The ideal “rainy conditions” are usually a few days (or on some rivers, a few hours) after significant rain. This is that time period when the rivers have settled in and are on a “drop” in levels.
Light drizzle was enough to make this fish bite.
During my travels to the non-steelhead bearing parts of the country, often the first thing people say when they hear I’m from the Northwest is: “It rains a lot there doesn’t it?” Maybe because of growing up in the Lower Columbia River Valley my whole life, I just don’t know any different. Truthfully, they aren’t wrong either.
Lounging inside with snacks and Netflix during the long “rainy season” may be cozy, but exploring and traveling into the beautiful landscapes of Oregon and Washington is worth putting the water-proof coat on. I have an app on my phone for weather and one that measures river levels. In late fall, when B-run coho salmon are thick, rain freshets can send a blast of fresh salmon into the rivers. In wintertime, searching for steelhead, river levels can dramatically change in short time periods with very little notice. To continually have a chance at fish, anglers must adapt with weather conditions.
How Rain (Generally) Affects Fishing
Many times I’ve been asked “Does the rain make the fish bite?” Well, yes—and no. Rain can be a help or a hindrance for the days bite, but fish do like water. Near the end of summer when rivers are at their lowest, rain can move salmon from tidewater upstream. Too much rain can wash tons of sediment and leaves into the water which makes fishing nearly impossible for a time. Within a few days, it could be very productive salmon or steelhead fishing.
Most of the time a rising river is not good for fishing, but the right “travel lane” can sometimes be phenomenal as salmon and steelhead often use rising levels to migrate farther upriver. You don’t know, if you don’t go.
The ideal “rainy conditions” are usually a few days (or on some rivers, a few hours) after significant rain. This is that time period when the rivers have settled in and are on a “drop” in levels. Light rain can keep water temperatures stable or slowly dropping in the fall, which is helpful if water is warm. During wintertime, rain can actually warm up a cold river which can be helpful in getting fish to bite.
The general rule is that drastic changes in conditions can alert fish, and take their attention away from feeding. Small changes and stable conditions are often the best time to fish. Perhaps it’s been raining several days but the river levels are on a slow drop… this would be a great time to chase salmon, trout or steelhead. Maybe it’s been a hot day and in the evening a short heavy rain drops temperatures slightly; these “events” can be the trigger that makes for an incredible day of fishing. Paying attention to weather and noticing patterns is a major factor in catching more fish.
When it comes to steelhead, those blue-sky days of winter with not a cloud in sight can often mean excellent fishing. Perhaps the river is dropping fast and the bite is better than normal, and certainly impressive fish are caught. When I think back to the trophy-size steelhead I’ve been lucky to tangle with, the majority of giant “winters” I’ve caught have been on less than ideal days. Snow on the ground, drizzling rain, nearly soaked to the bone… Giant steelhead on the line. Something about that weather will get a big fish curious…
Rainy conditions can make fish feel protected so consider fishing closer to the bank than you normally would.
Low-Vis Conditions
So when the river levels are prime, but rain is keeping most anglers off the river, I encourage anglers to gear up and get out. There have been days I stepped into the drift boat thinking “This rain could ruin the fishing” but it held off just enough. The result? Well in one case, the river was on a rise, but slowly—and the fishing was phenomenal plus I landed my personal best steelhead. My biggest home river steelhead was caught on a downright miserable rainy day with snow on the ground. The most steelhead I ever caught in one day the rain was light but constant. A 30+ year guide told me his largest steelhead ever was taken on a fast rise.
Chocolate milk is a pretty disheartening condition to fish, but even low visibility days have some phenomenal fishing for the lucky (or skilled) few. Winter steelheaders take pride in fishing tough conditions. Don’t fish tough conditions just to do it, but if you know fish are present, perhaps fishing a day before you normally would, could give you a shot at an aggressive trophy that wouldn’t bite on a bluebird day. Certain river systems fish surprisingly well with 6 inches of visibility!
Rainy Day Techniques
I’m a fan of the classic “pink worm” after a big rain. Whether drifted or on a float, something about the large intrusive worm seems to aggravate big fish. I’ve had success with spoons and spinners as well, and although plugs are a famous low-water lure, I think they’re highly underrated for high-water situations. Where legal, a good bait of cured eggs or shrimp can be the ticket. You don’t need long leaders or stealthy tactics, but getting into the strike zone is crucial. Bobber-dogging beads is a great technique, but you may consider going with a 12- to 18-inch leader to make sure you’re right next to the bottom, where visibility and silt conditions are more favorable. Of course, scents can help as an additional factor to get noticed.
Where to Fish
Rainy conditions can make fish feel protected so consider fishing closer to the bank than you normally would unless you’ve got a nice slow-moving hole that a fish could rest anywhere. If fish are on the move, tailouts just above big rapids, or seams just below can be excellent. However, I’ve been surprised by big fish biting in faster-than-normal current as well. Whether they were holding or on the move I can’t say, but don’t rule it out. The nice thing about rain is “spooking” fish is less common so once you’ve fished a spot as best you can, moving on to a new area can change things. Although upper river areas are often prime holding areas, there may be lower river holes that are a refuge because of a slower water current.
Now I wouldn’t recommend trying to fish major downpours, but if conditions are stable and you’re thinking to wait until the next sunny day… perhaps go give it a shot a day or two before the sun reappears. And if you do, say hello to the giant rainy-day steelhead for me.
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1 comment
Old Fashioned Drift Fishing shines during this type of condition. Rag/Prawn Chunk with prawn oil is great “searching bait” and can get bites in all water types . 18-30 inch 12# leader and fire away!!