Just the other day I was diving on Brenton Reef when I noticed some ominous clouds coming in from the west. I decided to move in closer to shore, so I paid a visit to an area that has given up monster stripers...fish over 60 pounds. Just before I rolled off my kayak the black clouds closed in. The water was exceptionally clear but the visibility was hampered by a steady loss of overhead light, then it started to rain. A squall blew over the area and I could feel the rain pelting my back so hard that it almost hurt through a 3 mm wetsuit. It also quickly reduced the surface water temperature in only a few minutes. The winds gusted to over 30 knots and I was glad to be under the water as opposed to being on the kayak. As the storm intensified I noticed that the stripers were coming into the shallow water to check out the ribbon of white water that was forming along the shoreline. The area I was in was adjacent to some pretty deep water and the stripers were definitely making the trip from deep water to skinny water, and they were on the hunt.

Do you think that the fishing is better in the rain? Why? Do you have any rainy day stories?

Here are some pictures that chronicle the passing storm above the water line.

A look at the storm from below.

As the rain fell and the storm grew more intense, in marched the linesiders.

it does give credence to the theory - a dropping barometer makes fish go into feed mode.

more cool pics Fish Eye :btu:

also the temperature change and the PH change to consider as well.

Thunderstorms in the summer and lightning - the kind that roll in from the west after a hot day - no, I don't think the fishing is good after one of those and fishing during one is too scary. I don't think animals like thunder and lightning - I know it scares the heck out of Food Cat.
But rainy days in September are good - particularly around the lower bay.
Early stages of a moderate northeast storm, protracted periods of clouds and rain, etc, an approaching tropical low - are very good. (Pretty much what we're in for this weekend.) It's not the end of summer, but it's the beginning of the end. New patterns begin to emerge and I think the overcast kind of blurs the distinction between night and day and increases the duration of the dusk and dawn bites.

Awsome Pics Fish Eye and awsome theory Joe regarding the changing fronts. Got your SRI booklet. Great info. Will take advantage as I am only a beginner. Learn to tie my lines from old timers at Hull Gut.

I agree with Joe, :wiggle:

if it was true... it would be great right now....

Beautiful photography FE. :kewl: My Granfather from Denmak was the first to take me on a fishing trip when i was about 5. It was a rainy day that i will never forget ,and always remember him saying "fish bite best in the rain." I've found that to be true, but even better i always enjoy fishin in the ran the best, always reminds me of him and the first trip.:)

i cought my first striper in a storm.....i think they bight better bc the crazy waves from the storms will knock the baitfish around......

i think its better if its a light rain or a drizzle not a down pour.

just a dumb therory, but, does the sound/vibration of rain hitting the water sound just like baitfish and the bass' instinct to hunt kicks in?

Used to catch a ton of nice trout in western ma. rivers and streams in the rain :btu:

Yes ,, If your there when a front is just coming in .. Small craft advisory warnings means,, get to the shore where you know they'll be some good surf,wind,chop .. Second day NO,, fishing is off and water is dirty .. a silty,,weedy,, mess.. Have experienced a number of multiple big fish days in horrible weather .

I love when a front rolls in during the fall, defidently turns on the fishing, no question.

Some of the best days I have ever had were raining to bat the band!:btu:

There'a a pic in the surf assylum contest I put up but I can seem to move it here.
There's 2 bass that i kept 33 an 34 lbs.
That day was amazing it started late afternoon like 4 pm with a few fish.then the storm came the water got big it really poured, lightning,the whole nine yards.It started with like 5 guys out there an they kept comin all thru the storm.There was atleast 30 men on the jetty when i left. the bass had the bait pinned an would not stop a good 4-5 hrs i had to leave for a graduation party.I would guess that day alone I had 10 bass over 30 lbs.to the high 30's.It was a club tournament against the other rival clubs in the area.It was pretty crowded.I kept looking to see if anyone was leaving during the lightning ,no one left.I am really amazed no one got killed as we had lightning for a good hr.It would have been a big fishfry with the better part of 2 clubs down for the count.I have other fall spots just light up in a storm the bigger the better.40 MPH winds.driving rain.tongen em every cast good fish 20lb range.In last yrs slow fall after the ten day n-easter it was one of my best night when I followed my instincts on a stormy night.Without a question in all my yr's of fishing a oncoming front has told me to go fishing.even during the storm.Fish don't mind they are already wet.After a storm no good, high pressure blue bird sky's the first day of a clear out again,NG.

