Windy, Cold Day- How To Approach

[Weld's Largemouth]

Hey all,

 

Winter is closing in but im still trying to make as many trips as I can.

Today I am free to go but sadly its very windy and mid 40s (Air temp).

The sun isn't out either, its complete overcast. I want to go fishing at a pond nearby, but usually when its windy like this the fishing there is TERRIBLE. I know i should go today because it may be one of the my last trips...

How should I approach the pond with all this wind?

 

Thanks, 

Welds

[BassinLou]

We are windy and colder as far as South Fl goes today. LOL... If I were to be bank  fishing right now I would position myself with the wind to my back. The only way I would be casting toward the wind would be if I were fishing heavy baits. As far as presentation goes, i would slow it down, finding the right amount weight to use will be key. The wind can make bottom contact challenging. Goodluck. 

[Weld's Largemouth]

We are windy and colder as far as South Fl goes today. LOL... If I were to be bank  fishing right now I would position myself with the wind to my back. The only way I would be casting toward the wind would be if I were fishing heavy baits. As far as presentation goes, i would slow it down, finding the right amount weight to use will be key. The wind can make bottom contact challenging. Goodluck. 

I wish i was in Florida right now... 

[Weld's Largemouth]

We are windy and colder as far as South Fl goes today. LOL... If I were to be bank  fishing right now I would position myself with the wind to my back. The only way I would be casting toward the wind would be if I were fishing heavy baits. As far as presentation goes, i would slow it down, finding the right amount weight to use will be key. The wind can make bottom contact challenging. Goodluck. 

Also, the thing about this pond is, weeds choke the bottom of the pond and they are about 5 inches deep on the bottom and its impossible to fish anything on bottom without getting weeds

[iabass8]

3/8 oz 1/2 chatterbait fished very very very slow on the bottom. You want to just barely feel yhe blads thump

[Catch and Grease]

3/8 oz 1/2 chatterbait fished very very very slow on the bottom. You want to just barely feel yhe blads thump

Or a swimjig/spinnerbait!

[Weld's Largemouth]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got skunked! Not even the bluegills were biting

[BassinLou]

Got skunked! Not even the bluegills were biting

 

It happens buddy. There is always tomorrow.  

[gardnerjigman]

Why it's called fishing instead of catching! Can't catch them at home with the rods in the garage though! Get back after them again soon!

[FrogTosser88]

So what didnt work?

[Weld's Largemouth]

It happens buddy. There is always tomorrow.

Hah there is school tomorrow

[Weld's Largemouth]

So what didnt work?

Tossing frogs

[FrogTosser88]

I also have had bad luck on windy days. I tried spinner baits and weighed swimbaits last time but only caught one small bass on the spinner. I am limited to weedless baits here on the ca delta, due to the thick weeds. Which also is an issue because jigs or heavy t-rig is going to still get hung up in the weeds. So in heavy winds it's very limited on what you can throw

[primetime]

I fish alot of ponds that are full of weeds and if you throw a shaky rig or pegged worm it simply vanishes in the silt and the fish never see it...I use alot of Nail weights or weighted hooks in this situation or I will throw any lure that ticks the tops of weeds. Windy days allow you to use larger and louder lures than usuall and in ponds fish rarely see 1/2 ounce chatterbaits but they are quite weedless and ripping them out or ticking can be alot of work but also put you into bigger fish usually.

 

I used to fish a 4" grub in smoke or firetiger or even a 3" grub on a split shot rig with a good 2-3' leader and simply work it slow. I would texas rig the hook and bury it all the way and go super small and light line-lb test and spinning gear from bank and in wind at ponds....Spinning gear, slow down, and smaller baits like a 4" finesse worm should work year round if you find the fish, they usually group this time of year or suspend, so darter head jigs are a good choice as they hit it on the drop if rigged with smaller bait.

 

Good luck, I fished 2 hours today in the cold and in a pond full of fish and had nothing....If I was you I would maybe tie on that bluegill or catch some shiners....Live bait is not the enemy as long as it is legal and it helps you find the fish as a big bass rarely passes up a live shiner...

