Cloudy & Overcast Days: Is Trout Fishing Good? (+ 5 Tips)
Cloudy days can bring about some of the best trout fishing. Many trout anglers are puzzled by what to do on cloudy or overcast days, but I say if you can go fishing, do so. This is something that every trout fisherman should understand to help them catch more trout when the skies are cloudy.
Is trout fishing good on cloudy or overcast days? Trout fishing can be excellent on cloudy and overcast days because trout will be able to hunt in all 3-levels of the water column including the surface where, on sunny days, they have trouble looking towards the sky to locate prey.
Both trout and insects become more active under reduced light conditions and cloudy skies make the conditions perfect for trout to feed. Trout are also more willing to feed throughout the day on cloudy days as opposed to morning and evening windows. All-in-all, cloudy and overcast days can offer some of the best fishing for trout you can have.
Check out this link here to view my complete trout fishing gear recommendation list, including rods, reels, baits, gear, etc. I have field tested a lot of trout gear and these are my recommendations.
Before we really dive into fishing for trout on cloudy days, I want to recommend two incredible video courses that will make a better trout angler.
Trout Fishing on Cloudy or Overcast Days
Is Trout Fishing Good on Cloudy Days?
On sunny days, trout have a hard time looking upwards towards the surface of the water. Trout often live in very clear water and the direct sunlight overhead hurts their eyes to stare into for food.
As a result, trout are forced to feed either at their own level in the water column or to look downwards towards the bottom. This significantly limits the amount of food a trout has access to and also the ways you can target them.
But on cloudy days, trout can more comfortably look upwards and pick out insects and bait at or near the surface of the water.
Just think of how fun it is to stare into the sky with the sun directly overhead. It is way nicer to do so if there are clouds blocking the sun. Trout fishing is usually awesome on cloudy days.
Best Time of Day: Cloudy Days
On cloudy days, really the whole day is fair game for trout. Instead of feeding mostly in the reduced light conditions of early morning and late afternoon when the air temperatures are cooler and the direct sunlight overhead isn’t oppressive, trout can comfortably swim and feed all day long.
Now, that is not to say that mornings and late afternoons aren’t still awesome for these trout on cloudy days, because they are. It’s just that you can fish for trout all day long and find success. This means you don’t have to wake up before dawn to catch them.
You can sleep in and even knock out some chores before hitting the water. I wrote a very helpful article on the best time of day to catch trout in all conditions and all seasons I think you can really benefit from.
Is Trout Fishing Good: Overcast Days
Just like cloudy days, overcast days are great for trout fishing in rivers and streams. When the sun’s direct light is greatly reduced, trout are able to comfortably hunt and forage for food.
Not only can they see at their level of the water column and below them, but they are more easily able to pick up insects bouncing around on the surface.
In fact, on overcast days, a lot of trout really focus upwards and feed on flies on the water’s surface. If you love fishing dry flies, the overcast days will be your best opportunity. Nymphs and streamers will work well, but dry flies really shine on these days.
Trout Fishing & Rain
Trout fishing can be spectacular in light steady rains. Heavy downpours tend to wash out a river, cause the river to swell, and the water to muddy up. I haven’t had good luck fishing during or after heavy rains.
Even better fishing than during light rains is fishing the windows before rain. These trout are in a feeding mood and will roam around looking for food. Fish before a rain if you can for excellent action.
Cloudy Days: Summer vs. Winter
Fishing is generally best for trout when conditions are most comfortable for the fish. In the summer when the air is hot and the sun typically bright overhead, cloudy conditions will make the fishing a lot better.
Not only do clouds make it easier for trout to see in, but the reduced light is better for the activity of both trout and insects they feed on.
During the winter, trout will also be seeking out comfort in the form of warmth. Clouds in winter usually means colder temperatures. I have found that cloudy weather in winter usually slows down fishing because it means colder temperatures.
Ice Fishing for Trout
I have found that ice fishing for trout is best under bright skies. Cloud cover diminishes the warmth put out by the water. Trout really seem to bite the best during the early afternoon time window when the air has a chance to heat up.
Cloudy skies will diminish the warming effect of the sun and thus limit its positive impact on trout beneath the ice.
You can definitely catch trout while ice fishing on cloudy or overcast days, but I really prefer bluebird skies. I just have found better success this way.
Fast vs. Slow Fishing Approaches
When the skies are sunny, trout tend to hunker down and really just hunt prey items beneath them in the water column. This means small shrimp, crayfish, and insect larvae. They generally don’t need to move much to catch these prey items.
But when the sun goes back behind the clouds, trout can more freely roam around looking for food. On sunny days, fish your baits slower down deep.
