Are storms good for surf fishing?
Yes, storms have many beneficial effects upon surf fishing:
Storms can also motivate the large bait fish schools to begin their annual migrations down the east coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storms and hurricanes off the Northeast coast of the United States will trigger some of the largest annual bait migrations.
The best of which is the FALL MULLET RUN. The mullet run attracts just about every saltwater predator to Florida during September and October as millions of mullet move down the coast to spawn in south Florida.
Storms can also bring cooling rain to the upper layers of the water column making fishing better for longer during those super hot days of summer. Fish don't like hot water but a nice rain storm can extend the fishing window for an hour of two.
I am an INSHORE FISHING GUIDE on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the beaches, mangroves, oyster bars and grass flats all over Florida for over 40 years.
In the article below, I will talk about how storms affect surf fishing and how to take advantage of storms when they come to your fishing spots.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to see monster snook caught in the surf before a storm.
Yes, storms have many beneficial effects upon surf fishing:
- The dropping barometric pressure stimulates fish to feed aggressively.
- The waves bring nutrients and oxygenate the water close to shore.
- The stirred up water conditions make it hard for the fish to see your lines, leaders, hooks and lures.
Storms can also motivate the large bait fish schools to begin their annual migrations down the east coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storms and hurricanes off the Northeast coast of the United States will trigger some of the largest annual bait migrations.
The best of which is the FALL MULLET RUN. The mullet run attracts just about every saltwater predator to Florida during September and October as millions of mullet move down the coast to spawn in south Florida.
Storms can also bring cooling rain to the upper layers of the water column making fishing better for longer during those super hot days of summer. Fish don't like hot water but a nice rain storm can extend the fishing window for an hour of two.
I am an INSHORE FISHING GUIDE on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the beaches, mangroves, oyster bars and grass flats all over Florida for over 40 years.
In the article below, I will talk about how storms affect surf fishing and how to take advantage of storms when they come to your fishing spots.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to see monster snook caught in the surf before a storm.
Do storms bring fish closer to shore?
Yes, storms bring vital nutrients and dissolved oxygen to the upper layers of the water column allowing for large predators and small bait fish to come close to shore.
The wave action caused by the winds that come along with storms has many beneficial effects on the upper layers of the water column. These effects will help your fishing success.
Warms Water
Waves create friction as the water molecules rub violently against each other, which can warm the water by a few degrees.
This is great for fishing in the colder months when a degree or two in water temperature makes all of the difference in the world between catching fish and not catching any fish.
This wave action is the greatest near shore as the waves crash on sand bars, reefs and the beach.
Congregates Bait Fish
Smaller waves will actually push the bait fish close to the beach. Of course this leads the predators close to the beach for better feeding opportunities. This is especially true during the higher parts of the tide.
You can catch 6 foot tarpon and sharks within 10 feet of shore when the conditions are just right.
(However, large storm waves have the opposite effect upon the fish. Large waves will make all of the fish leave and seek refuge in deeper water out of reach for surf fishermen.)
My favorite scenario for surf fishing is a mild storm that causes waves two or three feet high. These waves are enough to bring all of the benefits for better surf fishing but not all of the problems that come with surf fishing in waves.
These benefits include:
- You will be able to feel your line unlike when the waves are big and the currents are strong.
- You can also have the advantage of cloudy water making it hard for the fish to see your leaders, line, hooks or lures.
- Those waves are just large enough to push bait fish right up against the shoreline. This gives you a great shot at some very large predators during the higher parts of the tide.
- Warmer water caused by the wave action is great in the winter months for catching fish off of the beach.
Can fish sense when a storm is coming?
Yes, fish can sense when a storm is coming and will move to deep water if the storm is strong. A fish has an air bladder that expands and contracts based on the barometric pressure. They use water pressure to regulate their air bladders by moving to deep water as a storm approaches.
Hurricanes and Fishing
Severe storms like a hurricane can be sensed by fish and they will seek deep water for safety. Fish can sense the severity of a storm and will act accordingly days before the actual storm arrives.
If it is going to be a thunderstorm or week tropical storm the fish will often stay in the shallows near the beach. BUT if the barometric pressure drop is severe, then the fish will seek the comfort of deep water.