Mike-

Last night between 8:45 and 12:15. 20-25 wind squalls, torrential downpour (4 inches in 2 hours) frequent dangerous lightning, and pea sized hail- three swordies-(100,155, and 180#) all on stand-up 50's. I'm not sure it was worth it.

-G.L.

Great shots thanks!

Edge Man,

I can see the weather hasn't improved much since I left, sounds like my beach dive, minus the swordies....yum...heading to the Food Shack with a couple of steaks?

George, forget about those fish with a nose and go catch up a few of those monster snook. I'm sure the folks on this board would admire your southern brand of linesider.

Here's a picture of a little critter that was shot while diving in a very bad lightning storm off Jupiter. The other shot features one of George's pet snook.

Like a few others said, fishing is great as that front is moving in and during the rain. Personally, I like fishing in the rain because alot of other people dont want to and in a crowded state like NJ, you can usually find alot of the better spots devoid of other anglers :)

I'm not sure that it's the actual pressure change that stimulates feeding activity in fish. Ascending or descending just a few feet in depth causes much more pressure change than variation in barometric pressure.
But, I strongly believe in improved fishing on the front of an approaching storm, and often in the aftermath. This is supported by much personal observation. On a storm front, the decrease in light intensity and increase in surface disturbance are probably the key factors. After a storm, bass clean up on crabs, shellfish, and worms dislodged by wave action in the shallows. I believe that this explanation holds more credibility than the barometric pressure change theory.

Three years ago we were all s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g wind for big fish in Aug & Sept. A front rolled through and I happened to be in the pocket at Watch Hill in the middle of the night. 12 foot waves and a steady 30knot wind, pouring rain. I got a 36 lb bass right up tight against the rocks because you couldn't cast worth a damn into the wind.
I've always found fishing in the rain better. Less nitwits about also.

Man those are some neat pics do ya have more

I'm not sure that it's the actual pressure change that stimulates feeding activity in fish. Ascending or descending just a few feet in depth causes much more pressure change than variation in barometric pressure.
But, I strongly believe in improved fishing on the front of an approaching storm, and often in the aftermath. This is supported by much personal observation. On a storm front, the decrease in light intensity and increase in surface disturbance are probably the key factors. After a storm, bass clean up on crabs, shellfish, and worms dislodged by wave action in the shallows. I believe that this explanation holds more credibility than the barometric pressure change theory.


They study LMB more closely than our striped friends.My guess would be primarily because the environment enables em to.I have seen underwater footage of the fish acting drunk in the High Pressure that follows a storm.Another bass had to lean on a dock post.LMB closely resemble S-B if u ask me in many ways.Usually the first day after a storm U won't catch anything the following day is better.I have heard it was for many reasons to much weed.Sand bothers there gills.I think they feed before a front for the reasons seen in the photo's also I think they feed because they know they are not gonna eat for a day or 2.In lakes u don't get the wave action that effects saltwater bass.But the largemouths feed like mad.I truly believe the drop in pressure trips a switch to tell em they better eat.Makes sense they are both fish that have tremendous sensory devices built in.It's called a lateral line.

For some reason I've always done better in the rain, big fish come up in the rain.....

Ice

I'm gonna put the theory to the test while erneto or what ever the tropical storm is called is up here, because i'll be camping near my spot sooo maybe i'll sneak away if i'm sick of the camper...


anyone else gonna do it?:huh: or am i gonna be the onlyone catching the big fishys........