Do you have a hard time getting motivated to go out in the rain even though you know that’s when the giants are crushing?

[Ohioguy25]

I was planning to go out today but the water is still pretty stained and the radar looks very ugly. I don’t mind summer pop ups but persistent 2-3 hour downpours can be a chore to fish in.

 

All of this in spite of the fact that I have consistently seen the night and day difference in how the fish behave when it rains, especially when the river begins to rise. My buddy and I went out a week or so ago in a light drizzle that transitioned into a moderate patter and the fish were jumping out of the water hitting our spinnerbaits in spots where we usually never get bit. 

 

Maybe I just need better rain gear?

[Blue Raider Bob]

I absolutely love to fish in the rain but my rain gear is a little different than most. The umbrella shown in the picture got destroyed by a strong wind and it was replaced by a triple canopy, 15' model that covers almost the entire boat. Unless the wind is really blowing, I can comfortably fish in the rain and usually have the water to myself. 

[Ohioguy25]

25 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

usually have the water to myself

This is by far the best aspect 

[Catt]

I never minded it raining while I was all ready on the water but I hated leaving the house while it was raining. 

[GreenPig]

Rain and wind are two things that makes me to want to be on the water the most. A warm weather rain suit and a cold weather rain suit are necessary here in Ga. for year round comfort. I've had to put my rain suit on many times to just hook up the boat, go fishing and not remove it until I back the boat in the garage. I enjoy the rough and ugly days.

[A-Jay]

Not a huge fan of fishing in a total down pour.

A somewhat lighter version of that is OK, especially when I'm getting bites.

Honestly, I'd much rather fish in the snow than the rain.

Don't knock it, till you try it.

A-Jay

[gimruis]

I much prefer fishing in the rain during the summer months. Hot bright sunshine gets old a lot quicker than a rainy day does, and quite often my best day of the season occurs on a rainy day.

 

Down pours, not so much. A steady rain, bring it on.

[flatcreek]

I’ll fish all day in rain but as I’ve aged I don’t launch in a hard rain.

[padlin]

I’ll do the hour drive in a light rain but not if it’s heavy, same with launching. Once I’m on the water I’ll wait out heavy rain for a while but not very long, lighter stuff I don’t mind. I like to be out there when it stops.

[Bankbeater]

Years ago I didn't like to fish in the rain.  Then I realized that the fish bite better, and most of the time I have the water to myself. 

[Ohioguy25]

5 hours ago, gimruis said:

Hot bright sunshine gets old a lot quicker than a rainy day does

Definitely agree with this, my floats will be shorter and closer to dawn and dusk this year.

3 hours ago, padlin said:

I like to be out there when it stops.

That’s the juice right there, topwater ?

[813basstard]

9 hours ago, Catt said:

I never minded it raining while I was all ready on the water but I hated leaving the house while it was raining. 

^this.

Just like football practice in the rain. If it happens when you’re already out there..great. 
It you head out of the locker room in a down pour..miserable 

[Susky River Rat]

I used to venture out in it. Now I try to avoid it as much as possible. It’s harder on equipment  my boat carpet stays soggy forever. I’ll shop vac it two or three separate times. If I get stuck in it unless it’s a hurricane it won’t end my day. I’m becoming a much more fair weather fisherman these days. It’s for my enjoyment no sense beating myself up just to go out.

[Dye99]

Rain wont stop me, but winds do for sure.

[ol'crickety]

I'm with @Dye99. I actually prefer fishing in rain. I caught two 21"-plus bass in the rain this morning. 

[TOXIC]

Rain is fine but when the thunder boomers and the light show starts,……we gone! Happened yesterday we ended our day a little early because my fishing partner has Sirus Weather on his lowrance units and it alerted us to a storm firing off about 50 miles from us.  It had a fair amount of lightning in it.  As soon as it got close enough we heard the thunder, we hightailed it to the ramp.  Beat the storm by about half an hour. We’ve been in rain hard enough to swirl water down the floor drain in the boat but lightning is a deal killer. 

[TnRiver46]

We went out in the boat during lightning storm last night, it was not good 

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

We went out in the boat during lightning storm last night, it was not good 

Yeah that’s the ugly side 

[galyonj]

Gotta fish when I get time to fish. Getting wet is kind of the price of doing business.

 

I was out yesterday morning (when it was just a lot of rain, before it turned into @TnRiver46's lightning storm). I lasted longer than I had any right to given how miserable the fishing was.

[Choporoz]

I generally like fishing in the rain....not t-storms, or 2 in/hr downpours, but I don't mind most rain, especially if temps are over 50.  I am far more tolerant of rain than I am of wind.  Maybe biggest issue with hard rains, is that I can forget to test cast-control if I had an unused rod sitting in the rain for a good while.  I've had my share of rain (and dunk) induced backlashes

[txchaser]

I remember lots of amazing fishing during rain, and don't remember any bad fishing in the rain. But usually it's a warming rain around here vs some horrible 40 degrees and pouring. 

 

 

[galyonj]

@txchaser I'm already on record with this, but all else being equal, I'd just as soon fish in the rain. Chases the casuals away.

[Woody B]

No one makes me go fishing.  If I'm not motivated I'm not going.   If you don't want to go in the rain stay home.  It isn't a crime.

 

However, I enjoy fishing in the rain.  

[Log Catcher]

I haven't fished in the rain a lot but when I have I have never caught a fish while fishing in the rain. I can't even remember getting a bite in the rain. Over the years I have been caught in so many bad storms while fishing if rain is in the forecast I am staying home.

[TOXIC]

In one of the last times I pulled my boat the 2 days to get to iWisconsin, the vegetation had been sprayed, the fishing was very tough but I decided to go out and fish in a light rain.  I donned my rain suit and went to one of the deepest lakes on the chain.  Started down a bank that dropped into 60 feet of water and proceeded to catch a bunch of smallmouth and largemouth that contained the biggest of both species I had caught up to that point in the 19 years I had been fishing it.  I like the rain.