Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

[lifeisfun]

There was heavy rain on the Ottawa river yesterday and today is beautiful day but the watter is muddy I was out for 2hrs no luck ... not even perch

Any tips ? ( small mouth and pike )

 

[licketdsplit756]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

dark water dark lures clear water bright lures. jetties when the water is high is a good holding spot for smallies.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

When the rivers get stained and the flow is fast , an old salt I know gave me this bit of advise

"You would be better off staying home and polishing apples"

So far I have found that to be sound advise.


I know this wont help you,, In the rivers here right now things are warm and the water is on the low side.Most of the smallies are on the current breaks and the downstream side of rapids.

 

[lifeisfun]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

This evening , same story
The water isn't fast at all, just murky.

 

[Ripfence]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

Try some nasty cut bait and go after catfish.

 

[bouttime007]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

This evening , same story
The water isn't fast at all, just murky.

If the waters murky, use Ratltraps or something loud and annoying. Smallies "hear" alot better than they see.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

It's a barometric preasure thing. When the baro is falling slowly the fishing will likely be pretty good. When the front passes and the baro rises rapidly the fish tend to just lay on the bottom for a couple days. Then as the baro becomes stedy they will start biteing again. Several days of steady preasure is what you want. Not necesarily high or low. Slow falling will always produce better though.

 

[burroak]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

Ascending barometric pressure seems to have an effect, which usually the condition after a storm. I have noticed that salmon in Lake Michigan are a loosely schooling fish normally, but after severe thunderstorms they seem to scatter and get lock jaw. It takes 2-3 days for them to settle into a pattern again. Maybe it's the steady barometric pressure???

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

I find the barometer to be a significant factor on lakes. As LD stated, I whole heartedly agree that a "Steady" pattern seems to be the most productive for bass fishing lakes. But it seems different with the rivers. Current, temperature, water level and water clarity seem to factor in more than barometric pressure in rivers. I fish Tidal rivers now and again. That right there is another whole ball of wax. The most significant factor there is the tide, and time of year, and the salt line.

 

[Ben Paquin]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

You can still catch fish on the Ottawa river when the water is murky due to heavy current and waves. I started to fish there recently.

Caught a nice 6 lbs Walley. The water wasn't that murky but I was fishing for pike in the weed bed and it was very windy that day. Caught it with a large red spinner bait designed for pike.

Caught some nice smallmouth bass also when the water was very murky. A 4lbs one with the red spinner bait in the weed bed right where I caught the walley.
A 5lbs one with a worm again in murky waters 15 foot deep.

But I agree it will not bite as much as on a day with little wind clear water etc... It's just natural, if they don't see the bait as well they won't bite as much.
I agree with the noisy bait recommendation. When it's murky fish in the shallow water near the shore in the weed beds. The Small mouth large mouth pike will be there and even a possible walley. fish top water also since it's noisy and easier to notice for the fish.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

I've personally aways have found especially with murky river fishing where I fish on the Hudson and the Mohawk rivers in upstate NY that after a decent rain the fishing is awful the next few days.

I have always attributed it to higher water levels, faster moving waters and murkier waters the next day.

That above quote to go polish some apples after it rains is funny, but so true.

Of course opinions can vary on fishing at different barometric readings.

I received a free WeatherSense unit as a promo add on when I bought my Hummingbird 797c SI GPS/Fishing unit.

It arrived last week and it measures barometric pressures for weather predictions and fishing conditions.

These are quotes from the manual that came with it:

Knowledgeable anglers have been fishing by the barometer for years.
This unit helps you identify conditions, so you can modify your fishing tactics.

* Falling Barometer-this occurs ahead of a major front. Fish may feed aggressively under these conditions.

* Rising barometer-occurs after front has passed. This high pressure system can cause fish to go dormant, move closer to structure and become extremely hard to catch.

* Steady barometer- under a steady barometer fish behavior is usually unaffected

So fishing the day after a rain it appears from my experience too is usually during a rising barometer condition and is why it's so hard to catch fish on a lake or river right after the front has passed (just rained).

Since this is mostly a boating forum you might want to check in on another fishing forum like a bass one. As I'm sure there will be more tips from bass fisherman on how to salvage out a day for fishing right after it rains.

These fisherman during contests have to go out anyway. They can't just stay home because it rained the day before the contest so I'm sure they can add some helpful tips on your question.

Good Luck!

