Overcast strategies

Hey guys,
Im and avid Walleye, Musky, Bass more than a weekend warrior fisherman. Curious on how some of you tournament guys approach an overcast or slight rain condition. I fish a Bass league and a couple weekend friendly tournaments. It seems like I am always planning to fish Musky when it is overcast and I enjoy Bass fishing when it is sunny. I do O.K. fishing weeds, reeds, bullrushes, docks when it is sunny. Now the question. How do you guys fish overcast rainy conditions. Do you fish the same?, Do you go deeper, Do you speed up/slow down Do you change your patterns/lures. Do you use more search baits? or slow it down. Just interested in seeing how some of you more seasoned vets go at it. Thanks in advance as always guys.

On most of the overcast days that I fish, I use reaction baits, spinner baits, top water, and stuff like that and fan cast. During the overcast days, the fish will roam a bit more from docks and shaded areas, so fan casting is a good way to find them out on the roam. You can also pick a weedline and use a slow, I mean super slow presentation and work a good weedline or a gravel bottom. Most of the time, when we have dark clouds and having a cloudy day, there is some kind of weather system either moving in or going out.

Fishing deep, 12’to 16′ can be fished on any day, you might not find them schooled together or concentrated on one certain type of structure.

My choice baits for cloudy days, swim frogs in weeds, pads, reeds, or heavy slop.

Jigs, depending on the water clarity, a big natural colored 1/2 oz.with a big plastic. Zomethinh to slow the rate of the fall. If the water is dark or murkey, go with blacks and blues, put a rattle on them and either pop them or drag them.

Carolina rig with a 6″ lizzard, search bait, if you want the lizzard to slowly fall, use a mono leader, if you don’t care, floro or braid.

also use a mixture of finnesse baits like a small bitsy jig, weightless whacky style rigged worm,or a texas rigged worm like a 4″ yum dinger, let it fall to the bottom and a sharp pop of the rod tip will get that bait to flutter under water, swim backwards and sideways. If you have any other questions, shoot me a pm, I will add more later tonight I hoped this helpes.

I prefer overcast days to sunny days. As stated earlier the lower light allow the fish more freedom to get out of and away from cover. I use more reaction baits and cover much more water when it is overcast than I do when sunny. You cant go wrong with a chatterbait or swim jig when covering lots of water. Deep cranking the weed edge is also a great way to cover lots of water during low light.

I have been programmed to go to reaction baits and fish faster when it’s overcast. It’s not foolproof.

Generally my fishing style is to fish reaction baits and cover water at a moderate to slightly slow pace.

I did do a drop shot this weekend in overcast and rainy weather. also find that slowly down and using finnesse techniques is also another good way to find fish.

shane

I did do a drop shot this weekend in overcast and rainy weather. also find that slowly down and using finnesse techniques is also another good way to find fish.

shane

Isn’t there a difference between a cool rainy cloudy day, and just a plain cloudy day? I was up north fishing a little lake this weekend that is covered with pads all the way around so obviously its fun to throw a horny toad or scum frog way back in the pads. We did ok, but not great. I kept saying i wish it was warm and sunny so the fish would all be up under the pads….

Last Sunday was overcast with a little drizzle and we had luck in the shallows throwing texas rigged worms with chartreuse tails. Let em fall and sit…twitch…let it sit. Probably had 20 fish. 3 over 4#. Picked up a few fish on sub-surface frogs (space monkey’s) as well. Zero luck on zara’s, scum frogs, buzz-baits. In fact the other plastics we tried got no response either, that chartreuse tail was the key. Which is why I went to Gander today and picked up some dye.

On cloudy and cloudy and rainy days a lot of guys will pull out search baits and cover water, on days like these the fish will roam a bit more from cover. But I have learned to slow down and work more plastics and finnesse baits in an area where fish have that cover, have done fairely well with that thought process, keep fishing for the next bite. I am not saying that I know what I am talking about, but usually what works for me and that is why I stick to it.

Shane

hey tger, on the dark days this time of year, june july, the bite will go all day long. fish the same areas as usual. bass are out and eating. Buzzbait always a good choice in these conditions. if you happen on one of these days enjoy!

No question in my mind that overcast days expand the bass strike zone in clear water.

One thing I read several years ago, and a lot of times it pays off:
On a cloudy day, try going with gold colors, and when it’s sunny, try silver. Might sound crazy, but I follow that a lot and it seems to work.