Wind From The East Fish Bite Least. Why?

[J Francho]

The bite doesn't shut off because the wind changed direction. People that say this don't adjust, and fish the same spots they fish when the prevailing wind is blowing, usually west or northwest, here. There are biting fish, but you have to locate them. My experience is they are where it's the most difficult to fish. Places I'd usually skip in normal conditions.

[blacklabbob]

It's been repeated so often that the fish have come to believe it.

[Fish Murderer 71]

If it were true, the fish would almost never bite here in East Texas, cause it blows from the east or southeast most of the summer.

[DogBone_384]

I stumbled upon this post today because I had some time off this week and launched my Kayak in three different ponds that are known to be good fishing holes. One in Hingham, Weymouth, and Plymouth, MA. The weather was sunny, 60ish with corresponding water temperatures. I was on the water from roughly 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM each day and struck out all three days - not so much as a strike.

While talking to my neighbor, who's an avid fisherman, about my crushing defeat, he told me he'd had no luck the past couple of days too, which is where I got this saying from.

I'm by far a great fisherman, but it is rare that I get skunked as badly as this week, and hear supporting stories from a guy who's a much better and more experienced angler than myself, lends some credibility to the windy tale.

[J Francho]

Better motto: when current conditions oppose prevailing conditions, ignore your success in prevailing conditions.

[K_Mac]

Better motto: when current conditions oppose prevailing conditions, ignore your success in prevailing conditions.

 

I don't think has the legs to last like the saying under discussion, but when applied to bass fishing it is probably it is a more accurate motto. There is no question an easterly wind around here will make fishing more challenging. Once a pattern is found though a good day can still be had-usually deeper or more shallow in the nastiest stuff around in my experience.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I live right on the western chesepeake bay shore and its true.you wont see one boat out wind from the east,but as soon as it changes bammm it looks like boat races.

[bassguytom]

I wonder if the wind was blowing from the east and there was a red sky at night??? I bet some type of fishng vortex would take place. I believe it is associated with a cold front but I fish when I can except for tornados.

[hatrix]

I am not sure were this saying originated from but I think it might be the great lakes. I also don't really think it applies to bass so much. It might be more of a perch or walleye type thing. All the people I have heard it from and ones who fish way out on the lake for diner.

[desmobob]

I always wondered about that saying, myself.

 

Where I live in upstate NY, pretty much the only time the wind blows from the east is when we're about to get a storm.  I'm a mailman, I'm outside all day, and I keep a good eye on the weather.  When I feel the wind blowing from the east, I figure I'm about to start having a bad day...  ;-)

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[Skeeter Dan]

I've got one more for you. When the live stock is laying on the ground you might as well turn around and go home.

[RSM789]

Years ago, there was a satirical book published named "The Happy Fish Hooker".  I was 15 at the time I got it, I had to convince my mom it was really about fishing.  Anyway, I remember a portion of it where they analyzed this saying and gave the following explanations (this is from memory, so it is not verbatim):

 

"When the wind is from the East, the fishes bite the least" - This is a reference to the Least wooly bug, a fly sold in the new England states, that is absolute murder on trout when the wind is blowing from the east;

 

"When the wind is from the West, the fishes bite the best" - This is actually a typo, it should be "beast" instead of "best".  This is a warning for all people to stay out of the water when a westerly wind blows or else they will be bitten repeatedly by extremely hungry fish.

 

 

The rest of the book was just as silly...

[Jd_Phillips_Fishin]

I am not sure were this saying originated from but I think it might be the great lakes. I also don't really think it applies to bass so much. It might be more of a perch or walleye type thing. All the people I have heard it from and ones who fish way out on the lake for diner.

Out here, atleast for me the bite gets pretty tough when the wind comes from the east.

[Driftb]

I have heard that the old saw originated in Ohio or Michigan in the Western Basin of lake Erie. Winds from the North or East will bring cold and rough conditions as the wind has travelled over water for a long time and will kick up big waves and storms.  Winds from the west or south do little to affect the water as the wind is coming right off the land.  I've spent a bit of time on the Western Basin and seen those storms coming out of Canada.  When they pop up, you want to get off the water quick.

[geo g]

I too have heard that cattle lying on the ground, just turn around and go home. I have tested it several times and it held up. Cows were down and fishing was tough. Something about barometric pressure, or just lazy cows!!!!! Lol!

[FrankW]

I doubt the original saying had much to do with Bass fishing.  I would think this is an old saying coming from North East saltwater fisherman from many, many yeas ago.  A wind from the east meant something to them.   

 

Frank