There are plenty of examples of “fair weather” athletes in a whole host of sports, but fishing usually escapes these descriptions. However, truth be told, this is one sport which the weather has a huge bearing on.

In other words, if you’re looking to catch a certain species, the weather conditions can play with your success rate immensely. Go out in the wrong conditions and you may as well stay at home.

It’s a topic which has been discussed regularly recently, with enthusiasts like JD Dukes passing comment and highlighting how one’s success levels can vary depending on the wind and light levels alone. Bearing this in mind, we thought we would summarize how certain conditions can wreak havoc (or play into your hands) for your fishing expeditions. Here goes.

A touch of rain

It might not feel like the best time to be out there, but when there’s a small amount of rain in the air it could give you some of your best chances.

Funnily enough, the main reason why light rain prompts such sterling fishing results is because of the effect it has on other fishermen. Most “fair weather” types just don’t want to be out there and naturally, this gives the real fishing enthusiast the perfect opportunity to capitalize.

Whether it’s trout or walleyes, a touch of rain can be a true fisherman’s best friend.

Cloudy and overcast

A cloudy outlook can often make predators much easier to come by. If we hone in on large pike for example, this is a species who will regularly take to shallow waters in these conditions and means they are much more readily available. This is in contrast to these shallow areas when the sun is shining, whereby smaller fish are only generally available. We’ll move onto this shortly, though.

Heavy rain

We’ve looked at light rain, but what does it mean if the heavens open a little more for fishermen?

Well, if you’re looking for gamefish, you’re in luck. Additionally, any aggressive fish are going to be more available than usual, for the simple reason that they tend to focus on shallower water during this conditions. Additionally, immediately after the rain has stopped, a lot of fish will take to any areas that are newly flooded and this of course brings its own opportunities.

Sunny and still conditions

Now we’ve looked at some of the more difficult, or at least unfavourable conditions, let’s see what happens when the sun comes out and there’s little wind.

If you’re on the hunt for larger fish, you’re likely to be disappointed. They tend to shield themselves away from the sun, and this means venturing into deeper waters. However, it’s not all bad news and if you’re looking for deep bass or any small-sized fish you will probably still come across them in the shallow waters.

Some fish will also hide under the water near trees, which you should look out for.