Do Bass Bite After a Rainstorm?

I’m a big fan of fishing for bass; it’s probably my favorite type of fishing. I love that you’re not required to remain stationary and that, to maximize your chances, you need to be constantly on the move rather than just sitting around with your line in the water. Where I live, we have a ton of rain every year.

I don’t mind the rain; it waters my garden and means we never have water restrictions, but how does the rain affect my fishing? Will the bass bite after a rainstorm? Am I putting up with cold, wet feet for no good reason? Is it better to wait for a clear, sunny day before heading out, or will Bass take my bait when it’s overcast and wet?

The easy answer is yes; bass will quite happily bite and take your bait after it’s been raining. However, it’s worthwhile to understand why this is the case, the science behind this behavior, and the gear you’ll need to maximize your chances of fishing success after a rainstorm. Sit back and relax, and we’ll take you through the whys and hows of bass fishing after a rainstorm and explain why it’s an excellent option.

Be Wary of Storms

A quick warning before we dive into the details of the article: We don’t want to be patronizing, and we know you’re an adult, but be aware of what the weather is doing around you. I can testify that being out in a boat when the weather is fine is a truly fantastic experience. If you’re out on a boat in a small amount of rain, it’s not normally a problem.

But, if you see dark clouds on the horizon or storm clouds coming your way, it’s time to reconsider if a small boat is the best location for you.

As a storm rages around you, being on a boat in the middle of your favorite fishing haunt is the last place you’ll want to be. I promise you, it’s not at all fun. Even seemingly innocuous weather can turn nasty and ruin your day quickly.

Related content you may be interested in reviewing.

• • Beginners Guide to Bass Fishing
  • Does Moon Phase Affect Freshwater Fishing?
  • Bass jumping out of water: What does it Mean and Can You Catch Them?
  • Can You Eat Bass? Plus, Some Great Recipes

You don’t want to be that person you hear about on the news being rescued due to bad decisions. Wishing you had a life jacket with you, a wetsuit, or a better swimmer is not something you want to happen when you’re in the thick of it. Ice, cyclones, tornadoes, hailstorms, and thunderstorms are a surefire way to put an end to a fishing trip, and in my opinion, are best viewed from the comfort of your home or on the news.

Understanding the Facts

Like many animals, the cycles of the moon and the seasons heavily influence the behavior of fish; this goes for bass as well. The weather greatly influences bass behavior, which can dictate how successful a fishing trip will be, resulting in a very happy angler or a complete lack of catches. If you understand how fish and, in particular, bass behave based on the weather, you can use this to your advantage and massively increase your success rate.

Understanding weather patterns goes beyond fishing and is important for any outdoors enthusiast.

As you’re reading this article, we’re primarily interested in how rain will influence Bass’s behavior. There’s a lot of ground to cover here, and some parts will gloss over as it’s only required knowledge if you’re a meteorologist. We will, however, teach you some of the tips and tricks your local weather station uses to predict any changes. Instead of just predicting the weather, we will use it to maximize our bass fishing conditions, even if both are intrinsically linked.

If you’re not overly keen on the science of everything, don’t worry; we’re keeping things high-level and in easy-to-digest chunks.

Before the Rain

How on earth can fish tell it will rain, given that they’re already swimming around in previous years’ rains? Easy, they detect and react to changes in atmospheric pressure. If you have a barometer at home, the same mechanism causes the barometer to change.

Essentially, the atmosphere surrounding us exerts a certain amount of pressure on everything. It’s this pressure that makes the barometer go up or down. When the pressure increases, it usually means some nice weather is coming. If the pressure goes down, it’s a good indication that we’re due to some bad weather, and it’s time to grab your fishing rod, as the bass will be biting soon.

During the Rainstorm

Now’s the time to seek shelter, perhaps enjoy a spot of lunch or have a nap. It’s not the time to go home (unless worse weather is on its way). A few raindrops will hopefully soon pass, and all the smartest fishermen will have stuck around to reap the rewards. Showers generally pass after a few minutes, moving on to water another patch of land further down the road.

A light or heavy rainstorm will create amazing conditions for fishing and put you well on your way to meeting your bag limit. Patience is the key, as is having faith that the weather will improve.

Post Rainstorm

A very interesting thing happens when it rains: there’s the obvious, such as things becoming wet, and then there’s the less obvious, which can be subtle. As waterfalls, it’ll feed into streams, creeks, and lakes. Washing down with the influx of freshwater will be all sorts of interesting things, such as nutrients, bits of plants, insects, grubs, and a host of other tasty morsels that will be irresistible for your average bait fish.

These baitfish will gather at the entrance points of the springs, streams, and creeks, hoping for a tasty snack. This will cause Bass to go into a feeding frenzy, hoping to dine on a tasty snack of baitfish.

Just a Little Rain to Tip the Balance

It doesn’t need a lot of rain to increase the water levels and send the baitfish and bass off into a feeding frenzy; when this happens, they will eat just about anything. Even a few minutes of rain can raise water levels by an inch or more; all the drains, creeks, and streams feeding into a lake from the surrounding terrain can quickly raise water levels. This influx of fresh water is often more than enough to kick the bait fish into overdrive, and once the bait fish have started, bass are generally not far behind and are looking to secure an easy meal.

Everyone’s Feeding Frenzy

You’ve probably seen how quickly a rainstorm can come from nowhere. If you’d kept an eye on the barometer beforehand, you would have probably detected the tell-tale signs long before the rainstorm, giving you plenty of warning to respond. You can use a smartphone app to do the hard work for you, tracking local weather conditions with high accuracy.

Bass doesn’t massively care where the rainstorm occurs. They only care about the influx of freshwater that it’ll create and the subsequent response from any baitfish present. The bass won’t be far behind once the baitfish gets started. It’s worth knowing that the feeding frenzy might not last for long. It depends on how many baitfish are present and how long the rain lasts.

Be Prepared

With a limited window of opportunity after a rainstorm, it’s best to be ready to take full advantage of any eventuality. You can begin this process by finding out where baitfish will likely hide. You can accomplish this with a bit of lake investigative work.

Firstly, find places where water enters the lake. It’s better to find a location with a narrow entry, as the baitfish and bass will be more concentrated. The feeding frenzy might last quite short, so knowing these locations before a rainstorm is a great way to prepare. You can catch some serious fish if you’re in the right location when the feeding begins.

Armed with your barometer, you’ll be way ahead of the pack. Have a great time.

So, Do Bass Bite After a Rainstorm?

Looping back to the original question, does bass bite after it rains? You might know more than you wanted, but you can answer the question with a firm yes. The next step is to get yourself out onto the water, scout out your favorite watering hole, and pray for some rain so you can take advantage of your new knowledge. We look forward to hearing about your monster catches.

Conclusion

In general, bass fishing can be good after a rainstorm because the rain can cause runoff into the water, bringing new nutrients and food for the fish. Rain can also lower the water temperature, which can cause the fish to become more active and, therefore, more likely to bite.

However, there are also some potential downsides to fishing after a rainstorm. Heavy rain can cause the water to become murky and muddy, making it more difficult for the fish to see your bait. Additionally, a sudden drop in barometric pressure after a storm can make the fish more lethargic and less likely to bite.

While bass fishing after a rainstorm can be a good opportunity to catch fish, it’s important to consider the specific conditions where you plan to fish and adjust your approach accordingly.

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