[Weld's Largemouth]

I fish alot of ponds that are full of weeds and if you throw a shaky rig or pegged worm it simply vanishes in the silt and the fish never see it...I use alot of Nail weights or weighted hooks in this situation or I will throw any lure that ticks the tops of weeds. Windy days allow you to use larger and louder lures than usuall and in ponds fish rarely see 1/2 ounce chatterbaits but they are quite weedless and ripping them out or ticking can be alot of work but also put you into bigger fish usually.

 

I used to fish a 4" grub in smoke or firetiger or even a 3" grub on a split shot rig with a good 2-3' leader and simply work it slow. I would texas rig the hook and bury it all the way and go super small and light line-lb test and spinning gear from bank and in wind at ponds....Spinning gear, slow down, and smaller baits like a 4" finesse worm should work year round if you find the fish, they usually group this time of year or suspend, so darter head jigs are a good choice as they hit it on the drop if rigged with smaller bait.

 

Good luck, I fished 2 hours today in the cold and in a pond full of fish and had nothing....If I was you I would maybe tie on that bluegill or catch some shiners....Live bait is not the enemy as long as it is legal and it helps you find the fish as a big bass rarely passes up a live shiner...

I like the small grub idea! Sounds quite finesse to me! I am going to head out tomorrow: its going to be sunny and high 50s, a bit of wind. One question: does a leader actually matter? I usually just tie directly to braid. Do you think the braid may be scaring fish off? I don't really think so because i've caught all my fish at this pond this way. Maybe, i don't know if this is true, but since its cold the bass are finicky and won't bite if they see the line.. true or not?

[guitarglynn1]

Hey all,

 

Winter is closing in but im still trying to make as many trips as I can.

Today I am free to go but sadly its very windy and mid 40s (Air temp).

The sun isn't out either, its complete overcast. I want to go fishing at a pond nearby, but usually when its windy like this the fishing there is TERRIBLE. I know i should go today because it may be one of the my last trips...

How should I approach the pond with all this wind?

 

Thanks, 

Welds

 

Good question. For me it seems like there is you can fish windy and cold and there is you cannot fish windy and cold. This weekend was the cannot. Everything was blowing right back at me and there was no way around it. There was no over powering that wind or working around it. Trying to cast yesterday was like trying to shoot a basketball into a 7ft hoop with dikembe mutombo camped under it :-/

 

Today was much better though and the next few days its gonna warm up. I'll make up for the lost weekend over the next few evenings 

[Weld's Largemouth]

Good question. For me it seems like there is you can fish windy and cold and there is you cannot fish windy and cold. This weekend was the cannot. Everything was blowing right back at me and there was no way around it. There was no over powering that wind or working around it. Trying to cast yesterday was like trying to shoot a basketball into a 7ft hoop with dikembe mutombo camped under it :-/

 

Today was much better though and the next few days its gonna warm up. I'll make up for the lost weekend over the next few evenings 

Yea, im headed out tomorrow, wish me luck

[einscodek]

Yer best bet is Wenesday when the temps warm up close to 70s in NY/NJ

Thursday prefrontal may be ok as well

The fish are tough to corral these days as they are all over the place..big or small

Sometimes the big uns are where I'd expect the small ones are and vice versa.

Thats fall!

[Weld's Largemouth]

Yer best bet is Wenesday when the temps warm up close to 70s in NY/NJ

Thursday prefrontal may be ok as well

The fish are tough to corral these days as they are all over the place..big or small

Sometimes the big uns are where I'd expect the small ones are and vice versa.

Thats fall!

Yup. I have no school tomorrow because of elections, so i think ill still go. Ill try to go again on wednesday after school if i can

[guitarglynn1]

Good luck bro!

[primetime]

I like the small grub idea! Sounds quite finesse to me! I am going to head out tomorrow: its going to be sunny and high 50s, a bit of wind. One question: does a leader actually matter? I usually just tie directly to braid. Do you think the braid may be scaring fish off? I don't really think so because i've caught all my fish at this pond this way. Maybe, i don't know if this is true, but since its cold the bass are finicky and won't bite if they see the line.. true or not?