 

[Ben Paquin]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

Another thing I do when the fish won't bite the usual lures. is to drop a few lines with worms. I always surprised to catch big bass, big catfish and sometimes walley with a worm. In the ottawa river you can also catch sturgeon with that.
With a worm and patience even on the worse day you usually catch something.

 

[Ben Paquin]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

check this out:

ottawa river today (saturday)
fished in from 1pm to 4pm. Caught four large mouth bass, all between 3-4lbs.
And one 6 lbs. 4 pikes. All with the same new lure!
Unfortunately since it's a topwater lure I missed more fish than I caught. Some really close to the boat. I lost two that almost made me cry. It caught the bait but somehow did not hook. Both those loss where HUGE bass. between 6-10lbs. I saw them miss my top water lure about 3 feet from the boat. Huge mothers...
I can't believe how well the new lure and new spots are working out. That river has some crazy potential. The reason I did not catch more is I didn't have any more spinner bait to hook to the lure. It did not work as well without the bait.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

That is why I enjoy Lake Champlain..... southern end is always murky and regardless of post rain or pre rain.... you can always get something. I agree it has more to do with the barometric pressure.

 

[lifeisfun]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

check this out:

ottawa river today (saturday)
fished in from 1pm to 4pm. Caught four large mouth bass, all between 3-4lbs.
And one 6 lbs. 4 pikes. All with the same new lure!
Unfortunately since it's a topwater lure I missed more fish than I caught. Some really close to the boat. I lost two that almost made me cry. It caught the bait but somehow did not hook. Both those loss where HUGE bass. between 6-10lbs. I saw them miss my top water lure about 3 feet from the boat. Huge mothers...
I can't believe how well the new lure and new spots are working out. That river has some crazy potential. The reason I did not catch more is I didn't have any more spinner bait to hook to the lure. It did not work as well without the bait.

It was very good day indeed on the Ottawa river for me as well 4-7pm 12 pikes all in one spot, on the other hand this morning (Sun) 6-10 one little bass and that was it

 

[Expidia]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

That is why I enjoy Lake Champlain..... southern end is always murky and regardless of post rain or pre rain.... you can always get something. I agree it has more to do with the barometric pressure.

Hi Bob

I launched from Ticonderoga a few weeks ago right in the middle of the Bass Pro fishing tournament. I'd say there were at least 75 boat trailers in the lot that day!

I headed North since I was just cruising around not fishing. But I figured there must be a lot of bass in that area to hold a bass fishing contest.

I'm going back now that the waters a little cooler. When you say "Southern part" How Southern do you mean. Should I launch around Whitehall and head North. I've never been on that section of the lake yet, but cruised around most other North of TI areas.

What works good for lures in the Southern areas? Are you fishing the weedy sections?

Thx for your input.

 

[David B.]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

I agree with using noisy lures, also try some kind of scent or porkrind trailer on the lures, working the lures extra slow may also help. but like some of the others said, I usually avoid fishing for a while when the water is murky

 

[Ben Paquin]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

It was very good day indeed on the Ottawa river for me as well 4-7pm 12 pikes all in one spot, on the other hand this morning (Sun) 6-10 one little bass and that was it

Great ! So far I have been very unlucky with pikes. I only caught tiny ones all under 3 lbs. On average 2 bass for every pike. No big pikes.
I think some of spots are overfished. Every spot I caught nice amount of fish yesterday there was 2-3 boats hanging around. Today I had very little luck.
I fished from 11am-2pm. Caught a nice 3 lbs largemouth. Missed 6 fish !
I think they were blind, they kept missing the lure
Then the 20lbs line got tangled during a long cast and the line broke off and I lost my new favorite lure. Then I trolled for musky.
If you don't mind where did you catch those pikes ?
What kind of size where they ?

 

[lifeisfun]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

I do all fishing east from Ottawa
they are usually 22" - 30" one in the while 35 -40"
Not much luck with top lures except in the morning
before the sun hits my spot
What lure are you using ?
I use mostly Rapala F13

 

[Ben Paquin]

Re: Fishing after day of heavy rain ... any tips ?

I do all fishing east from Ottawa
they are usually 22" - 30" one in the while 35 -40"
Not much luck with top lures except in the morning
before the sun hits my spot
What lure are you using ?
I use mostly Rapala F13

I had great success with an Excalibur super spook, natural color and bright color later in the evening. It is similar to the Zara Spook.

But the new Lure I use is a top water spinning frog with a 2 legged plastic work on the hook. It is weedless. I forgot the name. You can find it at canadian tire.