Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

[Andy in NY]

The forecast is calling for 30% chance of rain today... but I want to go fishing!!!



Do you take the boat out when there is a chance?

 

[njlarry]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Go for it! Forecasts are wrong more than they are right. Keep an eye out to weather to the west, stay close to port or have back refuge. You can outrun an squall line coming in at 25 mph but you need some place to tie up.
I once cancelled a trip (to get professional instruction in my then new boat) because of small craft warnings. I drove to the bay to find no wind, no clouds and glass smooth water.

 

[franco802]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I would go out, but not far. Ya never know.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

30%? Pshaw! - I go when it's 60% or more.

Then again, I'm not much on fishing, but my ski buddies and I love to go boarding. We're going to be wet from skiing anyway so it doesn't bother us much at all. (Although it does sting while boarding in heavier rain) The nice thing about cloudy, rainy, and cold days is everyone stays home and we have the river to ourselves. We started boarding in February and I'm looking forward to Nov & Dec again to have 20+ miles of boatless water.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I've heard that there is actually a big difference between 30% and 40% and I tend to believe this. It seems that the weather folks throw out ht 30% number when they really aren't sure if it will be clear or not. They save the 40% for when they really have a pretty good idea it might rain.

Personal observation seems to confirm this.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

You may or may not already know this, but 30% chance means that 30% of a given area will get rain, not that 30% of the time the exact same conditions existed it rained...interesting, huh?...

 

[dingbat]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Rain is the reason they make rain gear and put tops on boats.

The only thing that typicalls keeps me off the water is wind and lightening. Fishing in white out conditions in winter can get interesting.

 

[brc1981]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Living in Indiana the forecast is usually wrong. Even with a 60-70% chance its likely not to rain, and then on days with no rain forecasts it'll rain buckets for hours.

I should have went to school to be a weatherman...what other job can you be wrong the majority of the time and still get a paycheck.

 

[HuckleberrySlim]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I'd go, but then I keep my rainsut, compass, magnesium fire starter block and multi-tool in one of those kayaker-type dry bags on board.

Having an internet cell phone with my zip code's doppler radar page favorite placed helps a lot too.

I also like to keep a nearby place in mind to run to in case I have to hide from/wait out a lightning storm. Lightning was something I was only moderatley afraid of while on the water, until I researched it. Reading how lightning can strike miles away from a storm front, literally out of a clear blue sky has me taking cover early now.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Look at it this way -- a 30% chance of rain means there is a 70% chance it won't. That's way better than a 50/50 bet and the odds are way in your favor. Go for it. Fishing is better just before a front moves in so timing is perfect.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I allways figure they estimate on humidity too, so a 30% chance could just mean very humid with the possibility it will fall to the ground. I roll out. Its the wind I hate.

 

[Bass Tracker TX17]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

You may or may not already know this, but 30% chance means that 30% of a given area will get rain, not that 30% of the time the exact same conditions existed it rained...interesting, huh?...

I've learned something new today.
Never even thought about that way of forecasting..
I'd like to read that information....... Interesting


30% I'm gone. I am more concerned with wind.
I've gone out with t/storm warnings and fished until the clouds form. It's amazing when you tell people they should head in they look at you like you had two heads. After I'm loaded you hear the thunder and then buzz of outboards. Seems like 10 people want to get on their trailers at the same time.

 

[gss036]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I pay a lot more attention to wind forecast than rain. Some the worst blows I have been in are on fairly clear days, but then again we are here in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands. You can almost always find a leaward sidde of an island to get out of the wind,, but you still need to get back to home port at some time, that is when it gets interesting.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Yes I would go BUT... one of the worst storms I was ever in was a 30% chance,

Waiting for it to quit now so I can take my daughter out.

 

[JB]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Most fresh water fishing is better in the rain.

A set of FroggToggs helps one stay comfortable while hauling in the Esox.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

the look of the sky depends on how far i go. in the keys, it will be clear, with a squall, and sometimes you can go around them, some times not. there if you want different weather wait 3 hours. the weather channel there has the same report day in and day out.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I caught one of my best fish 5 minutes before rain moved in,,, then I stayed for another 4 hours getting soaked to the bone and watching rain drip off the brim of my cap. In December I was out all day with a steady rain, (rain gear, thermal coveralls, waterproof boots) and got skunked. I stayed warm and dry all day,,, until the 20 mile drive home when I was eating rain the whole trip back

If I hear a crack of thunder, I'm out of there.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

I go out even when it is raining at the time I leave the house. Of course, lighting is a different story. However, I fish small lakes so the wave action. If you plan to fish offshore or inshore I would not be too far from port, but we still went out to fish.

 

[obezag]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Perfect example today. They were calling for hit or miss thunder storms but the morning looked great so my neighbor went out. I reluctantly didn't. He was out for half an hour when it started getting pretty windy and the black clouds were eying him up! He just outran the lightning but caught the downpour. 30% chance of rain I don't mind. Thunderstorms have my respect. Lot of times I'll check the local weather stations radar to see if anything is headed our way.

 

[F_R]

Re: Do you go ou with a 30% chance of rain?

Down here in the swamps (Fl), it rains almost every day in the summertime. And I mean to tell you when it rains it RAINS!! But a quarter mile away the sun may be shining. The lighting is a serious matter. They call this "lightning alley" and the sparks all come straight down.