Can You Fish for Bass in the Rain? What You Need To Know

Many bass anglers reserve fishing for sunny days because they don’t know what to expect on rainy days. Well, that’s justifiable, but if you’re an enthusiastic bass angler, a day will come when you’ll finally get caught in the rain and be left wondering if it’s possible to still fish bass.

You can successfully fish for bass in the rain because they’re more active and excited during this period. During rainfall, the clouds obscure the sun, and raindrops cause surface agitation. Since bass would be more aggressive in these conditions, you wouldn’t need to work extra hard to catch them.

In the rest of this article, I’ll show you everything you need to know about bass fishing in the rain, including where to fish, how to fish, and the best lures to use.

Where to Fish for Bass in the Rain

Bass adapt to their environment and everything in it. They are typically more active during a downpour because of the stronger current and cloudy skies. As a result, they become more predictable and are prone to take the bait in a few key areas. With that in mind, here are a few places to fish for bass in the rain.

Topwater

One of the best strategies for bass fishing in the rain is to fish topwater. During a downpour, raindrops cause disturbance and break up the surface of the water. Clouds also cover the sun resulting in low visibility and less light penetration.

This condition makes bass more comfortable to roam and actively hunt for food, making topwater lures a great way to catch them. Some of the best topwater baits you can use include jitterbugs, buzz baits, poppers, whole poppers, frogs, and spooks.

These lures are great for bass fishing in light to moderate rain. If the rain gets heavier, you’ll need to try something else like chatter baits or spinnerbaits. You’d also want to target areas like ditches, points, ledges, and current seams to take advantage of bass’ increased activity in the rain.

Drains and Runoffs

Drains, mud lines, and runoffs are great areas to target when bass fishing in the rain. When a body of water flows from the ground into another, it carries along with it nutrients from the soil that attracts baitfish, and that’s one meal a hungry bass can’t resist.

A great strategy when bass fishing in the rain is to look for areas where the runoff water that flows into a lake is relatively clean.

Another advantage of runoffs when they get fogged up with nutrients is that they become cloudy and muddy. This condition makes it difficult for bass to see your shadows or boat, and you’ll get more bites because they are more comfortable.

Bass Guarding Beds

During pre-spawn and spawn in early spring, bass fish are usually on guard duty for their beds. You may find it hard to catch bass during this period, even if you try everything you think you know. So, if you’re having a hard time getting bites, the best thing to do is locate bedding bass through the changes in their typical structure.

A good indication is a weed nest that appears ruffled or disturbed. Some of the best baits to use to fish bedding bass are stick worms, beaver-style baits, tube baits, and creature baits.

How To Fish for Bass in the Rain

The key to catching bass in the rain is understanding how the weather affects them and how you can use it to your advantage. In the end, it all comes down to your type of presentation and retrieval speed. Let’s take a closer look at how to bass fish correctly in the rain.

Fast and Aggressive

With the clouds in the sky, bass will roam and bite more aggressively than on a sunny day. This weather presents an advantage that you have to take with both hands, literally. If you’re planning to fish bass with a slow crankbait, well, that presentation will give you fewer bites in these conditions.

It’s best to use a faster presentation to cover as much water as possible. Something like a plastic worm or spinnerbait is best in this situation. The sharper your presentation, the more bites you get. Work your plastic worms faster and speed up your retrieve for spinnerbaits.

If you’re fishing in a hot spot and notice a drop in bites, switch to a different area and continue burning it.

Gear Up Properly

While fishing in the rain has its advantages, things can get messy if you’re not well prepared. Gear up in a durable rain suit as soon as you get on the boat. If you wait until you’re wet before putting on your rain gear, you’ll be uncomfortable throughout your fishing period.

Be careful when fishing through a rainstorm and stop if the waves are too high or unsafe for fishing.

Best Lures for Bass Fishing in the Rain

To successfully fish for bass in the rain, it’s crucial to know which lures to throw in different areas. The best baits for bass fishing in the rain will allow you to cover more water quickly and get more bites.

Here are some of the best lures you can use to trick bass in the rain:

Topwater Lures

I mentioned topwater lures earlier in the article. These lures are great to fish bass on a rainy day. With the sun out of sight and the water surface disrupted but raindrops, bass become more active and confident when roaming and feeding.

Most topwater lures work well in the rain, but some are more effective. I would suggest something like a buzz toad, buzz bait, poppers, and whole poppers for a faster presentation for the best results.

Spinnerbaits

These lures are probably the best when it comes to fishing for bass in the rain. Anglers have used them to catch more bass than anyone can ever imagine. They are versatile and can be used to fish shallow and heavy cover on a rainy day.

If you’re using spinnerbaits, you can either choose the double Colorado blade or the double willow blade. The former is wider and shorter than the latter. It produces more water displacement and is excellent for murky or stained water.

The willow blade spinnerbait is better suited for fishing in clear water. It produces more flash and is narrower and longer than the Colorado blade. The flash and vibration created by these two types of spinnerbaits allow fish to find them easily on a rainy, cloudy day.

Chatterbait

This lure is also known as a bladed swim jig or vibrating jig. It is one of the most popular baits used by expert bass anglers. Chatterbaits are particularly useful if you’re fishing for bass when they are shallow and active.

Just like spinnerbaits, chatterbaits also create vibration and flash to attract bass. However, their main advantage over spinnerbaits is that they can skip underwater. This feature is handy when fishing in covers like submerged grass, docks, and laydowns and stumps.

Swim Jigs

If you’re fishing in denser vegetation, swim jigs are your best options. You can fish these lures in conditions like thick water willows or hydrilla with scatter holes where other baits would typically hang up.

They also work well when fishing in covers such as vegetation, boat docks, and other areas that bass use as ambush points in the rain. You’ll find them in various sizes between 1/4 to 1 ounce. The size you choose will depend on the type of cover and water depth.

The color of your swimming jig is also crucial when fishing in the rain. Go for a subtle color combo like a blue trailer and a gray-and-blue-jig. Your presentation is also vital, and you’ll want it to be fast and consistent.

Final Thoughts

As you’ve seen in this article, it is possible to successfully fish for bass in the rain if you know where to look, how to present your bait, and the best fishing lure to use. On a rainy day, raindrops break up the surface, and the clouds hide the sun. The result is an increase in bass activity, excitement, and aggressiveness.

When fishing for bass on a rainy day, take advantage of topwater, drains, mud lines, runoffs, and guarding beds. Don’t forget to bring along baits like topwater lures, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and swim jigs.

Sources

Smallmouth Bass vs. Rock Bass: The Differences Explained

How To Locate Bass in the Summer (Complete Guide)

Why Don’t Bass Fishermen Use Nets?

How To Set a Hook for Bass Fishing: 9 Tips

Optics and Outdoors