The weather, especially the rainy one, gives the fisherman a reason to make excuses for unsuccessful fishing, and when the same luck was on his side, he can boast about it. To be honest, many anglers like to fish in the rain. They don’t cover themselves with a cloak, they sit under an umbrella, and the whole process of fishing is before their eyes.
Can you catch fish in the rain? Yes. However, no matter what they say, there is no particularly active bite as such. There are bites, but no bite. Before the rain it’s the same, but after the rain the fish become more active.
In a thunderstorm
Often, a thunderstorm that has rained down and rumbled over the fisherman passes on, then the fisherman should put down the fishing rod and pick up the spinning rod. After the rain, pike will be actively hunting for about thirty minutes, which means there is enough bait. And after the weather has cleared, you can again arm yourself with a “float”. Tested for years.
When it rains, the fish don't bite
Rain is different from rain
However, rain is different from rain. There is rain and wind. In this case, the fisherman has to think: either continue to catch or reel in the gear. When there is an easterly wind, you don’t have to go to the pond at all, knowing that there won’t be a bite. A strong thunderstorm also affects the activity of fish. As thunder approaches, the bite gradually subsides, and when there is rain and lightning above you, it is better to put the fishing rod aside and wait a little for clearing to appear in the sky.
You can count on bites only after the thunderstorm ends
Here you can at least build theories of biting activity in the rain. But, it is necessary to say the following: atmospheric pressure drops sharply as rain approaches, and fish specifically feel this. The rain is leaving, the pressure is stabilizing and we can hope that fishing will continue.
And yet, the fish senses the approaching change in weather. It seems that nothing says anything about the upcoming rain - and it’s a fine day, but the fish are more active than usual. This is a sure sign of approaching bad weather. Two to three hours of active biting, and what more does a fishing enthusiast need? So you listen to the weather forecast and believe in the bite, which will not let you down before the rain.
12/11/2015
Fishermen have ambivalent attitudes towards such a natural phenomenon as rain. Even despite folk superstitions regarding rain, which increases fish bite, many still negatively perceive water pouring from the sky onto their heads. So is the rain enemy or friend?
It is well known that rain is precipitation falling from clouds in the form of liquid droplets with an average diameter of 0.5 to 6-7 mm. Liquid precipitation with smaller droplet diameters is called drizzle. Drops with a diameter greater than 6-7 mm are broken up as they fall from the clouds into smaller drops, so even with the heaviest rainfall, the diameter of the drops will not exceed 6-7 mm. Rain intensity ranges from 0.25 mm/h (drizzle) to 100 mm/h (heavy rain).
Scientists distinguish the following types of rains: mushroom, blind (in the light of the sun), thunderstorms, hail (with hail), snow (with snow), bathing (rolls), downpours (heavy), drizzle (drizzle), stripes (running in stripes), oblique, sieve (fine rain, as if “sifted through a sieve”), lingering (covered) and spore-bearing.
No matter what anyone writes and where, the peculiarities of fish behavior during the rainy season have been studied very little, so no one will give a definite answer to catch or not to catch in the rain. At the same time, the observations made by fishermen are interesting. They allow you to get interesting food for thought and decide for yourself whether to go fishing from home on a rainy day or not. I'll share my own.
Of course, there is no particular joy in fishing in the rain, so if there is a downpour outside the window and the forecasts for its end are not encouraging, I don’t go fishing. But if it rains, even heavily, on a pond or river, I won’t put down my fishing rods. You can and should try to catch, if only you had the appropriate equipment so as not to get wet to the skin. At the same time, the biting situation will definitely change for the worse or for the better.
I noticed that the south or west wind, as well as warm rain, provide good fishing prospects. In such weather, the fish behave more actively. When the temperature decreases and the wind blows from the east or north, the fish goes to the bottom, where it feels more stable. Therefore, if you find yourself fishing in cold rain, the rational decision would be to wait until it ends or the intensity decreases. Usually after some time the bites resume.
Much depends on the depth of the reservoir. Shallow rivers and estuaries are rarely unsuitable for fishing during rain. He scares their inhabitants. It is much better to fish in large rivers, deep lakes or reservoirs. It should be noted that in the rain, if a fish bites, it does so more boldly. There are not many empty bites, and the fish often swallows the bait completely.
One of the advantages of rain is that it reduces the heat in the summer, saturates the water with oxygen, and also delivers various insects to the reservoir, which, together with the water flowing from the banks, enter the water. Accordingly, in such cases it is reasonable to expect an improvement in the bite. If it rains a little, it has little effect on the bite. Only at the very beginning there is some activation. Apparently, when external conditions change, the fish seem to wake up.
There is also another advantage of fishing in the rain, such as the complete or partial absence of anglers on the reservoirs. Respectively good places not busy, there is no excessive noise and commotion that frightens the fish. Fishing becomes much more comfortable.
