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?

[Buzzbaiter]

I haven’t fished in the rain for smallmouth, but I love going for largemouth when it’s wet outside because I can bust out a buzzbait and catch them how I like. That being said, I have a hard time getting out of the house when it starts raining. I don’t know why, but it’s like I can’t be bothered to get out the door

[The Baron]

I myself don't mind a moderate rain, just not steady rain all day.  But, I'm a new bass boat owner and very nervous about getting the boat carpet soaked and not being able to dry it out properly.

[Ohioguy25]

11 minutes ago, The Baron said:

I myself don't mind a moderate rain, just not steady rain all day.  But, I'm a new bass boat owner and very nervous about getting the boat carpet soaked and not being able to dry it out properly.

This is the second comment I’ve seen about the carpet, why are they designing $20k boats with carpet that can’t get wet or doesn’t dry easily??

[TnRiver46]

22 minutes ago, The Baron said:

I myself don't mind a moderate rain, just not steady rain all day.  But, I'm a new bass boat owner and very nervous about getting the boat carpet soaked and not being able to dry it out properly.

The carpet is easy to dry, it’s all your hooks in Plano boxes that will just rust over completely 

[Tennessee Boy]

I was on the water yesterday and it looked like it could rain at any time.  A few drops fell here and there. There was about an hour total of off and on light rain.  I got a little damp but not wet.  Never put on any rain gear.  The heavy cloud cover seemed to extend the morning bite all day.  
 

It was near perfect fishing weather in my opinion.  ?

[TOXIC]

Well, it’s been raining hard for 3 days straight and is right now so while I don’t mind fishing in it, the rivers we fish are going to be blown out with muddy water and more than likely a lot of floating debris.  Forecast is for the pattern to continue so fishing may be postponed for a while.  

[gimruis]

3 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

This is the second comment I’ve seen about the carpet, why are they designing $20k boats with carpet that can’t get wet or doesn’t dry easily??

Because its cheap and easy to put in as flooring.  I used to be a marine carpet guy myself.  We always had carpet in the boat growing up.  When I bought my own boat in 2015, the salesman talked me into the hard surface made of polymer/vinyl instead as a free upgrade (normally it costs $500 more than carpet).  Having used this now for 6+ years, I'm never going back to carpet again.  This hard surface is so much easier to maintain and clean than carpet and its never going to wear out.  I think you'll start to see more boats with a hard interior surface instead of carpet in the future.

 

That being said, if you have carpet, don't worry about it getting wet.  Just make sure you properly let it dry when finished.

[Kirtley Howe]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

Because its cheap and easy to put in as flooring.  I used to be a marine carpet guy myself.  We always had carpet in the boat growing up.  When I bought my own boat in 2015, the salesman talked me into the hard surface made of polymer/vinyl instead as a free upgrade (normally it costs $500 more than carpet).  Having used this now for 6+ years, I'm never going back to carpet again.  This hard surface is so much easier to maintain and clean than carpet and its never going to wear out.  I think you'll start to see more boats with a hard interior surface instead of carpet in the future.

 

That being said, if you have carpet, don't worry about it getting wet.  Just make sure you properly let it dry when finished.

I had an old cheap boat and the carpet was shot. I tore it out and put down roll vinyl floor covering. I sealed the edges of the vinyl with a good all purpose adhesive caulk. It lasted for years. The only problem was it could be slippery when wet. If I were to do it again, I would use on of the newer vinyl materials that are more traction friendly.

[Ohioguy25]

3 hours ago, Kirtley Howe said:

The only problem was it could be slippery when wet

I would imagine that is a good part of the reason for it.

[Woody B]

I fished so much in the rain the last week my auto inflatable life jacket decided to inflate.  (true)

[guidoStow]

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

I fished so much in the rain the last week my auto inflatable life jacket decided to inflate.  (true)

Mine did too... Weird weather indeed!

[TnRiver46]

I have the opposite problem of getting motivated to go fishing. 

[islandbass]

I live in the land of liquid sunshine. Rain is practically a given. If rain will stop you from fishing, bike riding or doing some outdoor activity in the pacific nw, you wouldn’t be able live here. 
 

So for me, I have no issues fishing in the rain. Unfortunately, more often than not for me, rain ?️, at least our type of rain conditions, usually shuts them down, ?. Not alwalys but mostly, they’re shut down. It doesn’t help I’m fishing from the shore too, lol. I’d probably have better prospects if I weren’t constrained to the bank. 

[Ohioguy25]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I have the opposite problem of getting motivated to go fishing. 

Hot muggy you mean?

1 hour ago, islandbass said:

I live in the land of liquid sunshine. Rain is practically a given. If rain will stop you from fishing, bike riding or doing some outdoor activity in the pacific nw, you wouldn’t be able live here. 
 

So for me, I have no issues fishing in the rain. Unfortunately, more often than not for me, rain ?️, at least our type of rain conditions, usually shuts them down, ?. Not alwalys but mostly, they’re shut down. It doesn’t help I’m fishing from the shore too, lol. I’d probably have better prospects if I weren’t constrained to the bank. 

