Is There Such Thing As To Windy To Fish? 2025
amishnightmare88 reply :
I dont know about any others out there but when its windy, fishing is the last thing i want to do simply because, well, it sucks and i never catch fish. like today, with wind gusts up to 30-40mph. thats a little stupid lol. So what i am wondering, im sure you can catch fish just as you can when it isnt very windy, but when you fishing when the wind is blowing the wind blows slack in your line and it kinda makes it had to watch your line and feel bits when the water is choppy and wind is blowing. so is there such thing as to windy to fish? if not what are your tactics?
slonezp reply :
It's too windy to fish once it becomes dangerous. Otherwise go for it. Boat control can get frustrating, but the rewards can be worth the aggrivation. In my experience #'s may drop but the quality of the fish increases. I like to throw a spinnerbait, but if you can find a somewhat protected area never discount a jig.
zip pow reply :
Two week ago on guntersville we had sustained winds of 35 mph and that one old boy put 32 lbs in the boat I had to use two drift socks and motor on high just to stay in one spot didn't catch but 24 lbs so if you can stand it and you have the equipment go if not be a fare weather fisher the biggest thing is if your not havi ng fun stay at home no sense in not having an enjoyable outing
NBR reply :
The wind will push plankton towards shore and the bait fish follow as the gams fish follow in the parade. I fish unless it is dangerous either from just the waves of from being pushed to close to shore, reefs or rocks. It can be very productive but it can also be very tiring so if I get a breather from active fish I am apt to pull into a cove then after a rest I'm back out into the wind. If I find fish where it is quiet I will likely stay there since it's a lot more pleasant and as I've aged I have become a much more comfort oriented fisherman.
J Francho reply :
On 2/21/2012 at 5:08 AM, slonezp said:It's too windy to fish once it becomes dangerous. Otherwise go for it. Boat control can get frustrating, but the rewards can be worth the aggrivation. In my experience #'s may drop but the quality of the fish increases.
Exactly this.
tholmes reply :
It CAN get too windy to fish bottom contact baits, and casting can become an issue, but I've
fished (from the shore) in winds of up to 40 mph. Spinnerbaits, lipless cranks, and blade baits (Silver Buddy, etc.) have worked the best for me.
I've been on a large reservoir in high winds, and if you stick to the coves and BE CAREFUL, you should be OK.
fishing open water with 3' whitecaps isn't a lot of fun.
Tom
Diggy reply :
When it gets too windy to cast into it Ill make sure the wind is to my back...but Im a shore fisherman
K_Mac reply :
The short answer is yes it can be too windy. As Dirty Harry once said, a man has got to know his limitations. When it comes to fishing knowing the limits of your gear is also vital. As Fluke said having a big TM gives you more options, and fishing in the wind can be fantastic. I lost a very good friend last spring because he failed to take the proper precautions and was fishing in a small boat, alone in heavy wind, on a lake that is notorious for being dangerous in the wind (Baldwin Lake, Randolph County, IL). Ignoring the danger cost him his life.
J Francho reply :
There's no trolling motor for this:
For scale, see the semi in the background on a calm day:
Pics by my bud Wade.
NCbassmaster4Life reply :
You have to think, are you going to fish for fun or for $. If it's just for fun then it may be to windy in thus conditions. You can almost any and occasion beat the wind by fishing coves and or points protected by the wind.
amishnightmare88 reply :
wow!!! yea i belive that would be a lil hard for a trolling motor lolOn 2/21/2012 at 5:50 AM, J Francho said:There's no trolling motor for this:
For scale, see the semi in the background on a calm day:
Pics by my bud Wade.
Bob C reply :
On 2/21/2012 at 5:21 AM, NBR said:The wind will push plankton towards shore and the bait fish follow as the gams fish follow in the parade. I fish unless it is dangerous either from just the waves of from being pushed to close to shore, reefs or rocks. It can be very productive but it can also be very tiring so if I get a breather from active fish I am apt to pull into a cove then after a rest I'm back out into the wind. If I find fish where it is quiet I will likely stay there since it's a lot more pleasant and as I've aged I have become a much more comfort oriented fisherman.
Me too. I have no desire to be a stunt pilot.
TommyBass reply :
Too windy for the fish? No. For you? YES. Safety should be your #1 priority. Lake size, depth, and orientation all play into how it will react to the wind. Wind direction also matters for your specific lake. I have one lake near that is almost unfishable with anything over 15 mph sustained from a certain direction, but other directions its fine up to 25mph. Just be careful, watch your forecast, and know your lake. Your boat will play a huge role in this to.
