Does An East Wind Kill The Fishing?

[WildmanWilson]

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]

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]

The saying around here goes, "Wind from the East, No good for man or beast" lol. Old timers love saying it.

[Paul Roberts]

Yes, if it's a hurricane. I like to say... "Hurricane from the east; no good for man or beast."

[Bluebasser86]

We tore them up Tuesday with a straight east wind. The best time to go fishing is when you can

[corn-on-the-rob]

There are times when it is true but nothing in fishing is ever certain. Never know unless you try.

[SirSnookalot]

Not here, west wind is the kiss of death, east wind is rougher weather, fishing is much better.

[WIGuide]

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]

Bad day of fishing > good day at work

[fishballer06]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I know out here in the west a north wind usually means its going to be a grind.

[BW208]

Where you from GOBIG?

[SirSnookalot]

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]

Where you from GOBIG?

 

 

In process of moving back to Vacaville.

[Ozark_Basser]

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]

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]

I worry more about how strong the gusts are more than the direction the wind is coming from.

[scaleface]

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]

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]

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.