It was a cold April afternoon, the sky was overcast, and the cove's rain-spattered surface diffused what little light was entering the water.  I needed solid bass fishing techniques and a conspicuous lure, something a bass could easily see when fishing in the rain.

I started slinging white ½ ounce spinnerbaits rigged with tandem No. 3 and No. 5 nickel Indiana blades around small clumps of weeds, retrieving it through lanes, and openings in the milfoil beds.  The action of the spinnerbaits lifted the bait in the water column, allowing me to retrieve it slowly.  By raising the fishing rod tip high, I was able to keep the lure shallow enough to see any strikes.

After that I barely noticed the rain.  With the proper bass fishing techniques, more than a dozen largemouth bass inhaled my lures that afternoon while fishing in the rain, the best seven totaling more than 25 pounds.  Those were the most productive two hours I've ever spent on that lake.

DEADLY DERVISHES
 
Spinnerbaits are always my first choice for bass fishing in the rain.  Rain is almost always accompanied by a falling barometer, which makes bass more inclined to feed and chase.  One of the most important bass fishing techniques to remember is that the dark skies and dimpled surface will reduce light penetration encouraging bass to move to the edges of their cover.

The result of these habits is a much larger strike zone.  You no longer have to put your bait within inches of a fish’s nose to prompt a bite.  Merely get it close enough so the fish can see it or sense the vibration through its lateral lines.  A bass that is in a rainy day mode won't overlook flashing and pulsating spinnerbaits.

When I fish shallow water in a steady rain, I like to use a light colored lure, usually white 3/8 or ½ ounce spinnerbaits with nickel blades to be exact.  I opt for rounded Indiana or Colorado blades, which have more lift when I would like to run the lure slowly just beneath the surface.  If I need to retrieve the bait a little faster or a little deeper, I would switch to narrower willowleaf blade.  Heavy 15 to 20 pound test fishing line helps reduce line breaks in thick cover.  All of the above mentioned fishing gear is essential to correctly use these bass fishing techniques.

When the rain slows, or it starts showering intermittently, I downsize spinnerbaits.  A big spinnerbait fished in calm water may look too gaudy to bass.  I've had success going as small as 1/8 ounce, in white, with a No. 2 Indiana and a No. 3 Colorado or Oklahoma blade.  If you can't find a small spinnerbait in these combinations, buy one that has a Colorado lead blade and a willowleaf trailing, and replace the latter with another Colorado.  I fish these diminutive versions just as I do the larger ones, and with the same heavy line.  They are more than capable of drawing strikes from sizable bass when fishing in the rain.

CAST TO COVER

Largemouth bass will charge spinnerbaits from almost any type of cover, but they tend to show a preference on any given day.  Use your bass fishing techniques to scout out where the bass are currently holding and then focus your efforts accordingly.  You must probe shallow grassbeds, boat docks, stumps, flooded bushes, the limbs of fallen trees, and any other available cover until you are able to locate the largemouth bass hiding spots.

Be sure to take advantage of your lure's characteristics when searching for these bass.  Spinnerbaits are among most snag resistant lures and efficiently comb vast amounts of water (even at low speeds).  When locating bass you can also use a plastic worm lure with a Carolina rig to avoid snags.  Cast beyond the cover if possible and then guide your spinnerbait close to it with your rod tip.  Don't overlook riprap and rocky banks as bass often position themselves nearby in shallow water, this is extremely important when fishing in the rain.  Move your boat close to the bank, cast parallel to the shoreline, and keep your bait close to the rocks throughout the retrieve.  When you do find those bass, you'll soon forget all about the weather.

GOOD IN BEDS

If the bass refuse to bite your spinnerbaits while fishing in the rain, they may be guarding beds and unwilling to chase the lure.  While it's harder to see the beds through a rain-rippled surface, the bass will also have an equally hard time seeing you.  This makes them much less inclined to spook and more likely to bite.

Do you have any fishing tips and techniques that you would like to share with other anglers? Please leave a comment below on the outdoor news section and find all your fishing sporting goods at PoorFish Outdoors.