Other than that, if your safe and you can manage the sometimes hair pulling stress of boat control, go for it. You may have some of your best outings! Or at least your partner will, since he can just sit in the back and have fun while you fight the wind. 
A-Jay reply :
I fish smaller bodies of water but I do it from a canoe, so I'm off the water before most.
But, my two largest LMB (in this state) came on days that were close to my limits as far as wind goes.
So a bit of a blow gets me a little ramped up.
A-Jay
fishingfourfun reply :
The day after eating Brussell Sprouts!
Bluebasser86 reply :
When it isn't safe for me to be out there I call it quits unless I think I can fish from the bank and be alright. I usually just pick smaller bodies of water if I know it's going to be windy and think about the areas I want to fish and how affected they are going to be by the wind so I have a plan before I get there so I'm not running around in it more than I have to. One of my best days for big fish last year was on a day the wind was blowing 30-40mph all day long. Boat control sucked but the fish didn't care. I fished a spinnerbait and trap all day and killed them.
brushhoggin reply :
it was 77 degrees last thurs, 25-30 mph winds. had to stand on the bank with my feet spread apart so i wouldnt blow over. stood in one spot for a whole hour catching bass after bass casting to the same spot every time. it was the back of a pocket and was also windblown. best day of the year so far. first 6 casts i had 4 fish.
i'd imagine a spinnerbait would do fine but i like lipless cranks cause they cast well in high winds. the wind is your friend.
StinkyBass reply :
im a firm believer that bass bite when they're hungry. raining, wind, or even blue bird skies, if you throw what they want you'll hook up. some of my best catches were on days that werent pretty! so if you can go...THEN GO! 
reo reply :
On 2/21/2012 at 5:50 AM, J Francho said:There's no trolling motor for this:
For scale, see the semi in the background on a calm day:
Pics by my bud Wade.
Is your friend Wade from Cleveland???
Raider Nation Fisher reply :
On 2/21/2012 at 5:50 AM, J Francho said:There's no trolling motor for this:
For scale, see the semi in the background on a calm day:
Pics by my bud Wade.
Nope, but there are surf boards! 
J Francho reply :
On 2/27/2012 at 8:48 AM, reo said:Is your friend Wade from Cleveland???
More or less.
Lund Explorer reply :
J - Waves like those always reminds me of the words to a song: "With a load of iron ore 26 thousand tons more, than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty......"
My answer to the original question is YES!
J Francho reply :
There's some great writing in that song.
Lund Explorer reply :
On 2/27/2012 at 10:37 PM, J Francho said:There's some great writing in that song.
As well as some real tragedy. A few years ago one of the local news stations replayed the radio calls between the Coast Guard and the Arthur Anderson which was the ship ahead of the Fitzgerald as they were trying to seek shelter behind Whitefish Point. Unbelievable that they turned to in that storm to go back looking for them when they went off radar. I've been in some white-knuckle trips on Lake Michigan in waves a mere fraction of what they faced. Makes me question my sanity every time I pass the end of the breakwalls.
J Francho reply :
QuoteMakes me question my sanity every time I pass the end of the breakwalls.
I know that exact feeling. Get it sometimes when leaving the Buffalo Harbor on Erie, LOL.
A-Jay reply :
On 2/27/2012 at 11:22 PM, J Francho said:I know that exact feeling. Get it sometimes when leaving the Buffalo Harbor on Erie, LOL.
People who ignore "That exact Feeling" often times contribute to natural selection as well as providing job security for me for about 3 decades.
A-Jay
J Francho reply :
QuotePeople who ignore "That exact Feeling" often times contribute to natural selection as well as providing job security for me for about 3 decades.
Oh jeez, whatever - I can handle myself and the boat. You have to know your limits. Some make boating out to be something way more dangerous than it is - take it at least as serious driving a car. "That feeling" mostly just means a sore back. Not that I didn't feel safe. Believe me, I grew up on Lake Ontario. When you see white caps forming off shore, you have about an hour to react on Ontario. Erie, you can cut that time in half. Oneida is similar, though the waves come at you faster, so it's even more dangerous - easier to spear a wave. Anyway, I swamped a boat once, and that was enough. Funny that was a 22' Four Winns bowrider which should have been able to handle much worse - just bad driving. They don't work like a deep-v or a bass boat. That was a long slow ride back. luckily got her back without needing a tow.
A-Jay reply :
On 2/28/2012 at 2:43 AM, J Francho said:You have to know your limits. Some make boating out to be something way more dangerous than it is - take it at least as serious driving a car.
