Fishing in the rain

[will this name be ok]

I've fished for many years but do not class my self as an angler as i do not read the books learn the habits of fish or study the venues i just like the peice and quite of being by the water. I've obviously picked up most of the basics (fish health and saftey ect) but to my question as a long term novice.

 

How does the rain effect fishing does it make it better or worse. how should tactics change, Also do the moon phases effect still water fishing.

 

look forward to some informative replies or even some links to some info.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Richard

[chavender]

rain in itself doesn't bother fish as they're already wet,but its tempreture can,as can the pitter patter sound it makes on the surface,water tempreture is important to fish and when they feed and prefer sustained periods of constant tempretures any sudden downturn in temp can have a effect in turning the fish off feeding.on some waters the sound of the rain hitting the water can spook the fish while on other waters ones with more activity around them regulary the fish must become more tollerent of noise and disturbances and become less spookable,

 

we all know a bit about light levels (cloudy overcast days better for fishing) ie dawn & dusk and the effect it has on fishing both underwater light levels and above water light levels both have effects on when fish feed.

 

( its starting to get complicated now isn't it )

 

theres even the subject of how air pressure has a influence on water pressure which effect fishing,how a periods of low/high pressures have different effects on verious species ie pike and carp but less effect on others like chub and perch ( oohh,whole new can of worms here !!! )

the moon as a effect on all bodies of water from mighty oceans to tiny farm ponds wheater its by gravity or ambriant light levels

 

More Lunacy:

 

http://www.braddocksbaits.co.uk/mmagicp1.html part 1

 

http://www.braddocksbaits.co.uk/moonmagicpt2.html part 2

 

http://www.braddocksbaits.co.uk/moonmagicpt3.html part 3

 

http://www.solunar.com/Bucher.htm one mans discovery

 

http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases/phasenow.php current moon phase

 

http://www.orcadian.co.uk/weather/moonphase.htm monthly moonphases + rise and fall times

 

http://www.barbel-fishing.me.uk/7.html moon charts {my mate pauls excellent site}

 

 

( bet you wished you never asked now )

Edited August 18, 2006 by chavender

[Kappa]

I've often found a very heavy downpour or a thunderstorm can really improve the fishing on a hot day! I've assumed it is something to do with air pressure or more likely oxygenation.

 

Rich

[chavender]

i hope i've left room in the above for even more questions !

 

for myself i've caught fish in gales,thunderstorms,snow blizards and torrential rain,and never changed tactic's to accomadate the weather just fished on despite the weather,but i've had a sudden cold shower kill a days fishing stone cold dead.

[*Ant*]

By no means am I stating a fact and will probably get shot down in pieces by those with more knowledge than myself (which isn't too difficult ). But I feel light to moderate rain in the warmer months is a good thing due to it oxygenating the water and turning the fish onto feed, whereas heavy rain during the warmer months will be colder and lower the temperature of the water a fraction and therefore turning the fish off.

Not sure if the same applies during the colder winter months as any rain seems to put the fish off.

 

Of course I don't have any scientific evidence to back me up, just how i've observed the effect on local waters over time.

 

Saying that, I don't really plan my fishing sessions on weather conditions and am happy to fish whatever, it's probably all in my head anyway.

Edited August 19, 2006 by *Ant*

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Try fishing in a mad thunder storm, you cant fail to catch fish! At first I thought it was just sods law to get you wet but it happens way to often to be some kind of jinx.........loads of times in the hot balmy weather have I sat with non twitching lines only to find both of my rods go screaming off once the lightning and heavy rain starts!

 

Far more to it than chance IMO.

[siara]

good advice is to put the rods down during storm.Nothing conducts the electricity better than fishing rod.

[dogstick]

i just like the peice and quite of being by the water.

 

Me too,and when its lashing down it`s much more peacefull on one of my local waters in particular,where the dog walkers,kids,strollers etc all stop home.A big advantage.

DS

[Steve Burke]

Rain can have a positive or negative effect on fishing. It all depends on what the conditions were like beforehand and the effect it has on the water.

 

For instance heavy showers usually reduce the temperature of the water. If the water's already colder than a particular species prefers this is likely to mean poorer fishing. On the other hand, if the water is warmer than the optimum temperature then fishing is likely to improve.

 

However, temperature isn't the only factor. For instance in a river there's flow rate to consider. Some other important ones are the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water (rain normally increases it), the barometric pressure and the underwater light intensity. The latter particularly effects whether species like perch will feed. As perch feed best in poor light, rain is usually good as at the same time visibility is reduced.

 

In other words it's more complicated than it first appears. For instance in winter rain often means good fishing. Is it the rain that's important though or the poor visibility and often higher temperatures that accompany it?

 

Additionally it depends on the species. For instance my experience is that pike feed best in high pressure and this usually means lack of rain. Indeed, I can't recall ever doing well with pike in heavy rain, and it may just be that it affects their ability to hunt using their lateral line. Having said that there are exceptions.

 

So there's no definitive answer, and you have to try to work out what effect the rain will have.

 

However whether rain is forecast can help you decide where to fish and what species to go after. For instance it would mean I'd cancel a proposed pike trip and go perching instead.

 

Indeed some of my best catches of perch, and roach for that matter, have been caught in the rain. I might not prefer fishing then, but these species prefer to feed then!

[will this name be ok]

Thanks to all for there advice i'vre also been given this link which i have not tested over a period of time but looks intresting

 

Just put in your postcode then select hobbies from the top of the screen then select fishing and it gives you a catchabilty reading on some algarithum or something looks good but don't know if it works

 

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOBBIES/fishing.asp

 

Richard