To understand how do thunderstorms affect bass fishing, you have to know what changes happen around it.
Before the storm hits, barometric pressure starts to drop. At this time, fish will go into a feeding frenzy. At least, the majority of fish species.
This rapidly dropping pressure is one of the best times to present your bait and get a bite. During a strong storm, many fish will calm down, as the pressure will be at the lowest point and the water is going to be very stirred up, especially in the shallows.
At this time, bass will usually hide, at especially if they were previously present in shallow water. This often happenes with largemouth bass. Some other bass species, like spotted, may continue to feed, but I would not advise you to stay on the water, swinging with a rod, because it can get very dangerous.
After the storm, when the rain stops, and the pressure begins to increase, bass will become active again, for a short period of time. However, they are not in the same location as they were before. I will mention this a bit later.
Another thing that affects fish, is cloud coverage …
Clouds block the sunlight, and low light conditions make a fish feel safe. Bass will take advantage of this situation. Small baitfish will emerge from the covers, bass will lurk from its hideouts.
So, Is Bass Fishing Good After a Storm?
Many anglers know that fishing is great before the storm, but bass, same as other fish species, has its own behaviors during various conditions.
Many anglers ask, especially during summer, is bass fishing good after a storm?
Many anglers will tell you that after a storm, bass will not bite. That is usually true for recreational anglers who do not have a lot of experience. But the truth is, bass will bite, if you know what to do and where to find them.
After a storm, low light conditions will still be present, and bass will still bite if the lure is presented correctly. When the weather finally clears, wind stops, and sun starts to shine, then bass will slowly go to a clam state it was in before the storm started approaching. This behavioral change is extremely visible during hot summer, when lazy bass becomes very aggressive.
So, the answer is yes, fishing for bass is good after storm, but it may not be so successful for beginners.
Or, Is Bass Fishing Better Before a Storm?
So, is bass fishing better before or after a storm?
Bass fishing it is better before the storm. At this time, you can find bass at its usually places, feeding becomes very aggressive, and no mater of your experience level, you can probably catch them.
Also, a dropping pressure is better than the rising one, when it comes to triggering the bass feeding frenzy. Also, these conditions make small prey fish go out of their hiding places, and the bass will follow.
After a strong storm, these small fish may remain dormant for a while, so it will be harder to get a bass bite.
You can enjoy some nice fishing after a storm too, but it will be a much harder task.
Your biggest chance to catch them is immediately after the storm passes. Waiting for too long is not advisable as bass will go dormant again.
If you have a chance, find a safe place near by while the storm lasts, and as soon as it calms down, head back to the water. Just be careful, as summer storms can appear one after another, and you don’t want to be hit by lightning.
Summer Bass Fishing After Heavy Rain – YES or No?
Summer bass fishing after heavy rain can be excellent, but it also depends on how heavy the rain was.
Here is why …
Heavy rain will saturate the land and continue flowing into the water body you are fishing at. It will wash down insects, worms, and similar land creatures that make a tasty prey for hungry fish.
Small fish will eat those, while bass will hunt for small fish.
Extremely heavy rain can even cause small currents to form, and these currents will take the nutrients around the water.
Rain also brings oxygen, and cools down the water. Warm waters in summer can be low on oxygen, so this will make fish active.
The only thing that can have a negative effect is a muddy water. And I’m not talking about a bit of dirt that is washed from the riverbank. I mean a real pile of mud that ends up in a water as a result of heavy rain. Of course, this depends on a location only, and not every place can experience these conditions.
So, if you want to fish after strong rain, go to a location you know well.
Where do Bass Fish Go / Hide During a Storm?
I already mentioned some things about bass fishing before a storm, but to successfully catch one after it, you have to know what will bass do during a storm.
This affects your fishing tactics, and those must be changed after a storm.
Bass will emerge from the covers, but they will generally stay in a vicinity of them. That means that you can present your bait in similar places like you did before, just not exactly over structures or weeds. They are going to be deeper and a bit further away from large underwater structures.
To catch them, you have to adjust the depth of your lure. If the storm was strong, present your baits a few feet deeper than you did before.
Move your bait close to a drop off near the place you fished before a storm.
As I already mentioned, species like largemouth who were feeding in the shallows, ran away from the storm when it was in its full power.
As the weather improves, their activity will slow down and no matter what you do, there is a chance they just won`t bite.
How to Fish for Bass After Rain / Storm in a Pond?
Bass fishing after rain in a pond can be good, but ponds differ from lakes, and because of that, rain affects them differently.
Ponds are smaller, and their depth is not as big. Also, ponds often lack large underwater structures and steep drop offs.
Due to their small size, after a heavy rain, ponds can experience a rise in a water level. If the newly flooded areas are not very muddy, you can present your bait in a vicinity of those newly flooded areas, as those are a great food source for smaller fish.
If there is a water inlet somewhere on the pond, the amount of water it brings will increase after rain, so fish around that spot.
Another thing to consider is downsizing your lures a bit, because as the time goes by, bass activity will slow down a bit.
You will be able to find bass in the shallower area because of this. But, conditions after rain differ depending on a year time. In early spring, rain can cool down the water too much, because it just started warming up, so the activity can actually decrease. After a summer rain, water will cool a bit and receive a lot of oxygen.
And here you can find more about fall fishing for bass …
Other Tips for Bass Fishing Before or After a Storm!
So, now when you know is bass fishing good after a storm or not, here are some tips to help you get the most out of this situation:
• Try fishing near creaks or water inlets.
• If there is muddy water that contains food, try presenting your bait where the clear water meets the muddy one.
• Use jigs for deeper areas where bass is hiding after s storm.
• Try deep diving crankbaits too.
• Use lipless crankbaits to fish around covers if targeting smallmouth bass.
• If you have a fish finder, use it.
• Use highly vibrating or rattling lures if fishing in locations where water is a bit murky.
• Make your presentations a bit faster before a storm and slower after the storm.
• If the winds are strong, baitfish will be blown near the banks, so you should present lures that imitate local baitfish in those areas.
• Fishing after a storm can be hard for beginners, so don’t give up and try different techniques to learn what works better in your specific location.
• Try early morning bass fishing.