Discussing the efficiency of fishing, I note that much will depend not only on the natural phenomenon, but also from the equipment. When using a float rod, on a strong wave in the rain, you can hardly hope for a good result, but if at that moment you have feeder rod, the result may be exactly the opposite. With such equipment it is more convenient to fish during rain. True, it is better to refuse the convenient feeder chair, which will get wet on its own and transfer moisture to the clothes. But the option of fishing while standing is not bad either. The main thing is that there are no sudden changes when the rain gives way to good weather and then resumes again. There is no point in expecting productive fishing at such hours. It's better if the rain doesn't stop.
Of the fish that can actively bite in the rainy season, I would like to highlight bream, roach, crucian carp, and carp. Moreover, there were fishing trips when, at the peak of the rain, the fish bit especially well. Many “white” fish often move closer to the shore in the rain, so sometimes it becomes even easier to “get” them with a fishing rod. Moreover, large specimens are often caught. But there is still no point in discussing how rain affects the bite of specific fish species in general, as well as the behavioral characteristics of fish living in specific bodies of water. You won't find the truth. In addition, there are some fish, for example bleak, which for the most part are less catchable in the rain.
Speaking about the predator, we can say that it reacts positively to rain. In cloudy weather the fish generally bite better than in sunny weather. Rain usually “nails” small fish, which freeze, lose their vigilance, turning into more accessible prey for predators.
Heavy cold rain can worsen the bite. And if a thunderstorm breaks out, it’s better not to fish at all. This is both useless and unsafe, because in most cases we all use coal line rods, i.e. kind of “lightning rods”. So fishing can end in disaster, especially if there are electric masts with wires nearby.
In general, it can be argued that the prospects for fishing in the rain depend on many factors: on the activity of the fish, how far from home the angler is, how quickly it is possible to gather, how intense the rain is, and what other weather components are. The decision to fish or not to fish can even be based on the condition of the gear and bait. Sometimes you have to fold only because in heavy rain the bait got wet and became unusable, which you didn’t manage to cover from the water in time. Well, comfort during fishing has not been canceled either - the dress code, the presence of shelter nearby, etc.
Taking into account the above, I have developed the following rules for myself in rainy days. If the forecast is disappointing and the likelihood of rain is high, you should prepare for it in advance by taking waterproof clothing, which is now purposefully produced by manufacturers of fishing equipment. As an example, I’ll give you the very wind and waterproof Norfin PEAK THERMO jacket.
A fishing umbrella will not be superfluous, as these days it has seriously improved fishing conditions. Among my equipment for more than a year now I have had a profile nylon umbrella with an awning Sensas Kit Umbrella. Thanks to it, I am protected from the rain and from the wind due to the semicircular stretch of the material. At the same time, he does not constrain or limit actions. So fishing is comfortable in all respects.
When going fishing on cloudy days, I take with me one old rod that does not allow current to pass through. With it, fishing becomes more reliable in terms of safety. And lastly, when the rain creates unbearable conditions for fishing, but you still want to fish, there is no reason to stop fishing. This is a time for new experiments, new observations and new experiences.
Sergey Shershenevich
Whether or not a fish bites in the rain is a question many fishermen rack their minds over. And, most importantly, you cannot predict its activity. Those who are professionally interested in fishing, as well as zoologists, claim that it is possible to calculate when the fish will bite in the rain.
Do fish bite in the rain?
Sometimes during rain, the fish literally hangs itself on the fishing rod, and sometimes it bites sluggishly and reluctantly. Experts assure: this is all understandable. To understand the mechanism of a good bite, it is enough to take into account the duration and intensity of rain, wind direction, current strength, wave height, water turbidity and temperature of both water and air.
In order for the fish to bite well even in the rain, it is better to choose a quiet place for fishing, where there are straits between the banks. The water should be as clean as possible. It is also desirable that there is good illumination of the reservoir.
You may have to spend a lot of time searching for that ideal location. But if you take the risk, the catch promises to be quite rich.
In addition, you need to take care of your gear. It is advisable to choose a longer fishing rod and a slightly thicker fishing line. After all, fish do not walk along the shore in inclement weather. On the contrary, for the most part it goes to where it is deeper and where you can hide from annoying drops. Therefore, a 5-meter fishing rod will be the ideal fishing tool for you.
The floats should be bright and not too heavy. In order for the fish to bite on it, it should not fall into the depths.
The use of additional baits will not be superfluous. Various devils, goats, large jigs and other objects similar to aquatic inhabitants will attract the attention of the fish and make it forget about caution.
When there is good light, fishermen use black, red, orange baits. In case of insufficient light, it is better to take light colors. Ideally, baits should be striped, spotted, etc.
Pay attention to how you hold and cast the fishing rod. Remember that you need to try your best to hold the rod in your hands. It is better to direct the fishing line towards the grass islands in the reservoir. There the fish hides, waiting out the bad weather.
Things to consider when fishing in the rain
The fish bite directly depends on the water temperature. So, in warm water the process goes an order of magnitude faster. Sometimes the water warms up precisely when it rains. But this is mainly in the summer, when it itself is warm.
