How Do You Fish Windy Days? 2024
Montanaro reply :
Went out today on a small impoundment and was hammered with 20+ mph winds. Bass tracker struggled. Temps in mid 40s but could hardly get a good presentation....forget about pitching jigs! My dad caught a nice brook trout on a red eye shad...but that was it for us. The impoundment has one tiny cove that was barely sheltered so we were stuck with the wind.
What's your most effective strategy when the wind is howling?
Ozark_Basser reply :
On my lake, if the wind is howling (preferably <20 mph) you are really missing out if you're not throwing a moving bait.
Joedodge reply :
Head back to the house! Lol I was out yesterday in my canoe wind and chop was so d**n bad. Line bow was so bad on my light lures I could barely fish also. Spent way more time canoeing than fishing. I find it real hard to fish heavy wind.
CRANKENSTIEN reply :
Cranking usually into the wind or crossing it. I have also had good Luck with a strike king anaconda Texas riged and swimming. It can be deadly. Low side arm cast to keep out of the wind
fishangdood reply :
I like fishing the banks against the wind. I slow crawl jigs, slow roll colorado spinnerbaits, and (occasionally) cast out blade baits with a medium paced retrieve.
scaleface reply :
Early spring here in northern Missouri , I would try to avoid real windy conditions . I probably wouldnt even go out .
In the summer , wind really gets the fish biting. Problem is sometimes it is impossible to fish it. It was so windy one day { sustained 40 mph } that I just bank fished on a rocky bank where the waves were violently crashing on . I used half a Wave Tiki stick on a jighead and fished it do nothing style. Caught all kinds of fish. largemouth bass , white bass , crappie, Drum , Channel cats and a big ole flathead.
Matthew2000 reply :
Buzz baits spinner baits and prop top water baits. Anything that creates a lot of commotion.
Angry John reply :
I hate the wind in my yak. At those temps I would like to use a jerkbait and jig. I guess I would try a lipless or bladebait.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Spinnerbait on wind blown banks..
Long Mike reply :
I use the Spot Lock function on my Minn Kota Terrova. The motor uses GPS to automatically keep me in the same place, regardless of the wind or current.
Catch and Grease reply :
I don't throw spinnerbaits very much at all, but when the wind is blowing that's when I'll break down and throw a spinnerbait because they are the ticket a lot of times!
Matthew2000 reply :
On 3/16/2015 at 10:01 AM, Long Mike said:I use the Spot Lock function on my Minn Kota Terrova. The motor uses GPS to automatically keep me in the same place, regardless of the wind or current.
That the remote control version correct ?
Montanaro reply :
The rocky and rip rap dam had trout anglers all over it so that was a no go.
I used swimjig and spro lil john most of the day. Had trailer tails ripped off swimjig twice which was the extent of my action. Tried jerkbait but at those temps I had to use slower cadence...which was impossible with the wind, I was practically trolling.
Probably didn't help fishing post frontal conditions either.
matuka reply :
Swimbaits or umbrella rig.
Bluebasser86 reply :
20mph is a gentle breeze around here in the spring (and most of the year for that matter). I fish all the same baits, because I have to. We had a small tournament a couple years ago in the fall that we won fishing jigs and weighless Senkos, despite 25-30mph winds. That was back when I had a 16' aluminum too. When you fight the wind all the time you just get use to it.
Bankbeater reply :
I turn the boat into the wind and drop a heavy anchor. I throw t-rigs with heavy weights, big jigs, and rat-l-traps. When white caps start forming I go in.
corn-on-the-rob reply :
The key on really windy days for me is make sure you use a heavy enough weight for your bottom baits. Too heavy is better than too light in this case, it is so frustrating when the wind won't let your baits touch bottom even in shallower water.
Like others mentioned moving baits are typically a staple. Big spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, lipless cranks cast like a charm in heavy wind. Buzzbaits as well.
My best day fishing this year was in just below gale force winds (about 30mph sustained with gusts up to 50). It was semi-dangerous, and hectic, but man did we clobber them. The wind blew so hard that when the periods of rain came it stung when we weren't moving.
Mainebass1984 reply :
A couple of the places I fish are big lakes. Some of the best spots are way way offshore. Most of the time I am battling the wind. If it gets too rough I anchor. If it is really windy I will stick with heavier baits such as a spinnerbait, chatterbait, and a JIG. Although not very heavy crankbaits work well in the wind as well. You can cast them a mile. The bite offshore is usually pretty good if the wind has kicked up.
Bruce424 reply :
Spinnerbaits!!!oh and spinnerbaits
RanndomUndead reply :
Hunker up under whatever i can and blind cast cranks,spinners, etc. whatever i can get away with without having to play tricks. Wind sucks...
Btw, Why must it always be windy on clear days?
BobbyRaeAllen reply :
I anchor up the canoe, fan cast for 10 minutes then pull up anchor, cuss at the wind, move spots and try again. I fought wind all day yesterday on Briery Creek Lake VA.
WRB reply :
Boat control is difficult in windy conditions with a aluminum light weight boat, heavier bass boats not too much of a problem. 20 mph sustained wind with high gusts creates some big waves depending on the lake. Use common sense, cold 40 degree air temps and high wind isn't a good combination.
Where I bass fish 20 mph wind is normal so we learn how to fish in the wind. Wind blown points are good, the wind creates current and blows in plankton and bait fish that activates the bass into feeding. Everything can work as long as you can cast effectively, control your line and detect strikes.
Boat control is critical, if you can't control the boat, get a 20 lb navy anchor, 4' of heavy 1"-1 1/2" chain and 50' of 3/4 dia rope and anchor. The larger diameter rope is a lot easier to handle. I use a plastic milk carton create to store my anchor and rope when I use it for windy nights.
