So, anybody and everybody who fishes has probably wondered, “is it better to fish before of after the rain?”.
If you were planning a fishing trip, but the forecast is calling for rain, you are probably wondering if you
should throw your gear together before the storm approaches or if you should postpone it until the
weather clears.
Should you fish before it rains or after? – that is the question.
The answer to that question is: It depends. The weather before a rainstorm can impact the activity levels
of fish, meaning that conditions might be more favorable before or after it rains, depending on how the
weather has been in recent days or weeks.
If the temperature has been temperate and it has rained in recent days or weeks, fishing before the next
forecasted storm is likely better. Fish, like the majority of animals, are very in-tune with the weather,
which means that they are highly sensitive to changes in barometric pressure. When a storm front is
approaching, the pressure changes; after it leaves, the pressure changes again.
Generally, most experienced anglers recommend fishing before a cold front arrives (cold fronts are
attributed with rain), as barometric pressure is lowers in the days before the system arrives. Since fish
are affected by changes in pressure and can sense when it’s about to shift, most species tend to be
highly active in the days leading up to a rain storm. Obviously, you’re bound to catch more fish when
they are active.
Why does the falling pressure that’s associated with a coming cold front (or rain) affect fish? Because air
bubbles are expelled in the water as the pressure drops. As those air bubbles release, tiny organisms
and other particles move up to the surface of the water. Fish follow those organisms up to the
surface so that they can feed on them, which makes the conditions very favorable for anglers.
Once a cold front (or rain storm) passes, the conditions tend to decline. That’s because barometric
pressure increases after a storm, and that pressure tends to make fish lethargic. Just like humans, when
fish are lethargic, their activity levels decrease, which means that they don’t move toward the surface of
the water. In other words, fish usually won’t move up to the surface to feed, which makes for
unfavorable conditions for fishermen.
However, while most fishermen recommend fishing before a rainstorm approaches, sometimes, you
might have a better shot at making a catch after the storm passes. For example, if there’s been a long
spell of hot, dry weather, you might do better after it rains as opposed to before. The reason? – Hot, dry
weather affects the conditions of the water. There’s less food to feed on at the surface of the water
when it’s hot and dry, which means less activity. However, rain stirs up organic matter in the water; it
also attracts insects to the water. Therefore, when more food is present at the surface of the water after
it rains, more fish will be near the surface of the water to feed.
Looking to catch some serious fish. Come fish on one of our inshore charters, right before the rain. You will catch fish like nobody’s business!