There are options when fishing improves significantly when it rains after the heat. During the heat, the water actively evaporated and warmed up, and the fish became quite uncomfortable - they had to climb deep to save themselves from overheating. Rain evens out the temperature, allows balance to be maintained, and the fish are more active.
Experienced fishermen say that you should not be afraid of waves that appear during rain. After all, fish are caught better in the surf. This is due to the fact that the float bounces more intensely on the waves, and due to the forward movements of the water, the fish simply do not have time to figure out what glitters there, and it quickly swallows the bait.
It is also worth remembering that fish are more willing to bite when the northern
Why does the fish bite increase after rain? The nature of this interesting (and very useful for fisherman) phenomenon cannot be described in two words, so I will have to compile another article in which I will rely not only on my own observations and “sofa thoughts”, but also on some experience of weather forecasters and ichthyologists. It turns out that they also care about how precipitation affects fish behavior.
Small correction
In general, to be correct and precise, a sharp increase in the food activity of ichthyofauna takes place not after, but at first rain.
It’s just that most often people observe short rains when fishing. It is clear that every sane fisherman, before leaving for a fishing spot, checks the weather forecast. And if this forecast foretells heavy, prolonged precipitation, fishing is usually cancelled. It's another matter when short-term rains and small thunderstorms are expected. They are by no means a hindrance to fishing.
And it usually happens that the rain ends before the moment when the burst of fish bite reaches its maximum, which is why such a slightly inaccurate sign arose.
Rain is different from rain
Not all rains have a beneficial effect on fish behavior. Whether it will peck more vigorously in the first minutes of a downpour depends first of all, and to some extent, depending on the season.
Practice has shown that the increase in fish bite at the beginning of the rain is most noticeable in the summer, or more precisely, closer to its middle. At the same time, on the eve of precipitation there should be dry (and preferably warm) weather.
But in spring or autumn - in cold weather - rain, as a rule, does not actually affect the fish bite.
Factors that positively influence biting
There are only seven of them. The first three of them are purely physical:
- Cool water. It is always cold at the top - where the clouds are born - so the temperature of raindrops is usually lower than the temperature of a pond or river. Rain, mixing with ground waters, cools the latter. This factor affects fish especially noticeably during hot periods - when they fall into torpor. Rain normalizes the ambient temperature, and the fish become more active.
- Dissolved oxygen. Rainwater is probably the most saturated with life-giving gas. And fish love this kind of thing - they feel very good in oxygen-rich water. That is why, at the beginning of the rain, many scaly inhabitants of ponds rise to the surface. Although, there is another reason for this - I will mention it a little later.
- Ionization. Our atmosphere is constantly in motion, which gives rise to colossal static electricity, which in turn provokes the appearance of positively and negatively charged ions, which fall into the condensing water, and then into the pond. They act on fish like an invigorating energy drink, but at the same time they are beneficial for their health.
- Flying insects knocked into the water by rain. Boogers swarming in the air usually manage to hide before bad weather. But, as a rule, not all. And sometimes bad weather takes them by surprise. It is clear that if they flew over a body of water, some of them would be dropped in drops into the water. The fish knows this nuance and rises to the surface.
- Washed away ground insects. If the rain begins quite “decisively”, then in the water of streams that flow into a pond or river there will certainly be insects that have been washed away from the grass or ground. Therefore, at the beginning of the rain, the fish “takes positions” near the shore, especially where there are clear mouths of inflowing temporary watercourses. For the same reason, it tends to the mouths of permanent tributaries.
- Invertebrates washed out of the ground. How it's raining harder- the higher the likelihood that streams of water will wash worms and other living creatures out of the ground. This is especially true for steep banks. Fish also knows about this nuance.
Your humble servant, once on a rafting trip, after a short but strong thunderstorm, observed a tremendous accumulation of bleak, roach and small chubs at the mouth of the tributary, which carried food into the main river. There were so many fish gathered in one place that the water was literally boiling with splashes.
Finally, this list is completed by a purely “camouflage” factor:
- Ripples on the surface. The circles diverging from the drops refract the rays of light. The result is a kind of “veil”, because of which what is happening in the water is not visible from the shore, and what is happening on the shore from the water. The fish feels more confident and bites more boldly.
Negative effects of precipitation
But everything is not as simple as it seems. I already said above that the fish bite intensifies at the very beginning of the rain. And what happens after?
If the rain is short-lived and not very intense, then usually after it ends the fish continue to feed. But if we are dealing with a heavy downpour or prolonged precipitation, then sooner or later the water in the river or pond becomes cloudy, and its level also rises. And the bite in such a situation always comes to naught.
This can also happen: a sudden downpour turns out to be so powerful that in a matter of minutes stormy streams appear on the roads and in ravines. Then the negative factors of rain appear in reservoirs instantly. The surge in fish bite in this case is very short-lived, and sometimes it simply does not have time to occur.