That is a great question that will generate many different opinions and none of them are right or wrong as many people feel that a green braid in say 20lb test with 4lb diameter is more stealth than 8lb fluoro or Mono in clear or green etc...I have changed my opinion of whether or not this matters several times over the past few years and I have done lots of my own "Testing" in the neighborhood ponds and when the water is stained or colored I feel it is probably best to  tie direct since fish can feel line in the water with the lateral line so if you have 6" or less visibility, Going direct is my preference. I will use Fluorocarbon as a leader when fishing from shore almost all the time for 2 reasons. 1- Nothing is more abrasion resistant than Fluorocarbon and it you cast into some bushes or trees, braid will fray much easier than Fluoro so if you get a fish on that cast, good chances you can land it since fluoro can take a beating and still hold up. I do believe 100% that fluorocarbon in clear or moderate color water will generate more strikes but that is just my opinion from my own experiences. I used to only use copoly or Mono as I hated fluor due to knot issues and the stiffness, but I now tie my knots very carefully and check the line for any issues as after catching a fish or two it may be necessary to retie. I grew up on Long Island in Suffolk County and I see you are from L.I. so I can relate to how tough fishing gets in the fall and before Ice out. I rarely ever used anything higher than 6lb or 8lb on spinning tackle and I would rarely have issues and I was using Trilene XT as my main line back then. I used to use a split shot with a bass pro Spring grub and put the shot 18" above the grub and simply cast and just lift and drop super slow, and I always used smoke and natural colors. Sorry for the long ramble, but I know pond often get a ton of pressure and so do lakes and many times the key to success is walking up to the water quietly and not laughing with your buddy and also staying low and not letting your shadow be seen over the water. If you walk a shoreline make sure you walk as quiet and far back as possible because when you see fish take off from the shore rarely is that fish going to strike but usually in fall you will find them on the first break in depth, and if the afternoon gets warm, think rocks and fish will still come shallow but unless you need heavy line due to weeds or structure, most times 6-8lb is fine, and I still prefer 15lb fluoro or copoly over straight braid in clear water. I only use braid for frogs, flipping and pitching and even for that I am starting to experiment with 20lb fluoro as I think braid is loud and since it is a solid color I would try to add a leader.....Experiment, that is the key, sometimes color and size of bait, or depth, speed of retirieve can all matter, and you can catch fish all year round in NY, some of the biggest fish we ever caught were threw the ice Upstate NY on live bait while fishing for Walleye etc...Big Bass eat in the winter just not as often.

[Sam]

Do what I do: stay home.

Rack it up to bad weather.

Be safe and stay home to fish another day.

[Fishes in trees]

Consider this:  If you are fishing "feel" baits like soft plastics, jigs and the like, feel becomes an issue in the wind - more so from fishing from the bank than from a boat because your approaches are more limited.

If I was determined to go and given the conditions you described I probably would have gone, I'm thinking throw something heavier, to counteract the wind and keep it moving.  Looking for a reaction bite.

 

Some previously unmentioned options might include - a cicada blade bait or something similar, a heavier Mepps style in line spinner, a white or any color grub really on a 1/4 or 5/16 oz jig  head.

 

Anyway, my thoughts for fall bank fishing in windy & cloudy conditions.

[Weld's Largemouth]

Just got back from the pond, Lots of activity, lots of bass around and saw some lunkers but nobody was eating anything.. got one small dink on a bluegill lure and a bunch of bluegills but thats it...

[primetime]

Wind is your friend, it may require spinning gear, but all the advice is good, since fishing is fishing and one person may think spinnerbait when I may think Lipless crankbait or bomber long a.....One of my favorite techniques for Stripers and Florida Inshore gamefish, and also largemouth, is slow rolling a large Cordell Redfin on the surface as no other lure gives off the V wake that a red fin does, and if you watch shiners on the surface, they look exactly like the Red Fin..It looks like a big lure for freshwater but in the wind, it is one of my go to baits all year round,especially in gold/red as they only offer a few colors. It is an inexpensive lure but one that is a classic for a reason. I think all Bass Anglers carry a Redfin in their box either jointed or just regular but for a wake bait slash jerkbait, it is one of my favorite in small ponds to large lakes and produces good strikes.