Rain All Weekend... Can We Still Fish?

If Bay Area Tides was about skiing we would be stoked about this weather. It’s going to be absolutely dumping rain over the next week or so all around the Bay, and snowing heavily up north. While the rain is always needed in California, this might not be great news if you had fishing plans.

That’s not to say all fishing is impossible though. Let’s take a deeper dive into fishing during storms and what the best practices are.

But first, let’s take a look at the reports!

Easy limits of crab and rockfish for the usual suspects. No lingcod lately though. If you’ve been thinking about hopping on a charter we’re looking at the last couple weeks for rockfish crabbing combos.

Fish Emeryville, Lovely Martha

Bay Area Tides Social Media Report:

Bonus - looks like we’re getting into sand dab season at Pacifica Pier based off reports. Time will tell.

Let’s be real, fishing in the rain isn’t ideal. It makes everything harder, from tying knots to actually getting a bite. Some fish are less affected by the rain than others, and certain areas are going to be a lot worse in the rain. So the trick is to be deliberate with your fishing, or you’re going to end up getting soaked for no reason.

The Bay itself and the coast behave very differently, and whether the rain is heavy or light definitely makes a difference. Let’s dive into different areas and what the conditions mean.

Rain alone isn’t always the issue - it has more to do with the strong swells and general water clarity/quality during storms. In fact, light rains with moderate swells can actually push fish closer to shore (and you)!

Certain species are easier to target in rainy weather than others. As long as the water is somewhat clear, surf perch should still be somewhat active. Use bright lures if you’re fishing Carolina rigs, jerkbaits, or small swimbaits. If you’re using chunk bait something smelly can be a good bet since rain can dilute normally fishy smells.

My biggest concern with surf fishing during storms in the Bay is the water quality. Everybody knows you’re not supposed to surf after a big rain. I actually know a guy who got Hepatitis from doing it. The rains push storm runoff from urban areas right into the water. That’s sewage, heavy metals, trash, and all the gross stuff from the Tenderloin.

So if you choose to fish right after a rain event I’d avoid direct contact with the water. I’d even go as far as to say practice catch and release in case the fish themselves are contaminated. Fish away from creeks and streams that feed into the ocean, they will be the worst.

If you are wearing waders be extremely careful.

Pier Fishing in the Rain

This is all about picking the right pier and species to target. You want piers with good current breaks - areas that give your bait and any fish in the area a stable place to sit below the surface. Fishing under the structure and near pilings can be a good move too.

If you’re fishing in the Bay itself then water quality will definitely be a concern. Certain piers near inflows like Dumbarton or the Napa River will lose the most quality quickly. See my warning about water quality in the previous section if you skipped it.

Certain fish are going to be way more active than others. Striped bass and leopard sharks should be a go. Some would argue that sturgeon actually like when the water get a little churned up during the rain.

For bait, use something strong smelling. If the fish can’t find it easily due to water quality, they better be able to smell it.

Can I Hit the Jetty?

My answer here is no just due to safety reasons. Rockfish hunker down during storms anyway. This isn’t worth traversing slippery rocks, one wrong step away from a nightmare scenario.

What About Crabbing?

Crabs are less affected by these conditions than fish are. The water quality warnings still definitely apply. Stay away from areas with strong outflows. The fresh water will actually push crabs away from these areas anyway.

Crabbing will be best on the ocean itself. Look for beaches with swells under 4 feet and long intervals. Watch out for wave power, especially if you are wearing waders.

*Always check conditions before going out there, this data may no longer be up to date so please be safe

Good luck out there! I’m thinking about featuring some subscriber catches in these posts, so don’t hesitate to reply or message matt@hookedwest for a feature.