i convinced myself it was not worth being tired at work and with my kids to go out fishing last night/ early morning after the thunderstorms this week and reports of runoff polluting local waters.

do you guys usually stay away from fishing for a certain period of time after bad rains m#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& up the water? you find fish aren't biting until it "cleans up"?

It depends.
Did it rain in the area you planned on fishing?
Did it rain along the river that empties into the bay/estuary that you planned on fishing?

I always check the weather forecast, not to see IF it will be stormy, but to see WHERE it will be stormy.
for example, if a particular storm front is heading due east, and is currently in Worcester, odds are that the cape will be in the clear.

I have "lucked out" a couple times this year fishing around the storms, storms that either headed north or south of where I fished.

Keep in mind that when it comes to lightening, I don't play around.
I am only speaking of rain storms.

As for the after-effects, if you are fishing near a river outlet, it can effect the water quality. If doesn't mean that the fish won't bite, but that you will have to work harder to get them to.
That's when lures that create sound and vibration come in real handy.

If you are bringing younger anglers with little or no experience, you could use bait or wait for more ideal conditions.
I've tried fishing Duxbury Bay when the water looked like cocoa.

Good luck!

The only place I've seen rain make an issue is Gay Head. Surf, unfortunately, is the game changer. On ocean beaches it may be workable, but in the rocks things get churned to mud/weed milkshake and it takes several tides to clear.