On cloudier days, I recommend fishing faster and covering more water. Furthermore, trout will be looking upwards in search of insects which abound in the darker conditions. Fish dry flies or baits near the surface.
Is Topwater Good When the Sun is Hiding?
100%. The best conditions to fish topwater for almost any fish is under cloudy or overcast conditions. This is especially true with visual hunters like the sharp-eyed trout. Trout love eating insects like mayflies and caddisflies that bounce around on the water’s surface.
But a bright sun overhead can make it tough and sometimes uncomfortable for trout to locate food overhead. They don’t want to stare up towards the surface.
But on cloudy days, trout will focus their attention towards the heavens. To further entice trout, many species of insects emerge and hatch on cloudy days.
Night Fishing for Trout on Cloudy Days
From my experience, trout aren’t easy to catch at night. The nights I have had success were under full or near-full moon skies. The additional light from the moon, though still pretty limited, gave trout the ability to detect food at the water’s surface.
Cloudy nights will completely shut out the moonlight making it very hard for trout to see. Trout hunker down and rarely move when it gets too dark out.
At nighttime, cloudy conditions are detrimental to fishing for trout. You have to remember though that trout likely have full bellies at night from all the feeding they did during the day under great cloudy conditions.
For a complete breakdown of the best water temperatures for trout fishing, please check out this helpful article.
5 Tips for Catching Trout on Cloudy & Overcast Days
1. Fish Moving Baits
This goes for lures and flies alike. It is best to move your baits a bit more when fishing trout on overcast days.
Trout will be more aggressive on these days and be willing to chase down prey they otherwise would not on sunny days. You can troll for trout on these days and expect better reactions from trout.
If you are casting spinners or jerkbaits, don’t be afraid to put a little zip on the bait. Fly fishermen can work streamers or dry flies a little more aggressively.
Since trout will be watching the surface more, you can be more aggressive with placing and removing dry flies. Trout will grab them if they want them.
2. Fish Darker Baits
One thing I recommend you do when fishing under these conditions is go with darker-colored lures and flies. Darker colors like blues, blacks, purples, and maroons will stand out more in the slightly darker water that occurs when the sunlight doesn’t shine as intensely in clear water.
Likewise, dark colors really stand out well against gray backdrops of the sky for dry flies. If you are going to fish dry flies, which I recommend under cloudy or overcast skies, dark-colored flies will be a great choice.
3. Clear Water? Go a Little More Realistic
In clear water, go with a little brighter lures. I know this contradicts what I just said about using darker colors but clear water really makes the details of the lure that much more important.
Trout have very keen eyesight and clear water coupled with reduced overhead light really give trout excellent vision of the bait.
Trout will attack any bait that looks realistic on these days because they will be in a feeding mood. But they may also want to observe and study your bait first before committing.
I recommend using lures with natural colors. Mimic minnows, shiners, or smelt in the water and you will catch a lot of trout in clear water.
4. Power Fishing on Cloudy Days
It sounds weird to associate “power fishing” with trout. Heck, it even feels weird to type that but that is something you should try on cloudy days. When it comes to bass fishing, power fishing is throwing aggressive “searching” baits like buzzbaits, crankbaits, and squarebills to draw out predatory responses.
With trout, it should be a little bit more subtle. Inline spinners work great and can be fished quicker. Trolling baits works great if you have a boat and plenty of open water. Even with fly fishing, zipping along streamers will give the trout something to
chase. You can power fish for trout and it is worth trying when the sun doesn’t want to come out and play for the day.
5. Rainy Days: Make Noise
One way to catch more trout on rainy days is to make a little noise or commotion with your bait. A heavy, steady downpour will place a ton of noise into the water. Imagine it as “white noise” trout have to sift through to locate food. If you can add just a touch of noise or vibration to your lure-selection, it can really help trout zero in on your bait.
An inline spinner or small jerkbait with rattles can be awesome choices both for moving water and reservoirs. Do not overdo it though.
Most prey trout consume are relatively silent. Too much noise or rattling will turn trout off but a little bit will help penetrate the white noise of rain.
Final Thoughts
Never let cloudy days keep you off the water. Arguably the best fishing you can experience will occur on cloudy and overcast days for a variety of fish species to include trout.
It doesn’t matter if you are fishing in big reservoirs for rainbow trout, dinking around for cutthroat trout in alpine meadows, shuffling around in eastern streams for mountain brook trout, or wading slow-moving rivers for monster brown trout.
The fishing can and usually is awesome when the sun isn’t oppressive overhead. Not to mention, the conditions will be a lot more comfortable for you the fisherman as well. You have no excuse but to get after it.
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Click here to see the best water temperature for brow trout fishing. Click here to see the best water temperature for rainbow trout. Click here to see the best water temperature for brook trout.
