To the surprise of many, I actually do get out and bass fish a few times a year. I admit it is hard for me to set the light tackle down being a pan fish fanatic. I have found over the years, that bass tend to bite more readily when it's nasty out.
It's hard to throw on the rain gear and head out fishing, for most people. We all have gotten accustomed to heading for the house when the clouds open up. I actually look forward to the dreary wet days, especially in mid-spring to late summer. Once I finally forced myself outside on a few rainy days, I found the fishing can be incredible. Your bait selection doesn't seem as critical on days like these, and the fish seem to bite more often. I do have a few favorite rainy day lures that I wouldn't think of leaving the house without, though.
With modern technology advancing by leaps and bounds, nearly everything has received an upgrade. The days of rubber rain gear are fortunately over. It seemed you would still end up just as wet wearing the old slickers because you would sweat so much. We now are lucky to have breathable rain gear that keeps you dry and cool at the same time. They have done the same thing with boots. You can now grab a pair of warm weather Muck Boots and keep your feet bone dry and cool the whole day. Baits have also made major advancements in the last few years. All of these technological advances allow you to stay on the water longer and catch more and bigger fish.
Overcast days are good days to fish, but I prefer to have or have had some precipitation while I'm out. I find fishing to be hard and bites to be nearly nonexistent on hot sunny days. The reason for this is the same – as for most people. When the sun is beating down, we tend to seek cool shelter. For us, it can be in the form of a shade tree, or inside in front of the air conditioner. Fish do the same thing on hot, sunny days. They will either go deep, where the water is cooler, or they will hide under any cover available to avoid direct sunlight. Like people, fish eat less when hot and prefer to stay cool, rather than to forage for food. I also know that when it rains, many insects are knocked or washed into the water. This brings out the small fish for a meal, and in return brings out the big fish to feed on the small ones.
I have fished quite a lot on sunny days, and have found it's harder to catch fish on these days. If you happen to find yourself on the lake under such sweltering conditions, I recommend slowing down and seeking out deep water or cover. I prefer to be in a boat on hot days. When in the boat, you can get out to deeper water and target the weed beds. Although Eurasian Mill foil is an invasive species, there are benefits to it's lake-choking tendency. The grass mats formed by this water weed create excellent cover to fish attempting to escape the sun. If you work the edge of the weed bed, fish will dart out to grab your bait. You can also do what is called flipping and pitching. This is done by working along the edge of the weed bed or pushing your boat through the mass. You are looking for holes in the mats of weeds in which you can drop a bait through. Weedless worms and jigs are most commonly used for this type of presentation. All you have to do is flip your bait and jiggle it to create movement. Start high in the water column and slowly increase the depth as you wiggle the bait. If nothing takes it, vigorously pound the bottom and slowly wiggle the bait back to the surface. If you still do not get a bite, move over to the next hole and repeat.
On rainy days, I believe your bait selection is less critical for a couple reasons. As mentioned before, everything seems to be out feeding, so the fish won't be surprised by most baits. I also feel that because there is less light penetrating the water, that it is a little harder for the fish to identify your lure as a fake. I further increase my odds, by using dark-colored baits to hinder their vision. I find that surface fishing can be productive all day under such conditions. I wouldn’t think of leaving the house, without some weedless frogs for the mats, and a Hula Popper for open water. I also must have some wacky or tailed worms, dark preferably, and black spinner baits. I recommend trying colors, because they may also work on some bad-weather bass.
Good wishes and get out in the rain, for some wet bass action.