Interesting, what are you fishing for, salmon, sturgeon?

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Hot muggy you mean?

Interesting, what are you fishing for, salmon, sturgeon?

No I mean I’m way too motivated to go fishing, I skip most other obligations and just go fishing instead rain or shine haha 

[islandbass]

@Ohioguy25: Even in the land where salmonids rule, I’m a bass angler just like you.

We have small and largemouth bass and even the lesser known rock bass. They aren’t native here, but I reckon people brought these bass species with them some time in the past. It’s actually a good thing most people go for trout and salmon and steelhead (a sea-going rainbow trout) because that leaves all the bass for me. 
 

I do target salmon, and they’re awesome to target and fight, but bass will always have a special place in my heart. The proof is in my screen name. 
 

I haven’t targeted sturgeon, but I would try if I lived closer to the Columbia River. There was an old episode with Shaw Grigsby and he was here fishing for sturgeon. He sure was tired after the battle. ?

[T-Billy]

Rain is good, unless it's forty degree rain. I don't mess with lightning. No fish is worth dying for.

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, T-Billy said:

Rain is good, unless it's forty degree rain. I don't mess with lightning. No fish is worth dying for.

38-40 degree rain is what we call “Knoxville snow” and it indeed sucks, actual snow flakes are much more pleasant 

[Team9nine]

The problem is, the giants aren’t always crushing it in the rain, and often you’re left looking like a soaking wet fool ?

 

Your river example is a timing issue, not a weather/rain issue. Happens here all the time. 
 

I’d rather dodge and time the rain as best as possible, staying mostly dry. Nothing worse than a soaking wet boat and tackle that has to be meticulously dried properly to avoid a ton of rusted hooks or mold in every carpeted compartment. 

[T-Billy]

43 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

38-40 degree rain is what we call “Knoxville snow” and it indeed sucks, actual snow flakes are much more pleasant 

Yeah, I enjoy fishing in the snow. Freezing cold rain sucks, but I'll tolerate it all day when the muskie are chewing A-rigs.

[Spankey]

Over the last few days we have been getting hit with heavy showers and quick passing showers.  River is not in any flood condition or high flow rates just heavy stained and low visibility. Fished some feeder creek mouth and storm drains managed a handful or runts. Lost as many as I boated. All on crankbaits and jerkbaits. Caught a 7 lb. Channel Cat on a brand new Berkley Hit Stick in FireTiger. But with current water condition and clarity, Shad, herring, gold w/blk, dark green and melon caught fish. 
Started raining at the time I was pulling the plug for the day. Expected it to rain at anytime during my time out. We are expecting unsettled rains for the need few days. 

[MGF]

I don't go out of my way to fish in the rain...or too much wind either. I catch plenty of fish when the weather is nice and that's when I prefer to fish. I've done my share of all weather fishing and hunting and those days are over.

[Ohioguy25]

On 6/24/2023 at 11:24 AM, Team9nine said:

Your river example is a timing issue, not a weather/rain issue. Happens here all the time. 

So you think we just caught their feeding window?

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

So you think we just caught their feeding window?

Pretty much. On our rivers, the fish (quality fish included) seem to react positively to a combination of rising water combined with increasing stain. How fast that combination happens depends on which river (and how big), but also on how heavy the rainfall. Wait too long though, and everything gets blown out and you miss the key bite window. Not enough rain, and things just never ‘get right’ for a shot at an epic bite.

 

On small rivers, or after a “frog strangling” downpour, it can happen really fast, to the point where you really need to be out there while the last raindrops are still falling. But other times, with just a good steady hours long rainfall, or patchy ‘on and off’ showers all day, it might take half a day, or even a day or two, for the river to rise enough and the stained water to make its way through the system. In that regard, ‘where’ the rain falls can also directly affect all this. Either way, the storm system is often long gone when the bite finally peaks. Just have to test individual waters and closely track the variables until you get it all dialed in.

[Ohioguy25]

9 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Pretty much. On our rivers, the fish (quality fish included) seem to react positively to a combination of rising water combined with increasing stain. How fast that combination happens depends on which river (and how big), but also on how heavy the rainfall. Wait too long though, and everything gets blown out and you miss the key bite window. Not enough rain, and things just never ‘get right’ for a shot at an epic bite.

 

On small rivers, or after a “frog strangling” downpour, it can happen really fast, to the point where you really need to be out there while the last raindrops are still falling. But other times, with just a good steady hours long rainfall, or patchy ‘on and off’ showers all day, it might take half a day, or even a day or two, for the river to rise enough and the stained water to make its way through the system. In that regard, ‘where’ the rain falls can also directly affect all this. Either way, the storm system is often long gone when the bite finally peaks. Just have to test individual waters and closely track the variables nril you get it all dialed in.

Yeah, it’s crazy how much timing is involved in this sport.