And the Thunder Rolls...

It doesn’t happen often, and memories of drought restrictions are still fresh in our minds, but lately it seems that the rain has ruined a few more fishing days than normal this month. Most fish can handle the occasional thunderstorm, but an excess of rain will make fishing difficult. The day after a big storm may be bright and sunny, but the fish are still in shock from the dramatic change the weather caused their environment, and they probably will not be as cooperative as you’d like them to be.

Large, violent storms make fishing more frustrating than changing a tire in rush hour traffic. The storm will disturb the lake bottom causing silt to make the water cloudy. Shallow lakes become murky faster than other lakes in the days following nasty weather. Fish find it difficult to find forage, and will react much slower to lures that are usually successful in the summer months.

The rain will also dramatically lower the temperature of the lake. After a period of heat, shallow areas of the lake can be extremely warm. Rain rapidly cools the warm water. In situations like this fish are forced to adapt to the change in their environment too quickly. Fish will be much more subdued and in some cases shutdown completely. Fast lures like buzz baits and lipless crank baits will hardly ever induce strikes of the same intensity as hot summer days.

Lastly, the heavy winds commonly associated with larger storms will push schools of baitfish to different parts of the lake. The loss of forage will cause fish to go searching more often than they would during dryer periods. Predatory fish will usually be located at ambush points, like tree lines, edges of lily pad fields, points, and coves during dry days. The wind scatters baitfish that would be found in these areas as well. This forces larger fish to cruise more often for a meal. Cruising fish are harder to catch because their movement is unpredictable. Instead of casting to common hiding places, catching cruisers will depend on having the right lure, in the right location, at the exact right time.

To deal with murky water circumstances use bright colored lures. This is a good time to break out that fire-tiger colored Rapala that has been gathering dust in the bottom of your tackle box. Obviously, the brighter colors are more visible in the cloudy water. Sluggish fish will react to what seems like an easy meal so throw some bright colors to give them an easy target. Shiny in-line spinners and spinner baits in white or chartreuse may also draw a strike or two.

In colder water slower is always better. The energy levels of the fish are extremely low, and they will not exert the same amount of energy to chase fast moving lures. Look for a stump field or downed trees, the decaying wood will be warmer than surrounding water making it ideal habitat in cool water situations. Rubber worms, salamanders, and Jig-n-Pig lures fished very slowly through the structure should help land a few fish. If you think you are fishing the lure slow enough, slow it down some more.

To catch those “cruisers” try lures stick baits that imitate injured baitfish. These lures can be successful any time of the year, but in a post-storm situation they are a vital commodity. The stick baits will allow you to cover a lot of water in a short period of time which will be necessary if you want to find fish that have been spread all over the lake.