Spring can mean great fishing on the lakes of the Alabama Bass Trail. Spring showers may put a little damper on the weather but they don’t have to put a damper on a successful day on water. Check out these tips for fishing in the rain.

Prepare for the Possibilities — Of course, checking the weather forecast before you go is a must. From there, you’ll need to make your all-important decisions about what rain gear and fishing gear will serve you best. It’s always good to have an assortment of baits so you can test the options, but especially when whether conditions are changing. As for rain gear, being prepared can make a successful trip out of a rainy day.

Which Baits? With raindrops hitting the surface and no sunlight shining through, it’s an ideal time to work with top water baits. Fish are more likely to be roaming in overcast conditions, moving out from their cover, so it’s more likely they’ll engage by charging a top water as it skids and skips on the surface. Darker, heavier lures are best for murky conditions. Spinner baits are a good bet, too, as they can create enough disturbance among the raindrops to get the fish’s attention.

Move Around Since the fish are more likely to move, you won’t find them hanging around the usual sweet spots. If they’re moving, you need to move if you want to catch up with them. You’ll be able to cover more ground if you speed up your presentation and get more casts in.

Where’s the water going? As the rain waters drain into the lake, they pick up nutrients on the bank. Those nutrients become food for bait fish. If you can find runoffs or culverts, try your luck in those areas because where there are bait fish, there will be big fish.

Make Safety Your First Priority Safety is always the No. 1 priority on the water and is especially important on rainy days. If the weather looks threatening, take cover. If it’s lightning, get off the water!

Have you tried your luck at all 13 lakes of the trail? You don’t have to wait for a rainy day! Make your plans now fish the trail.