There really is no substitute when it comes to trout fishing in rain. There’s a sort of majestic feeling standing there watching raindrops hit the water surface. In this article, I will go over bank fishing for trout in the rain, share my tips and tactics that I have learned over the years, and give you the best chance to catch trout on your next rainy day fishing adventure.
To start off this article I want to preface it with the fact that I go trout fishing quite often. Many times when I go fishing I have a really hard time finding the fish. That being said, winter fishing for trout is my absolute favorite time of year to catch fish.
Why Weather Matters for Trout
Weather is key when fishing and that’s true for all species of fish. Changes in weather patterns can turn on or off the bite in a matter of seconds. Trout respond very quickly to weather and I will get into my experiences with that shortly.
During the summer months when the weather and water are warm, trout will get into deeper cooler water. Trout hate warm water or stagnant water. They crave fresh, cooler, oxygenated H2O.
Effect of Cloud Cover
Cloud cover is awesome any time of year for trout fishing from the bank. The clouds allow low light conditions making it easier for trout to feed on unsuspecting prey.
Clouds also give a break from the sun giving a brief reprieve from the heat. I am constantly watching the cloud cover waiting for the sun to dip behind a large dense cloud. That’s the time when I pull out that trusty panther martin spinner and get to casting.
Lastly, clouds provide a small amount of safety for trout. The white sky creates glare, making it difficult for predators to see the trout as they move freely looking to feed.
Effects of Rain While Trout Fishing
Rain is awesome for trout fishing. This is especially true for the first rain of the year or if it has not rained in some time. Rain allows for many of the same advantages as cloud cover with some additional benefits.
As the cooler waterfalls form the sky and mix with the surface of the water, there is an immediate change in water temperature and clarity. Trout love this and will often time come to within feet of the surface looking to feed.
As they become active there are two techniques I like to use when trout fishing in rain. The first is by covering some shoreline fishing with a trout spinner. The other method is using a slip bobber or fishing float to target those trout venturing to the surface.
The last thing I want to mention here is that rain causes water levels to rise. Rising water levels mean that food that was once outside the water is now washing or falling into the water. Trout know this and will come up to the shallows to feed during the rain.
Tips to Catching Trout in the Rain
These tips are some that I have used over the years to continuously catch trout during rainy days. Many of these tips have not been written about here on this site to date.
1. Have Multiple Fishing Rods
When bank fishing for trout in rain it is vital to use as many rods as your local regulations will allow. In California, we can use 2 rods with the appropriate license. I can not tell you enough how important two rods are. I spool trout fishing reels with braid, monofilament, or both.
Every single time I fish in a lake I take 2 fishing poles. My approach is simple, maximize my odds of putting my bait/lure in from of the fish. More times than not I will use a nightcrawler or other live bait on one fishing rod, and a spinner or Rapala Original Floater on the other.
Having on rod soaking bait while walking a short distance to either side of it with a lure, allows me to cover the maximum amount of water in a short period of time.
2. Have Multiple Types of Bait
Bait fishing is often time the only thing that will work. In fact, this is the way I have caught the most fish while trout fishing in rain. The most common three baits I use are nightcrawler, powerbait, and salmon eggs.
Nightcrawlers are ideal and provide a great meal to all species of trout. They are a natural food source that is found in the same environment as trout. Rain causes water levels to rise in turn causing the banks to flood or erode. This knocks insects and worms into the water for awaiting trout.
Powerbait is not a natural bait but don’t let that turn you off. Powerbait is a dough-style bait that is very popular among trout fishermen. The scents in powerbait and similar to the food that planted trout ate. Fishing for stocked trout is a totally different style of trout fishing.
3. Stay Mobile, Stay Active
What I mean by this is while you are fishing on a rainy day constantly moving and changing is key to finding out what the fish are keying in on. On a recent trip to a local lake, I started out as I usually do. I selected 3-4 locations on the bank that I could see. One by one I started eliminating spots until I found one that held fish.
Once I knew where the fish were located, what they were located by, and how to catch them, I repeated that process 3 times at different locations on the lake.
After about an hour and a half of walking the shoreline using bait and lures, I was able to establish a pattern that worked for the trout.
Recommended Article >> Rainbow Trout Fishing in Lakes
Conclusion – Torut Fishing in Rain
It’s my goal to have convinced you to try fishing for trout in rain next time you have some free time. You may find yourself on one of the best fishing trips of the year or maybe even of your life.
Do you have any more tips that you would like to share with the community?
Let us know in the comments below so we can share the knowledge and catch more fish together.
