Fishing The Wind

[Mudrider34]

I've never paid much attention to the wind and fishing. I was recently watching a fishing show and this guy said only if they could get some wind but nothing was ever explained. So how does the wind affect fishing? Calm vs moderate and heavy winds, and how does it affect a pond vs a big lake?

[Bass_Fanatic]

Wind does a lot of good thing for fishing. First of all, it breaks up the waters surface so that fishing lines, boating shadows, ect are less visible to fish. Secondly, it creates a false current, aka wind current, which can stack fish in a certain area. Lastly, it blows bait into an area this bringing up bass. Wind is your friend!

[Fishing Rhino]

What is a "false current".  I first heard this term used on Major League Fishing.

 

There really is nothing "false" about it.  The action of wind on the surface of water not only creates a current by moving water along the surface in the direction of the wind.  But this piles up water on the downwind shore.  In order to maintain a current there has to be a way for water to "escape" back against the wind.

 

It does this below the surface, so you have two opposite currents at work.  The surface of the water moving with the wind, and the water below the surface moving back against the wind, which stirs up the bottom to some degree.

 

I suspect that it is the gentle stirring of the bottom which attracts baitfish more than them being blown there by the wind.

 

Surfcasters prefer windy days to calm days because the waves stir up the bottom, attracting baitfish to a meal available to them by the action of waves scouring the bottom.  Fish such as stripers and cod are often attracted quite close to the beach as a result. 

 

I haven't done a lot of surfcasting, but I have been fortunate enough to catch some nice stripers in the surf when we lived on Cape Cod.  When conditions are right, as you bring the fish to the beach, you can see them in the vertical surface of the wave as they fight for freedom.

[Thornback]

I don't like the wind. I like the water to be like glass. Am I in the minority?

[Choporoz]

I believe the wind is a friend for a couple other reasons, also; it breaks up the surface and I imagine that you, your boat, your 'presentation' are going to be more 'stealthy' -- I also think that waves and surface action will stir more oxygen into the water, which is said to be a good thing for stimulating active feeders.  It certainly can be difficult, however -- boat positioning can be hard, if not dangerous; and sensitivity nearly goes out the window.....but I think that some wind is generally good.

[HoosierHawgs]

 

I suspect that it is the gentle stirring of the bottom which attracts baitfish more than them being blown there by the wind.

I've always heard that rather than baitfish being blown by the wind, that the wind blows around phytoplankton, and that the baitfish follow the phytoplankton. I don't know if this is true, it's just what I've heard.

[Danturner]

The wind is definately your friend however I am a fan of the glass surface. For top water fishing the glass surface is great but overall fishing from a boat it is much better with wind for the reasons listed above.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

I've always heard that rather than baitfish being blown by the wind, that the wind blows around phytoplankton, and that the baitfish follow the phytoplankton. I don't know if this is true, it's just what I've heard.

This.

[WPCfishing]

I like the wind at my back. I'll generally cast a spinnerbait in dark water or a .5oz ball head jig with a transaprent 4" grub in clearer water.

I'll look for deep, rocky or sandy shorelines. Works for me.

[NencBass]

The wind is definately your friend however I am a fan of the glass surface. For top water fishing the glass surface is great but overall fishing from a boat it is much better with wind for the reasons listed above.

 

This is a bit counter productive from my years of experience fishing in rivers, river fish tend to be skittish due to less activity on the water (smaller rivers such as my beloved Pasquotank) so when the wind picks up I prefer to throw a top water bait (especially overcast but not necessary) such as a buzz on a windy day because the fish pays less attention to the details of the bait and more attention to its action / vibration.

 

I may be in minority but I can catch fish all day long on a windy day following baitfish into smaller creeks, as soon as the wind dies so does the bite. I have also noticed this in the pond I fish near my work every afternoon after work, it tends to produce more topwater action on a slightly windy day than on a calm day. Calm days produce better on chatter baits and finesse worms.

[Jig Man]

This.

 

Yep, especially if it blows from the same direction for 3 days in a row.  This moves a lot of algae and plankton to the bank area giving shad plenty upon which to feed and game fish a veritable buffet.

[scaleface]

If the wind is high enough to create  large waves , the waves crashing on the shore stuns crayfish and baitfish . I have seen this happen . Bass and other fish get active shallow to take advantage of it. This is especially true around rip rap . 

[Canyon explorer]

I fish the windy banks much more often than lee banks especially with spinnerbaits,crankbaits etc.

Wind will gradually move schools of shad to the windy side.

Wind causes ripples which provides less light and more dark areas.

Wind causes current which can move bait to and under docks.

Heavy wind can roil the bank exposing crawfish, tadpoles, frogs and glass minnows.

[Canyon explorer]

I don't like the wind. I like the water to be like glass. Am I in the minority?

