Dealing with the wind

[Shaggy]

I was just wondering how everyone else deals with windy days. I hate having to stand on the trolling motor foot control all day just to stay in position to make a cast. Today on Barkley was terrible. The wife and I fought it for several hours before finally giving in. Two nice crappie, one broken rod, a worn out battery and *#@#$.

[Dizzle]

I'd rather take an @$$ whoppin' than fish in the wind..... I'd ever prefer to fish in the rain opposed to windy conditions. I fish out of a pontoon, so the wind plays havoc on my high profile boat. I do try and use the wind to my advantage evey chance I get. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't.. that's fishin' tho.....

[kc]

I fish the big lakes regularly also and I know what you mean about the wind. Here are a couple of strategies I use:

1) determine wind direction, whip out a map and identify suitable waters to fish that are somewhat sheltered. trailer to those waters if the main lake is not navicable.

2) I bass fish a lot and wind blown banks are good for bass. I motor up the banks and blow with the wind and if it is very strong wind I use a wind sock to slow the drift down. not the best for slow presentations but you got to work with what you've got.

3) When wanting to fish a specific spot such as crappie fishing a tree I slip up as quietly as possible with the TM and anchor. Same works for fishing points for bass.

4) Fish late in the day towards dark. The wind tends to lie down late and can make things more tolerable.

Windy days can be a bummer but I have also caught some great fish -- especially bass -- on wind blown banks.

kc

[MsgMills]

Sometimes the wind can be your friend, like it was for me and my partner on Sat. the 31st. We found an area that was being hit by the wind. The wind was blowing the shad up towards the bank and the bigger fish were chasing them. So it helped get the fish we were after to a kinda restricted area and not scattered. Threw Spinnerbaits into the feeding Bass and bang, we caught 4 over 15" in less than an hour. When the wind wasn't blowing the fish weren't hitting.

Now a lot of other times, it's just plain murder to fish in really strong winds. So I have to change rods and go to a spinning outfit. I just can't seem to cast a baitcaster into the wind without back lashing.... So the spinning rod casts better and helps me out.

[buzzking]

I'll take the wind over a dead calm day ANY DAY, let her blow! If it kills your area, it will make other areas turn on! Fish just seem easier to catch when the wind is blowing, stirs the lake up

[TEE]

I agree...I was just at Dale last week and I have never EVER seen it that calm for that long and it did hinder things.
For one: Clear lakes and calm don't really mix when the sun is bright.
I was prayin' for a lil' wind from Sunday til' Friday and we got a about a 10 MPH breeze that helped some on Friday.
Don't get me wrong...I had to adjust my patterns a little bit but, still caught a boat load of fish in 6 days.
Probably 40 fish with 4 or 5 four punders,one 5 that was lost right at the boat, and a ton of 3's and only two smaller fish
Good week but, would bet they are on the nest now.

[trentonc2000]

the wind is your friend...

wind blown banks + spinnerbaits = big sacks of fish

[Mustangwilliam]

the wind is your friend...

wind blown banks + spinnerbaits = big sacks of fish

what color and types of spinners to you throw? Which blades and colors. I went to CC today had wind and fished wind blown banks with spinner, but came up short. I did catch with a jig though.

[Bobby Headrick]

Fish into the wind if and when possible and if you have a big enough trolling motor you woun't have a big problem, a 100lb thrust 36 volt system would be nice to have when it is like it was this weekend, but deal with it the best you can the wind can work for you, if going with the wind try putting your tm in reverse to counteract the wind. Just remember the wind is your friend, unless it starts getting above 30+ then it gets hairy. Always remember to wear PFDs and kill switch on windys days.

[DJD]

We fished some windy points on Sunday by using the anchor to hold us. It worked well with 12 fish and the day was much more enjoyable from not fighting the 20mph winds.

[flippindrew]

i love the wind! makes'em hungry! i agree its a pain when it gets 25+ but if you take your time and position your boat right, it usually pays off.