Most fish have swim bladders that expand and contract based on the water pressure and barometric pressure of the atmosphere. Low barometric pressure causes these swim bladders to expand which makes the fish uncomfortable.
Think about how you feel when you are gassy and bloated. Most fish can't burp to relieve that pressure in their gut like us humans can.
To decrease the air in their air bladders the fish will use the greater water pressure caused by the deep water to find a comfortable place to wait out the storm. That is why they disappear from the shallows during extreme storms and hurricanes.
The good news is that they will often gorge themselves before they retreat to the safety of the deep water. This means that you can catch a ton of fish right before the storm arrives.
It doesn't have to be a hurricane or tropical storm either. A strong cold front will often motivate fish to feed aggressively right before it arrives.
Watch the video below to see more surf fishing for snook.
Do fish bite after a storm?
Yes, fish often bite aggressively after a storm passes. The fish may have not eaten for days so they will leave the safety of the deep water where they were waiting out the storm and feed aggressively.
Most of the powerful storms are low pressure storms like hurricanes, tropical storms, strong cold fronts and severe thunderstorms. Low pressure is uncomfortable for fish because of their swim bladders.
Their swim bladders can expand drastically during a low barometric pressure storm. As the barometric pressure begins to rise the fish can come back to the shallow water to feed. This is true for freshwater and saltwater fishing species.
This also makes it easier for us fishermen to target them again. This is the same whether you are targeting bass in a backyard pond or a shark off of the beach. Barometric pressure is a big deal if you are a fish so if you learn more about it you can catch a ton more fish.
Is surf fishing good after a storm?
Surf fishing can be excellent after a storm because the stirred up waters are typically full of oxygen, nutrients and bait fish. The predators will move from the deep water offshore back into the shallows. They may have fasted for a week so they are ready to feed aggressively after the storm passes.
The stirred up water conditions on the beach may last for a week after the storm moves through the area. This is great for fishing because the fish cannot see your lines, leaders, lures and hooks very well.
My favorite scenario is when the water off the beach is a milky blue color. This is the time when many predators are relying upon their lateral lines to find food more than their eyes.
This is a good time to throw a lure that creates a lot of those low frequency vibrations that predators love. A paddle tail jig or a spoon are good choices in this scenario but a noisy top water lure or suspending lure will work great too.
Of course anything that stinks will work well too in this milky water scenario. Dead bait or a Berkeley Gulp bait on a jig head will attract many predators to your line.
What barometric pressure level makes fish bite the best?
Falling barometric pressure after many days of stable barometric pressure will cause most species of fish to feed aggressively. Fish evolved to understand that low pressure means a storm is approaching and they may have to fast for many days. That is why fish bite the best right before a storm.
I live in Florida so we have lots of tropical low barometric pressure swings as storms move across the state. The great thing about a peninsula is that there is water on 3 sides which creates all sorts of low pressure and high pressure fronts to fish in between.
Stable barometric pressure is great for fishing too. It is not like the fish will only feed if a low pressure system is coming to town. Most fish are cold blooded so they don't need to eat every day but they want to if they can.
I have caught tons of fish during the highest of high barometric pressure scenarios. This is typically a precursor to slow fishing conditions but you can always find one hungry fish to catch.
As a fishermen you have to learn to fish slower or faster regardless of the barometric pressure to see what the fish are comfortable with.
Successful fishermen know to keep an eye on approaching storms to maximize their fish catching effectiveness.
Conclusion:
Storms have a huge impact upon surf fishing or any type of fishing because fish are very sensitive to changes in barometric pressure. Your job as a fisherman is to understand how storms will affect the fishing in your area.
Approaching storms of any severity can make fishing a lot better if you time it right. Some fish species will wait until the last moment to feed while others will begin feeding aggressively days before the storm arrives. You just never know.
Severe storms can mess up the fishing for weeks but most storms have very beneficial effects upon fishing in freshwater and saltwater.
Make sure that you get out and fish before the weather gets bad. You might have the best fishing day of your life.
I hope that this article helps you catch more fish or at the very least have more fun trying.
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