I can't speak about majority but I can assure you, you put yourself at a distinct disadvantage only fishing calm water.

[Thornback]

I can't speak about majority but I can assure you, you put yourself at a distinct disadvantage only fishing calm water.

I like to make my first cast just before or just at first light. At that time there is usually no wind and no sun. But I find the bass are ready to start feeding. I guess unlike most anglers I send a wild shiner up under a floating mat.

[papajoe222]

I don't like the wind. I like the water to be like glass. Am I in the minority?

In the minority? Likely, but if that's what you like, who are others to say different.  The good thing about a calm day is the fish aren't going to move around a lot and if you know where were yesterday, they'll likely be there today.

When it comes to locating active fish, the presence of wind is a big part of the equation. It can, just by it's presence, change the mood of the fish similar to an approaching front which it likely signals.

[Catt]

I aint heard a single word about wind speed, water depth, or structure other than a " wind blown bank"!

Winds 15 mph plus & water depths of 10-15' all the way to the bank. Cover: timber on these banks offer bass ambush point in multiple directions.

Structure: I'll get on the back side of points & position my boat within casting distance of the current/waves coming around the point.

Moderate winds (10-15 mph); offshore grass flats in 8-12', these winds stir the entire grass bed.

Shallow water marshes: I like getting on the back side of reeds, canes, or bulrush

[Jeff H]

I get tired of fighting the wind when it's 15+ mph day after day.  5-10 mph don't bother me.  I like some wind at all times.  Flat calm days ain't a favorite of mine and I want them no more than I do 20+ mph winds.  

[desmobob]

Wind is your friend (to a point...).

 

The area I fish doesn't get rough when it's windy.  The big problem for me is boat positioning.  I have a 17' aluminum bass boat and it really gets blown around.  I get frustrated trying to set the right speed on the trolling motor... it seems like I'm either getting blown backwards by the gusts or shooting ahead like a rocket when the wind subsides for a minute.

 

If I somehow come into some money, I'll get myself a Power Pole.  In the meantime, I picked up a Minn Kota Deckhand electric anchor winch on sale last week and installed it in the boat this morning.  I'll try it out tomorrow.  Maybe it will help me stay in place without too much fussing around.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[Catt]

Anchor

[Thornback]

I have a 17.5 Tracker aluminum, I use two anchors, mostly to offset the current because I mostly fish one of two impoundments. Two anchors also helps when the wind picks up. I always fish with shiners from an anchored position. My technique in anchoring, I don't just drop the anchor straight to the bottom and tie it off. I usually drop my bow anchor, let the line play out as the current moves me backwards, then when the line is all the way out I drop the stern anchor to the bottom and tie it off. One of my pet peeves is fishing with a buddy, being in the wind with just one anchor, and the boat swinging back and forth.

[Bankbeater]

I fish a lake that has a lot of vegetation in thick patches over about half of the surface. When the wind is blowing I can drift right across the tops of the weeds and hit the still side of the water on the backside of the weedbeds.

[BASSPATROL247]

One thing wind does is creates a surface current so to speak and that pushes plankton and other micro organisms into the downwind banks and concentrates them, therefore the baitfish tend to concentrate and where theres food theres hungry fish..makes shallow fish less spooky also, at least i think so...

[BASSPATROL247]

I aint heard a single word about wind speed, water depth, or structure other than a " wind blown bank"!

Winds 15 mph plus & water depths of 10-15' all the way to the bank. Cover: timber on these banks offer bass ambush point in multiple directions.

Structure: I'll get on the back side of points & position my boat within casting distance of the current/waves coming around the point.

Moderate winds (10-15 mph); offshore grass flats in 8-12', these winds stir the entire grass bed.

Shallow water marshes: I like getting on the back side of reeds, canes, or bulrush

Very good point! Wind will determine how fish will set up on structure, as a general rule of mine say im fishing a point, i will always start with the boat positioned on the downwind side of the point and cast into the wind and bring my bait across or over the point with the wind direction, not always true every time but ive did the opposite before and didnt get a bite and then moving to the other side and catch fish. That being said regardless i will hit any structure from every angle i can starting with what i stated above...flat calm days for me spell tough fishing for me most days, high pressure and blue dog skies are not ideal conditions... 5-10mph and partly cloudy days are what get me excited...

[egladding]

I fished a wounded warrior tournament last year and it was pretty calm all day. We were drop shotting in 8-12 fow. We could see fish all over but couldn't make one bite. The weigh in was at 3. At 1pm the wind picked up to about 5pmh and put a nice ripple on the water. By 2pm we had 18lbs in the boat and were culling. The wind turned the fish on. We were in clear water so I'm not sure if it broke up the silhouette of our boat or what but it was certainly the wind that enabled us to catch them.