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My Fish Finder Main => General Fishing Discussion => Topic started by: SmallieBigs on Jun 05, 2010, 06:35 AM

Title: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 05, 2010, 06:35 AM
Is it pointless to go fishing right after a thunderstorm? I'm asking because I woke up @ 3 am this morning to go walleye fishing and we had a big thunder banger going through and the storms lasted for a couple hours...

Does it take awhile for the fish to turn on again? Or are they not bothered by storms? Is it just the atmospheric pressure changes that affect them?
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: stripernut on Jun 05, 2010, 06:42 AM
I don't know about Walleye, but I have had great luck with bass and trout, right after a thunder storm. I plan on fishing today with storms rollining thru...
Tight Lines,
Allan
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 05, 2010, 06:54 AM
Thanks Allan,

    The window of opportunity closed on me for walleyes today. My son is on his way home from gramma and grampa's soon. All my good spots are a little tough to get at and I don't want him tumbling down a rock face ;D I'll probably get him out on the pond in the canoe for some rainbows and if they aren't biting the sunnies and perch always are!

SB
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: 1fish@atime on Jun 05, 2010, 07:35 AM
I woke up to them as well. Got up at my usual 5am to get stuff ready. By 6am everyone had bailed out from going.
So I guess I'll mess with the trailer lights some more and maybe go lay a fly or two down on the Hudson.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: phead lakeman on Jun 05, 2010, 07:46 AM
Ive always had really good luck just b4 and during T-storms, but usually not after. I feel the fish get spooked and go deep after heavy rain or T-storms. I also feel that the rain knocks down the bugs onto the surface and that gives the fish plenty of food. But ive caught some of my biggest fish in the worst conditions where i shouldnt of even been out there.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 05, 2010, 08:32 AM
Yeah I've always had real good luck just before the storms and during just rain storms, but once it's over they seem to shut down. I've heard of walleye scattering during T-storms so maybe it does spook them into closing their mouths
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: Long Grove labs on Jun 05, 2010, 08:32 AM
Some of my best times fishing have been after BIG Tstorms. The fish usually go nuts with all the new food in the water.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: slipperybob on Jun 05, 2010, 09:16 AM
Early spring thunderstorms = no luck for me.  Mid summer thunderstorms = great fishing for me.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 05, 2010, 09:44 AM
Early spring thunderstorms = no luck for me.  Mid summer thunderstorms = great fishing for me.

Could be due to blocking the heat/sunlight of mid-summer, maybe cooling the water temps a little or all three?
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: Velcro on Jun 05, 2010, 10:55 AM
I've never caught a walleye but with other species I've had best luck fishing with worms after a lot of rain.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: slipperybob on Jun 05, 2010, 11:38 AM
Could be due to blocking the heat/sunlight of mid-summer, maybe cooling the water temps a little or all three?

Maybe also the wind action that churns the water and oxygenating it.  Maybe it changes the convection currents of the deeper water and forces fish to move to more traditional shallow water structure.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: Boomer on Jun 05, 2010, 12:24 PM
I have had luck just after thunderstorms before. Just be careful. Remember that lightning can strike behind as well as in front of a storm. I had a close call once in the UP of Michigan. We bailed off the lake as a massive line of storms were coming in - good choice! After the storm passed he asked if I would want to go out on his pontoon boat and fish a little. I cast my line out and the line never fully hit the water. (I am told that an electrical charge in the air can hold the line off the water.) I cranked in a few yards of line when I felt a definite jolt in my hands. He laughed but I made him take me directly to shore!!!
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 05, 2010, 01:32 PM
That's funny Boomer, I never heard of the line being held above the water before...

When I was a kid me and my father got stuck in a T-storm above the timberline on a mountain near Rand, CO scouting elk. When you're up that high there's almost no warning when a storm moves in it just comes over the other side of the mountain. We were lucky enough to find an outcropping to hunker down in until it was over. I was only about 11 or 12 and it scared the crap out of me. There's nothing like literally being inside a thunderstorm; you could feel the electricity in the air all around it was not a cool experience. I won't go far from the car if there's a chance of lightning.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: BoutTime on Jun 05, 2010, 02:56 PM
Well the three of us all got skunked today after last nights T-storms.

Alot of floating dead fish too. Me thinks they got zapped.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: stripernut on Jun 05, 2010, 07:35 PM
After writing my post this morning, I went out on a local pond and picked up a few bass on topwater. The line of thunder storms had pasted in the night.
Allan
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: Boomer on Jun 06, 2010, 09:00 AM
Bout-Time: at least you got to go fishing!  We are hoping to go today after the storms this morning.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: Hoosier on Jun 06, 2010, 05:39 PM
After the storms the other night and morning went to a local pond,threw a couple bass plugs to no hits.Decided to try the crappie and WACKED`em.1 spot and had 20 in an hour,slow rollin a 1 1/2 tube..
 Didnt take any pics make sure I do that next time.. JT
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 06, 2010, 09:28 PM
Good on you guys that got out there and got in some fishing...Sounds like it really depends on the species you're after as far as the storms go.

I was going to go today but it was raining and crappy all day. My boy's only ten and not that dedicated for cold rainy days yet  :-\

I did go get a new Med/Light action spinning rod to replace my broken Ugly Stick though so it wasn't a total wash out  ;D
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: Madpuppy on Jun 07, 2010, 08:21 AM
I fish the Missouri river and it looks a little like choclate milk after a thunderstorm from, the run off, the fish don't bite much then.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: SmallieBigs on Jun 07, 2010, 01:10 PM
I was out on the Mohawk today; it was very muddy and I only got a couple bites. I hit a few different locations from LF to Herk. I had something very big on for about 10-15 seconds using a 1/6 oz. roostertail... I haven't had anything pull that hard ever. I was thinking it was a big Pike but the lure seemed kind of small for that size Northern....
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: The Fishing Pole on Jun 16, 2010, 05:44 AM
Very possible that was a Northern or a Tiger Musky.  One arsenal I use to fish for Northerns is with small rooster tail type spinners, they definitely will hit them, but usually with a red fly.  Steel leaders are a must using the small spinners as they can many times inhale the lures.
Title: Re: Fishing after thunderstorms?
Post by: slipperybob on Jun 19, 2010, 01:52 PM
The smaller lakes and ponds have received some good water and raise about a few inches.  Makes for pretty good shore fishing as the fish will have a small shore channel between structure and the main weed line.  I'm a bit surprised at how clear some of these ponds are.  Usually after a storm all the water is very muddy and stuff.