Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

[rivermouse]

I will be at Wrightsville NC at the end of the week . The forecast says a rain front coming up the coast should be cleared out by then. Does this really matter ? The fish are biting ok right now .I plan to fish from a small private pier located on the ICW and some from the topsail beach pier....What might I expect and can anyone suggest bait other than raw shrimp and bloodworms? thanks

 

[dingbat]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

Rain doesn't bother them one bit unless you get 12" of rain in 2 days like we did and you can't get out to fish becouse of all the junk coming the Bay. Everything from whole trees to hot tubs out there floating around.

 

[sasto]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

The pier at Topsail may get some rough seas which may make fishing difficult. If the winds and waves are coming from the east it may be real good. This has a tendenancy to move baitfish closer to shore which brings the big'uns.

Some of the best fishing I've ever done in the ICW is after a storm. Rain runoff from land can wash all kinds of little critters like insects and larva into the waterway. You may end up there during a feeding frenzy.

Good luck and enjoy, rivermouse. I personally like that area.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

As for bait, try filleting and cutting the fillets of small fish you may catch on the mentioned baits (pinfish most likely) into small strips resembleing minnows, wider on one end, and hook through the skin on the big end, the narrowing "tail" will wiggle in the current like a small fish. cut bait will also stay on the hook better than shrimp, good on bottom rigs or try slowly dragging flounder rigs baited this way. good luck

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

For $5 I'll tell you the best way to get live bait.

Meh, I'll tell you for free. Check the local tackle shops for Pilchard rings and Sabiki rigs.

A Pilchard ring looks like a big looped bling necklace with a piece of red,pink, or orange plastic ribbon running through it. You put a weight on one end and tie the other end to your fishing line. Drop around pilings on the pier or dock and the little baitfish try to swim around the bright ribbon and get stuck in the rings. Pull your line up and remove the live bait and drop back down for more.

A Sabiki rig is a bait rig with 6 tiny jigs with hooks and is used much the same way as the Pilchard ring. If you'll put a tiny piece of shrimp on each jig the baitfish will bite it quicker. If there are small mackeral in the area they'll steal your jigs, so buy a few rigs.

If you use either of these methods let me know how they work for you in that area.

 

[RojoSnapper]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

The rain won't hurt the fishing at all....as a matter of fact it can help.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

definitely helps to cool the water temp, my best tarpon fishing is in the back bays after a summer rain.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

I find the bite slows down during cruddy weather, but picks way up after the rainy/stormy weather passes. I'm referring to periods of bad weather that last for about 3 days or so. One rainy day doesn't affect it much if at all. Some of the best fishing can be during a one-day rain.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

This is a really good question and has a lot of answers that all could be true. I've always found that fishing improves when the sky is overcast or it's raining. I was once told that this is because the fish have to rely more on their ability to sense food in the water rather than being able to see it clearly. An attractant like a flasher and stinky bait improve your odds because of this or so I've been told. Bait fish getting pushed in makes sense and I truly believe the idea about critters washing into the lake because I've used the technique of throwing a sinko up on the bank and dragging it in for bass. I've caught some nice fish in lousy weather so yeah I'm gonna go with the fishing improving unless your fishing for SteelHead that are headed up stream to spawn and only hit your rig because they're mad that it's in their way.. Whole nuther fish story there...

Go have fun....

 

[sasto]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

How was the fishing, rivermouse?

 

[rivermouse]

Re: Does several days of rain mess up the fishing?

I fished the waterway from a private pier several mornings and only got a few croker and small spots. The ocean pier action on topsail beach nc was very slow with few people there so I didnt waste time on it. I did learn that late at night after the boat traffic stops and things get quite that nice fish came in near the waterway pier and I caught a nice sheepshead and a small drum. This happened the night before we returned home so next time I will ready.Picture is from the private pier