Fishing in the rain

[AlbertW]

Hey All,

I was wondering if you guys have any tips for fishing in the rain? The weathers been pretty nasty this week and possibly next week as well and I was just thinking about going for a session or not. I’m going to be fishing lures in saltwater and any tips or info would be very appreciated.

edit: Forgot to mention I can only fish land based

Cheers,

Albert

Edited January 6, 2022 by AlbertW

[PaddyT]

Fish dont care, BUT rain can provide fish with opportunities, look for runoff water , drains, etc , can move fish that dont tolerate fresh water eg pelagics further downstream or out to sea-but we havent had that much rain over the last week to kick anything like that off yet.

[Rebel]

Great fun fishing in the rain.

Usually no crowds.

Have fun.

[noelm]

Never seen it rain underwater, the fish are eternally wet, fish when you can, rain or not.

[frankS]

Sometimes it's a welcome change to get a shower or two while you are fishing, Those summer days when fishing from a tinnie and the sun reflecting off the water and feeling like you are in a furnace, the alloy boat is scorching hot to touch and you have to keep dousing the metal with sea water to cool it down, not so bad when the boat has carpet floor .

Sometimes the rain can actually flatten the sea down a bit and is much more comfortable to travel offshore, also the fish don't seem to mind the rain hitting the surface of the ocean/river whatever , as said they are already wet ( bit of a catch fraze ) The rain puts vibes through the thermoclines and this has an effect on the fishes senses and sometimes turns them onto a feeding frenzy, they come from the deep and feed on/near the surface.

Next time it starts raining don't rush back to the ramp, stay around a while and see what happens, good wet weather gear is a must.

Frank

[Pickles]

Albert, you won’t melt in the rain and fish are already wet - get some good wet weathers and have some dry warm gear to change into and a thermos if the weather is cold. I’ve got a “yatchies” bib and brace and pair of gum boots  plus a 3/4 length rain jacket with hood and stay completely dry. I summer though, only the 3/4 jacket

[Little_Flatty]

The rain can give you a bit of an advantage land based. Most spots are quieter and there are less anglers and members of the general public (parking can be easier, etc).

Just make sure that you have good wet weather gear as the others have said, and that you can fish safely (avoid electric storms, strong winds and big swell, etc). A set of waterproof trousers and gumboots can keep you dry in winter but in summer, I just get wet - it’s quite pleasant after the heat.

[AlbertW]

Thanks guys, I’ll need to get a good rain jacket 

[DerekD]

Consider fishing the covered ferry wharves. There are three or three and and half sides which are usually fishable. At least one of those sides should be out of the direction of the rain. Most that I know of allow fishing as long as you respect that it is there for the ferry and the passengers and you clean up afterwards.

The rains forecast over the next few days are likely to be passing showers so as long as you have some cover you can get under you should be right. Yes you might have to sit around for 30 minutes or so but that is not too bad.

[JamoDamo]

To maximise your catch rate I suggest giving these tips a go. 

Buy Gulp sandworms in CAMO in a 2" size. Also buy Gulp Baby Shrimp. Also zman grubs in Motor oil and Watermelon Red in the 2.5" size, baitjunkies in mudblood and bloodworm are also great! 

Match this with a size 2 1/16 hd tt jighead. Buy some gamakatsu weedless ewg worm hooks in size 1 for the gulps and size 4 for the grubs and some oo and o sinkers. Learn how to do a loop knot and "pothole" your way along a drain in the parra or a creek wherever you are.

Find places where the water is running into the drain and focus your casts there. Also DO NOT be afraid to cast into dodgy places if you are fishing weedless, you can pull out some cracking fish on them. Follow the bait and fish under them. A lot of the time you will find bream and flathead sitting under them. 

Keep moving! Find places that give fish an easy way to get food eg drain entrances and creek mouths. Also target eddies and rockwalls, they are teeming with fish. 

Fish light! Go 6lb and lighter, and for the rain side of things invest in a hi vis rain jacket, they are awesome!

If you need any more help feel free to send me a pm.

Jamo

Edited January 6, 2022 by JamoDamo

[Berleyguts]

Fish under a bridge. Surely the fish will be under it so they don’t get wet. 😉 😂

The WillyWeather app now gives rain alerts based on radar activity, which I am finding are surprisingly accurate. I can get a notification on my phone and Apple Watch that, for example, “a brief shower should arrive in 2 minutes…”. It allows me to get the clothes off the line or grab an umbrella etc. I can see it being beneficial when fishing.

[Fab1]

47 minutes ago, Berleyguts said:

Fish under a bridge. Surely the fish will be under it so they don’t get wet. 😉 😂

The WillyWeather app now gives rain alerts based on radar activity, which I am finding are surprisingly accurate. I can get a notification on my phone and Apple Watch that, for example, “a brief shower should arrive in 2 minutes…”. It allows me to get the clothes off the line or grab an umbrella etc. I can see it being beneficial when fishing.

I just yell out......."honey, you've got 2 mins to bring the washing in before it gets wet".😂🤣

[Ganguddy Goodoo]

Young folk who are psyched to fish shouldn't be put off by rain. As others have noted don't go out with lightning about. Also if you are fishing steep banks or break walls be aware that it can be a bit slippery.