The Angle: Fishing in the PNW Rain

When traveling in other parts of the country, often the first thing people say when they hear I’m from the Northwest is: “It rains a lot there doesn’t it?” Maybe growing up in the Lower Columbia River Valley my whole life I just don’t know any different, but they aren’t wrong either.
Staying inside during the long “rainy season” may be cozy, but getting out into the beautiful landscapes of Oregon and Washington is worth putting the rain coat on. I have an app on my phone for weather and one that measures river levels. In late Fall, when B-Run Coho Salmon are thick, rain freshets can send a blast of fresh salmon into the rivers. In wintertime, searching for steelhead, river levels can dramatically change in short time periods. To continually have a chance at fish, anglers must adapt.
How Rain
Affects Fishing
Many times I’ve been asked “Does the rain make the fish bite?” Well, yes and no. Rain can be a help or a hindrance for the day’s bite, but fish DO like water.
Near the end of Summer when rivers are at their lowest, rain can move salmon from tidewater upstream. Too much rain can wash tons of sediment and leaves into the water which makes fishing nearly impossible for a time. Within a few days, it could be very productive salmon or steelhead fishing.
Most of the time a rising river is not good for fishing, but the right “travel lane” can sometimes be phenomenal, as salmon often use rising levels to migrate farther upriver. You don’t know if you don’t go.
The ideal “rainy conditions” are usually a few days after significant rain, when the rivers have settled in and are on a slow “drop” in levels. Light rain can keep water temperatures stable or slowly dropping in the fall, which is helpful if the water is warm. During wintertime, rain can actually warm up a cold river, which can be helpful in getting fish to bite.
The general rule is that drastic changes in conditions can alert fish, and take their attention away from feeding. Small changes and stable conditions are often the best time to fish. Perhaps it’s been raining for several days but the river levels are on a slow drop: this would be a great time to go salmon, trout or steelhead fishing. Maybe it’s been a hot day and in the evening a short heavy rain drops temperatures slightly; these “events” can be the trigger that makes for an incredible day of fishing. Paying attention to weather and noticing patterns is a major factor in catching more fish!