacks, and dark greens work great in the big Bay here in SD