Fishing 101: How To Choose the Best Weather for Fishing
Let’s imagine that you are trying to plan a nice fishing trip, and you want to make sure the weather is perfect. Every experienced fisherman knows that the weather affects how the fish are going to bite. Temperatures, barometric pressure, wind, sunlight, etc… all need to be taken into consideration when deciding on where and when to fish.
Even your own safety on the waters is greatly affected by the weather. Being unprepared can lead to really dangerous situations for anglers. You also need to dress for the weather - both to protect yourself from sunburn, or from frostbite in colder seasons. In cold weather, you’ll need extra gear like ice fishing gloves and lots of layers!
To help you prepare for your next fishing trip, we decided to look into the ideal weather conditions and explain what the best weather for fishing really is!
Anybody can go out and see when it’s going to be hot or windy, but knowing how that information affects the fish is key. In general, fish do not like extremely sunny weather. Fishing during the early morning or dusk is best.
Fish are cold-blooded meaning they need heat to generate warmth. Too much heat and sunlight can be deterring for them. If you see that it’s going to be a hot and sunny day, you should understand how the fish will react to that. In summer when it’s really sunny out, and it's beating down on the water, the fish tend to go deeper to avoid the light and heat. To adjust to this, use deeper lures and deepwater bait to put yourself in the best situation possible.
If you go out during the early morning or dusk, you’ll realize that a majority of the fish are more active around the shallower waters. Once the sun becomes stronger and more prevalent, deeper is where you’ll have the best chance to catch something. Generally speaking, aim for low-light situations to improve your chances. You can also go fishing at night!
Wind Speed
Wind speed and direction are huge factors while determining the best possible fishing conditions. High winds create waves and current that could help or hurt your fishing experience.
You want to make sure that you’re set up in such a way that your bait flows in the direction of the current. If the fish think that the bait is actual food, then they're more likely to attempt to bite at it. If you use bait that will run awkwardly with or against the currents, then it's less likely to generate bites. When baits are moving at the same rate and direction as the current, be ready to have a ton of your bait get taken from you!
The waves also help with counteracting sunlight. Therefore, the fish could also be closer to the surface than on a regular hot and sunny day. The stronger the waves, the more light that gets dimmed or blocked out, so make sure you are paying attention to that.
Rain
A nice, light, drizzle is perfect for fishing. The sky is filled with clouds so the temperature of the water won’t fluctuate. There also aren't hot and cold spots on the water when it’s raining. The rain also helps with hiding your boat from the fish. Even better, more insects and other types of food are pushed into the water, making it an ideal situation for fish to feed.
Heavy rainfall creates the opposite situation. This could be one of the worst times to go fishing. The heavy rains not only block out your boat from the fish's view but also has the potential to block out the bait. If the fish can’t see the bait, then they obviously won’t bite.
With heavier rain, stronger currents and flooding are also in the realm of possibility. Fishing in really heavy rain and storm like weather does not create fishing success, nor is it safe enough to risk it.
Cloud Cover
A day that’s full of clouds is a day that ends with a boat full of fish. When there is consistent cloud coverage, fish tend to act predictably and are easier to catch. If the weather stays the same in terms of temperature and wind speed, the fish tend to be more active. They spread out around the water, become more active with feeding, and clouds are perfectly safe for anglers to fish under.
The Perfect Fishing Day
Based on all these factors, the best time to fish is a warm, cloudy, and calm day. Mix in a little drizzle here and there, and you hit the jackpot. The fish will be active, they will be spread out evenly on the water, and your life is at minimal risk.
Without the sun beating down on the water, the fish will stay closer to the surface, without the heavy rainfall there's no concern for flooding, and without the high wind speeds, there’s no concern about strong currents. You are happy and so are the fish!
Final Thoughts on the Best Weather for Fishing
Now that you have a general idea of what to look for with the weather, you want to make sure that you have the proper gear. Prepare with the best lures and gear for the weather, and be sure to dress in a weather appropriate outfit for your safety and comfort!