Tom
papajoe222 reply :
In early spring, I'll fish the wind blown shore as the wind will be blowing the warmer surface water there. During the spawn, I'll avoid those areas as too much wind will affect the nests. During the summer, I love a windy day as it will not only cause wave action which, in turn, will cut light penetration as well as keep me cooler. During the fall, I don't pay much attention to it.
bigbill reply :
Fishing from the shore it depends on which way the wind is blowing. I can hide on the windless side of a small inlet or cove and still fish. Spinnerbaits, inline spinners, small spin flys. The joesfly 1/4oz bass size in firetiger apache is great when the water is choppy.
everythingthatswims reply :
On 3/17/2015 at 12:14 AM, BobbyRaeAllen said:I anchor up the canoe, fan cast for 10 minutes then pull up anchor, cuss at the wind, move spots and try again. I fought wind all day yesterday on Briery Creek Lake VA.
Did you catch any?
Under the Radar reply :
On 3/16/2015 at 10:36 AM, Matthew2000 said:That the remote control version correct ?
Yes Mattheww2000 that's the Terrova w/iPilot. I'm aging like LongMike and need all the help I can get. 20 mph winds don't bother me at all (depending on the lake) Example, Lake Toho, East Toho or Kissemee can get nasty. But here are enough lakes here in central FLA that there is always someplace to put the boat in and fish. As always, a little common sense goes a long ways.
DILLY07 reply :
When its windy, I usually put 3/4 oz jig. 3/8 oz to Ounce bullet to flip and pitch. 3/8 oz lipless crank or 3/8 oz chatterbait.
ZB85 reply :
Chatterbaits and chatterbaits
yugrac reply :
The baits most have mentioned are what I usually fish with anyway, I used to hate fishing in the wind, but my new boat is much heavier and stable than my old 14 ft V hull. Its always windy where I live, you can tell from all the wind farms, I can look out my front windows and see 12 wind turbines running. You just have to suck it up and deal with it if you want to fish.
DocNsanE reply :
most others have already covered the baits and techniques I'll go to as well. One thing I'll sometimes do in a lighter aluminum boat is move the boat to one end of a weedline and then let the wind and current bring me down the weed line until I am out of the zone and then I'll reposition and start again. Often times there will be two or three spots on those weeds that I know are more likely to catch but if it's really blowing, it gets hard to keep the boat in place.
ol salty reply :
Yup spinnerbaits. Ive done really, really well on suspending jerkbaits in the wind too. Stick your rod tip down low to the water while working the bait. Same goes for casting. Like a knock down shot when golfing. Cast with a very low trajectory and put a lil some thing on it. Not too much but give it a good sling. Then towards the end of the cast "try" to lightly pull the line thats out over the water down onto the surface to combat the line bow. As for boat control goes I like to anchor on these windy pre spawn staging areas. Then I just have to worry about casting.
frogflogger reply :
Spinner baits are my usual ticket in wind but there are times a grub or a wacky rigged senko on a float can be deadly - the waves give it action and it is really fun to watch for the bobber in the whitecaps. Some very nice bass have been caught doing this.
bonzai22 reply :
If its colder water in the 40's I would slow roll a spinnerbait or fish a lip less crank on the windy banks. If it's water in the 50's I have caught a lot big fish on wind blown banks with a mid depth crank crashing the bottom the more wind the better for that.
geo g reply :
1. I check the weather reports for strength of wind and wind direction.
2. Then I pick a place to fish that would be easy under those conditions.
3. If the wind is above steady 20 MPH with gusts, I stay home. It just makes my life easier.
4. I let the wind be my friend, by keeping the wind too my back, and casting with the wind to my back.
5. If the wind pushes the boat too fast, I put out the drift sock. This greatly reduces the forward movement of the boat, and is useful in all depths of water. A lot of guys now have power poles, this really helps in shallow windy areas.
6. I will use more weight with my lures to keep the line under easy control, and back lash free.
7. With the wind moving the boat instead of your T/M, you are NOW in stealth mode. This helps greatly with spooky fish, especially in clear water.
8. Look for funnel points for the wind between clumps of weeds, or two pieces of land. Funnel point provide increased current which the fish position themselves on. Fish the down wind sides of the funnel.
9. Look for slack water behind some structure, fallen trees, clumps of vegetation, points, objects in the water, anything that will break the wind and current. They often sit in the still water behind objects, and dash out and ambush stuff drifting bye.
Don't be aggravated by moderate winds, let the wind work for you, and use the tools out there to help you be successful.
RoLo reply :
Living in Georgia was like living in the Horse Latitudes, but Florida is a windy state where you're forced to adapt.
In heavy winds and whitecaps, I just put the Minn Kota Talon on 'rough water' mode
and keep my tiptop guide on the water surface. Everything else stays pretty much the same.
Roger
Khan of the Res reply :
when i fish in my canoe I drop 2 twenty pound anchors - one on the bow and one on the stern. use a moving bait and cast low and try casting with the wind so you won't get a bow in your line.
phototex reply :
I stick to timbered or brush-filled water and either use an anchor or a brush hook to hold me in place. Then I normally cast either upwind or downwind and keep my rod tip down to keep the bow out of my line. Works for me.....sometimes.
Crutch reply :
When I fish my canoe I try to get stuck in lillypads and make casts with the wind, it usually works really well at this particular lake I fish at.
Trek reply :
They cost to much but I love my power poles.
zeth reply :
In general I will just take use whatever I would normally use but upgrade weight of lure to maintain a feel for the bait and to maintain some sort of castability. As far as boat handling well I don't own a boat so can't answer on that. At least not yet.
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