Does An East Wind Kill The Fishing? 2024
WildmanWilson reply :
My buddy always says wind form the east...fish bite the least. My dad always said they same thing about hunting an east wind. You guys think there is anything to this?
gulfcaptain reply :
Think it has to do with more with normally East Winds are associated with hi pressure (not all the time) and West winds are associated with dropping pressure. Normally once a front passes the fish seem to suspend, hold up, and not bite as well as they did prior to the front passing. That's my take on the whole "East bite least/ West bite best". Of course this doesn't always apply due to different weather systems and conditions.
Ozark_Basser reply :
The saying around here goes, "Wind from the East, No good for man or beast" lol. Old timers love saying it.
Paul Roberts reply :
Yes, if it's a hurricane. I like to say... "Hurricane from the east; no good for man or beast." 
Bluebasser86 reply :
We tore them up Tuesday with a straight east wind. The best time to go fishing is when you can
corn-on-the-rob reply :
There are times when it is true but nothing in fishing is ever certain. Never know unless you try.
SirSnookalot reply :
Not here, west wind is the kiss of death, east wind is rougher weather, fishing is much better.
WIGuide reply :
I second what gulfcaptain said. It can make for a rougher outing but it's not always true. For me, it's not going to matter what direction the wind is coming from, I'm going.
wytstang reply :
Bad day of fishing > good day at work
fishballer06 reply :
The saying goes:
Wind from the west, fishing is the best
Wind from the east, fish bite the least
Wind from the south, blows the bait into the fishes mouth
Wind from the north, fishing is the poorest
Preytorien reply :
Really the only consideration I give to the wind is see its direction to be able to adjust the brakes/spool tension knob on my casting reels so I don't backlash casting into the wind
Other than that wind doesn't really make/break my day
stepchild reply :
Personally, I only pay attention to the wind direction to help me decipher where the fish might be holding on any given day. Remember, it's only a part of the puzzle, not the be-all end-all!
I think the old sayings might be true to an extent, but the reason is likely because the average fisherman might always fish a spot the same way with the same lures. They might have had great success one day on what might have been a west wind and have taken note of that. Once the wind changes direction, they'd claim the fish aren't biting anymore.
We all know it's not really the case, as the fish are still there, you just have to think about it a little bit and figure out where they're holding as opposed to just assuming "the fish aren't biting today"...
geo g reply :
I have done quite well with an east wind, many times. An east wind with cloud cover is one of my favorite situations in the glades.
RoLo reply :
Does an east wind kill the fishing?
Well, the prefrontal winds prior to a "cold-front" are roughly southwest. The winds during the passage of a cold-front
are variable, and the postfrontal winds after a cold-front are roughly northwest. So east winds are not in the picture.
Prefrontal winds prior to a "warm-front" are roughly southeast but a warm front is a favorable condition.
If we go below the 30th parallel (below St Augustine, Florida) we leave the prevailing westerlies and enter the zone
of northeast trade winds. The problem is, in the zone of 'northeast trade winds', easterly winds underline stable weather.
There is one instance notwithstanding, when an east wind can toast the fishing action.
When a brisk east wind blows for several hours, it drives the warm surface layer out of the east end of the lake.
The act of replacing the water displaced by the wind causes a rotary action in the lake.
An upwelling of deeper, colder water in the eastern end replaces the warm surface layer that was blown away.
Ironically, the western end of the lake will benefit from a warmwater buildup (seiche).
Roger
BW208 reply :
I didnt used to think much about the wind but we had a south wind the other day and I was slayin it. Then went to the same spot the next day with a north wind and got nothing. Also two days later north wind, nothing. Today no wind.... Got a few. My dad and some others have only told me about the north wind. I never heard about the east wind deal.
gobig reply :
I know out here in the west a north wind usually means its going to be a grind.
BW208 reply :
Where you from GOBIG?
SirSnookalot reply :
Wind is a huge factor fishing saltwater, I'll get to bass after this paragraph. Wind does dictate the target species, inshore wise catching anything with a s/e is tough making things even worse that wind direction brings in mats of sea weed. N/E is ideal bringing bait into the area, snook love a n/e swell as well. West wind is the time to stay home unless the target is barracuda, they like clear and calm water.
