fly fishing in the rain?

[fresnoflyman]

anyone try fly fishing in the rain before, and how is it?
it's been raining all day today and hard rain nonstop. from i think around 4am and still is raining even now at 11pm. i dont think it's going to stop. water will be high and im not sure if it will be easy to cast with rain and wind. but i want to try since i know there wont be much fisherman at all on the rivers.
so it should be a nice chance for me to go out and fish. but fly wise prob no dry flies, i should try nymphs and scuds?

will be my first time ever fishing in the rain.
dont know who i will do or how it will go, but my waders should be good for my legs and chest. but will have to get something for the top to stay dry.

when it's raining are fish still hiding in the same spots as before or are they more moving around since we can't really see them and it's alittle safer for them?

the river i fish has a nice flow at top, to a good run with two big broken bridge pieces, then a little pool on the side of the broken bridge, to a nice run down stream that splits up. one side fast run, the other side rift lots of rocks lots of bugs, bubbles, and about maybe lower than 8inch but with the rain i wont be sure.

so any info if you anglers try fishing in the rain will help.

[fresnoflyman]

here's where i do most of my fishing on the river, right after the broken bridge where it's deep and have plenty of food from the riffle about 40-50feet above.

biggest i cought here was a 13inch rainbow 4days ago on a nymph.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Fresno,

Fish don't care if it's raining, they're already wet. The bite might actually turn on in the rain.

Fishing in the rain is fine and dandy. When there's lightening about, put down the rod and go home. In or near the water waving a lightening rod in your hand is not the place to be during a thunderstorm.

REE

[Cold]

Dries will still work, too. I've had a lot of success fishing small streams for little browns in downpours. The hardest part is drying them after you catch a fish. A direct hit from a raindrop will sink them too, but its a surprisingly rare occurence.

If they're sinking too much, try a more buoyant fly, like one that incorporates foam.

[Steven]

A very smart former guide in Wisconsin's Driftless Area once offered the following piece of information:

"Every farm boy knows to fish worms after a rain."

Take this to the bank. If nothing is hatching, and the water has some visibility to it, dead drift a San Juan worm.

If there's no visibility, you might want to try a muddler. The theory is that the big deer head sends out some pressure waves that the trout can pick up on.

[sagefisher]

Fresno,

Fishing in the rain can be some of your best times.

First off there are usually fewer people out fishing, always a plus.

Then there is the fresh water that is filled with oxygen, the rain, and it is being scattered across the water, the fish like that.

If it is raining it is usually cloudy, and fish will approach the surface more readily when it is cloudy because they feel safer and there is food in the water that got blown in by the rain.

Also, the rain and slight wind ?worry? the top of the water, and fish like that because there is less chance of being seen by a predator.

Many nymphs like to hatch during cloudy days, and a little rain doesn?t usually stop them.

The rain is often cooler than the water the fish are in and some fish prefer cool water.

So, don?t worry about the rain. If you are consistently coming up short for strikes, then maybe you need to reevaluate the flies you have and or how you fish them.

You should consider joining a fly fishing club and Fresno has one. Joining a club is the number one best way of expanding your fly fishing knowledge and skills as well as meeting many more fly fishers, most of whom will be more than happy to give you some helpful hints.

Fly Fishers for Conservation
Fresno, California
www.fresnoflyfishers.org

Larry ---sagefisher---

[DG]

Barring some fairweather hatches, the worse the weather, the better the fishing can be. I have had some incredible days in rain and snow. The light is lower, fish seem to be more active, and there are fewer people around, usually. Go for it.

[Big Bad Wulff]

terrestrials after a rain. think about it.

[DaveP63]

In the rain? Absolutely. SJ worms, soft hackles and wolley buggers.

[kglissmeyer]

Had my best day ever streamer fishing during a hard rain at my favorite spring. My normal methods didn't work due to the driving rain and gale-force winds, so I changed tactics and started throwing streamers and knocked 'em dead. Now I know that when it's dark, overcast and spitting wet stuff it's time to hit the spring with my favorite streamer patterns - I'll even take the day off work for some of that action!

Kelly.