Well said - and propably a better way to say it.
A-Jay
Lund Explorer reply :
On 2/28/2012 at 2:29 AM, A-Jay said:People who ignore "That exact Feeling" often times contribute to natural selection as well as providing job security for me for about 3 decades.
A-Jay
Only once back in the days of Coho Fever did we ever see the CG on Lake Michigan. That was in the days before everybody carried safety gear, or radios. Eleven miles NW of Portage Lake's breakwalls, your comrades came out to warn all of us off the lake. Most made it back, but some didn't. Riding into the waves until they ran out of fuel the waves pushed them ashore. Next wave crashed over the stern and sucked them right back into the surf. We were one of the lucky or semi-smart ones that wrapped up and headed for shore pronto. Still it was quite an adventure to go between the waves and see nothing but water on all sides that first time. You'd crest a wave and see boats all around you when a moment before you would have sworn you were all alone.
After that, we learned to keep a sharper eye on the weather.
A-Jay reply :
On 2/28/2012 at 4:03 AM, Lund Explorer said:Only once back in the days of Coho Fever did we ever see the CG on Lake Michigan. That was in the days before everybody carried safety gear, or radios. Eleven miles NW of Portage Lake's breakwalls, your comrades came out to warn all of us off the lake. Most made it back, but some didn't. Riding into the waves until they ran out of fuel the waves pushed them ashore. Next wave crashed over the stern and sucked them right back into the surf. We were one of the lucky or semi-smart ones that wrapped up and headed for shore pronto. Still it was quite an adventure to go between the waves and see nothing but water on all sides that first time. You'd crest a wave and see boats all around you when a moment before you would have sworn you were all alone.
After that, we learned to keep a sharper eye on the weather.
Yup - And despite knowing better - back in the day, I'd been blinded by "Striped Bass Fever" and ended up in at least two situations that I had no right to expect to escape from unharmed. Some how I did and it kept me motivated to be there for others when I could.
A-Jay
Bob C reply :
On 2/28/2012 at 2:43 AM, J Francho said:Oh jeez, whatever - I can handle myself and the boat. You have to know your limits.
Unfortunately, you won't know your "limits" until you find them.
J Francho reply :
On 2/28/2012 at 5:46 AM, Bob C said:Unfortunately, you won't know your "limits" until you find them.
Fortunately I was born with some common sense. Hasn't failed me yet in my 40 years.
hatrix reply :
I thought that picture looked familiar. I'm pretty sure that down by 55th marina if it's Cleveland. Those stacks make a great reference point when your way out on the water.
slonezp reply :
On 2/28/2012 at 4:03 AM, Lund Explorer said:Only once back in the days of Coho Fever did we ever see the CG on Lake Michigan. That was in the days before everybody carried safety gear, or radios. Eleven miles NW of Portage Lake's breakwalls, your comrades came out to warn all of us off the lake. Most made it back, but some didn't. Riding into the waves until they ran out of fuel the waves pushed them ashore. Next wave crashed over the stern and sucked them right back into the surf. We were one of the lucky or semi-smart ones that wrapped up and headed for shore pronto. Still it was quite an adventure to go between the waves and see nothing but water on all sides that first time. You'd crest a wave and see boats all around you when a moment before you would have sworn you were all alone.
After that, we learned to keep a sharper eye on the weather.
I got caught out on Lake Michigan once. Scariest thing I have ever experienced. Was in my dad's Pro Line 24' walkaround salmon fishing off Gills Rock in Door County with my son who was maybe 6 or 7 at the time. Glass calm in the morning. Heard the warnings on the radio and saw the sky changing and started to head in. Sky turned black and I got caught up in it about 2 miles from the marina. If I had to guess, I'd say 6-8 footers. Fortunately, I lived to tell about it. Makes you respect nature in a whole new way.
scbassin reply :
Yes. If there is a lake wind advisory in effect it is wise to stay off it. A couple of week-ends ago we were under a wind advisory & a couple of friends decided to camp on one of the islands & fish over the week-end. When they did not arrive home Sunday evening their wives reported them missing. They found the boat that night or the next day, the first body at the end of this past week & the second one this past Sunday. They called for winds to be 15 to 25 with gusts to 40 & it was every bit of that. When you do not heed the warnings you not only put yourself at risk but your family also. Plus the people that have to go look for you. The fish will be there another day but you might not be. Another thing, you might want to check your boat insurance to see if it pays if you rip a trolling motor or depth finder off, hit a stump or a floater.
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