For example - this weekend will be in the mid-upper 40s here but will be rainy and overcast. Next weekend is the inverse, cooler air temps in the 30s but sunny skies. in your experience, which is typically more productive this time of year in a river?

Unless the air is warmer for a few days the water wont warm from the air. A warm rain from cloudy skies can change that a little. Hours of sunshine will warm shallow water and there will be some activity. Usually craws then minnows then the fish you want. Slow shallow water near winter haunts in the afternoons on sunny days.

I’m a long way from an expert but it seems the body of water you’re fishing matters a little bit too. A few times on Lake St Clair changed back and forth pretty noticeably as cloud cover moved in and out. But on a few smaller lakes and rivers near me it didn’t seem to have as much of an impact and seemed like the larger weather system over a few days and the seasonal norms made the only significant difference. Maybe it just affected visibility so lure color changes or slight depth changes was all that was necessary to get a bite again. 

Out here I am fishing in 30 to 50' of water. Air temp makes no difference except for my comfort. I have also not seen any impact on cloud cover (except once again my comfort). 

 

I can imagine that the shallower you are fishing the more impact weather will have but in deep water I have not observed any impact. 

A dark rock in light pebbles about 5 ft deep near adeep pool on your local river likely does well on a sunny day when its cold

till there is a consistent warming trend that typically starts mid March the air temp will have little to do with anything other than comfort for you.

 

Now high water will get fish to move and eat anytime of year. You just have to know the area to fish when it’s high. 

6 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

till there is a consistent warming trend that typically starts mid March the air temp will have little to do with anything other than comfort for you.

 

Now high water will get fish to move and eat anytime of year. You just have to know the area to fish when it’s high. 

So only sun plays?

@Ohioguy25 thsi time of year doesn’t matter. March once you find them schooling really doesn’t matter either April to may they tend to enjoy to sun up very shallow.

I don’t bother fishing for warm water fish like bass in cold water or weather when they are just trying to survive.

Target cold water fish like Trout or Salmon that thrive in cold temperatures.

Tom

16 hours ago, WRB said:

 

Target cold water fish like Trout or Salmon that thrive in cold temperatures.

Tom

No thank you! 
 

@WRB in Pa when trout season opens is the official get your ass on the river for smallies. They start crushing them early 

By April our bass fishing started 4 months ago. I am talking cold water under 45 degrees.

Tom

 

@WRB it is right around 40 degrees when this starts to happen.