We have had a a s/e all week here, bass fishing hasn't been great but catching a few. Same wind yesterday but entirely different results, may have been one of the better outings in quite a while. Put on my rain jacket and from the very first cast I caught about 7 or 8 bass nothing under 17-18" or so in very short order using an inline spinner. Drove down to another spot on the same canal about a mile away, the rain had stopped and the bite slowed down, just a little. Fishing a weedy area I put on a fluke and caught another 4-5 fish, enough for me in less than 90 minutes so I went home. What surprised more than anything were the shoulders these bass were displaying, totally enhanced the outing.
I don't care what the wind is doing, either the fish are "on"or "off" but I'm going anyway. I may get skunked today with the same s/e wind and rain
gobig reply :
On 4/18/2015 at 12:48 PM, BW208 said:Where you from GOBIG?
In process of moving back to Vacaville.
Ozark_Basser reply :
Today i was hammering 1 lbers with the wind coming from the SW. The bite shut down and I noticed the wind had shifted and was coming from the NE. I thought to myself, yep the days over. I'll just make a few more casts and head back. A few casts later and bam, 6 lber with another following her up. Caught an few more 1 lbers after that too.
Sam reply :
Yes, especially on tidal rivers.
East winds prohibit the water from draining tidal rivers and the river will stay on the high side with little or no tidal action.
I have not experienced this on lakes or reservoirs.
Bankbeater reply :
I worry more about how strong the gusts are more than the direction the wind is coming from.
scaleface reply :
Here in missouri an east wind means there is some unusual weather going on. Some of the scariest storms come from the east but they are rare . I was beached on a mississippi river island during one of those storms.
mrc.in.wi reply :
On 4/20/2015 at 11:49 PM, mrc.in.wi said:East wind up here brings colder air and usually higher pressure. I've caught fish plenty in East winds. I've been skunked in West winds. I think barometer has a lot more effect than wind direction.
Grandpa used to say red sky at night sailor delight, red sky in morning sailor take warning.
It's kind of the same thing. Depends on conditions.
gobig reply :
The wind is directly associated to the barometric pressure. Clear sky and a north wind is generally high pressure setting in. I am not sure how the systems move in back east but we almost never have a eastern wind. I don't think that anyone is saying its impossible to catch fish in these conditions but there is a real good chance your going to have a long day.
Patrick Morrow reply :
No, I always laugh about these wind stories. It just looks like a lame excuse for not catching a fish that day.
the reel ess reply :
I don't check the wind direction before I go. But many a multi-day trip has turned sour about the same time the wind shifted from the east. I was a kid then and we didn't know to change our approach based on what the fish want so we just went back home and did the yard work. We just accepted they weren't biting. It's usually following a front and accompanies bluebird skies and cool winds. Mostly in the spring or fall. In the summer, weather trends are less severe. In the dead of winter, conditions suck already and you may go several days without a bite normally.
I caught the bass in my profile pic on a windy day following a heavy rain and a cooler front in the fall. My buddy caught one that broke his cheap rod the same day.
A-Jay reply :
Some wind is usually a good thing.
And if I could choose a wind direction in which to fish, EAST would probably be my last choice.
I don't know if it kills the fishing, but I'd say it probably doesn't make it better.
A-Jay
gobig reply :
On 4/22/2015 at 8:18 PM, Patrick Morrow said:No, I always laugh about these wind stories. It just looks like a lame excuse for not catching a fish that day.
It's not about making excuses. It's about learning to make adjustments to the conditions.
J Francho reply :
It depends on the water. Some places I fish, an east wind greater than a st day 10 mph makes it unfishable. On others it's another direction. Usually I find that where it's the most miserable to control your boat and fish is where the biters are.
the reel ess reply :
On 4/22/2015 at 11:09 PM, gobig said:It's not about making excuses. It's about learning to make adjustments to the conditions.
And on those rare occasions when that fails, make an excuse. 
yugrac reply :
I have read several pieces this winter where fish biologist and other researchers claim there is no proven relationship between baro pressure and fish behavior. So if thats true that kind of blows the front in or out thing out the window. I have to fish when I can, I only have 1 full day a week off that being Sunday. Saturday is a half day, but there are no lakes close to me so that day is hard. Worse thing about wind to me is boat control on the trolling motor. Messes my hair up too.
WhiteMike1018 reply :
The fish have to eat.
S Hovanec reply :
Sometimes it does. I've caught 2 of my PB smallies on an east wind tho.
A-Jay reply :
Didn't kill it today - and it was howling - kind froze my Arse off.
But still managed a nice bag of smallies including a sweet 5 lb fatty.
A-Jay
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