In the rain

[Doug Sawyer]

It's been raining the last two days here in Southern Michigan and I've been wondering about going out to catch some gills. I've never fished in the rain and was wondering if the gills bite very well in the rain. I know that I never had much luck the day after a rain.
Like a lot of people I don't have a job to go to now. So I have more time on my hands to enjoy fishing. I use to only find time to go ice and fly fishing (my favorites) and then occasionally drown some worms.
So if you have some good pointers on catching gills on a rainy day I sure would appreciate the advice.
Thanks Doug

[Patrick "Bullworm" Olson]

Doug, I have had good success in the rain. It has to be the right rain though, or at least thats what I have noticed. The "right" rain would be a slight to moderate dizzle and warm helps, not a down pour of the cold stuff! In my exprience of fishing in the rain, I have found gills to be a bit deeper in the water column. It would be an excellent time to try Mod's spooning technique. Good luck! Patrick

[robert b reid]

well my fishing time will be cut down. i start a new job on monday. but i will still have the weekends off. i have to agree with patrick a slow to light drizzle of rain not the gully washers that we have been having down here in savannah the last few days. today is just been a slow to light rain all day long. which makes it good sleeping weather. but if you do get a heavy down poor during the day waite till the evening thats when the bite is the best

[Jim Gronaw]

The ideal rain for me would be a moderate one and about 70 F in early May when the water temps are colder than the incoming precipitation. Turns all kinds of fish on. But I have caught them in mid winter when the water was 38 F and the rain was like 45 -50 F. In my photos section, the Piney Run Stringer and Matts Citation Gill were caught during a fairly heavy rain on May 1, but the rain was definetly warmer than the water at that time.

[mike rowden]

My time in the rain has been very good. Last July I stayed out until the lightning ran me off, the fishing was so good. Dead on! They were hitting on anything and I was moving around alot. I caught gills, walleye, cat, crappie and bass.

[JBplusThuy]

I had a day like that once, at Lake Cuyamaca, in the mountains east of San Diego. It was in the spring, and I was fishing from the dyke that divides the main lake from the overflow area that only fills up in Spring. A storm came up and the rain started coming down. Fishing had been kind of slow before that, but once the rain got going I was nailing a bluegill on every cast. When the lightning got going, I grabbed my ice chest and beat a hasty retreat, seeing as I was in the middle of a dyke with water on both sides. The tallest thing around for 50 - 100 yards in any direction was me :p

Jonathan

[Doug Sawyer]

Patrick, Robert, Jim, and Mike seems like your all tell me about the same thing. Not to be afraid to go out and try fishing in a light to moderate shower. I'm going give it a try the next time it rains. How else will I learn if I don't get out and try it myself?

Robert, congrats on the new job.

Patrick, I have been experimenting with Mod's spoon technique. I had some luck with it but, I've got a lot to learn yet.

Thanks for the input, Doug

[John Sheehan]

I have done some of my best consistent good size gill fishing in the rain. I agree with Patrick and Jim ...a warm drizzle... in the spring especially! I like to use worms in the rain for gills but have done real well slip floating trout magnets in a steady drizzle in May!

[Charles Singleton]

Raining, huh? Brag, brag, brag. jk :-) I like flyfishing, so I usually throw terrestrial patterns (ants, caterpillars, hoppers, crickets, etc.) under overhanging trees/brush. Rain tends to wash them off into the water, so I like to provide what the fish expect.

[Dan "dano" Moreno]

Hey Doug, I went out with the neighbor and his father-in-law on a misty rainy day following an all day rain and we landed 39 keepers, released everything under 7 inches, which came to about 25-30 fish. Hope you have the same luck, tight lines to ya.
Dano