Windy conditions

[Christian Drake]

I've been having trouble with windy days and I've tried everything and I just don't know what to use.

[Crestliner2008]

What species are you fishing for? What is the water clarity like? Do you have to contend with weeds or brush? A bit more information would be value added. Personally, I dislike fishing in the wind, but when you have to, casting a spinnerbait in front of a weedline that the wind is blowing into, can be dynamite! You can also drift fish, but that's dependent on what species of fish you are after.

[eyedabassman]

In the wind I fish alot of reaction baits like cranks, swim jigs,swim baits,spinnerbaits,jerkbats,topwater. If uou  like to stay with bottom baits then just go heavy on yhe weight for more feel!

[Deleted account]

Hard to say without knowing where and how, but generally speaking wind is good. I normally go with somewhat larger and louder moving baits, and look where the wind blows onto shore, or creates current, eddies or color changes, and as always adapt as I go. A spinnerbait and squarebill are hard to beat, unless they have their heads buried in cover, then I like to pitch a beaver or something similar.

[bigturtle]

Throw a heavy lipless

[OkobojiEagle]

Bait control can be a b*tch in wind... anchoring your boat helps; so does keeping your rod tip low, both casting and retrieving.  All bait suggestions above are good!

 

 

oe

[Fishin' Fool]

Spinnerbait/Chatterbait don't give up.  Usually windy days bother the fisherman more than the fish.  The fish tend to be much more active on days like that.

[Catt]

Don't ask me!

 

Caught 3 tighteyes this morning

[MassYak85]

If it's not too windy I like a spinnerbait a lot. Topwater can also be very good. Last year I had some of my best days during the summer throwing a whopper plopper 130 in whitecaps. Lipless is another good option as you can still cast them a mile up wind and they are a good baitfish profile to fish wind blown banks. Usually I let the wind dictate where I fish more so than what I fish though. I still like bottom baits so long as I can keep in contact with them. Stuff like a dropshot I usually put away but I'll still fish a jig or t-rig in areas it seems like the wind may have blown some forage. 

[WRB]

There is wind and there is wind, define the sustained wind speed you are having trouble fishing in? Boat or shore?

Tom

[FCPhil]

Some of my best days of fishing have been windy days. Topwater is where I start and the more waves there are the louder I like the presentation. Walking topwater or popper for less wind, Pompadour and Whopper Plopper/buzzbait for more wind. If you go subsurface I recommend lipless crankbaits and larger swimbaits/glide baits (if the water is clear). 

 

[papajoe222]

A little more info will get you more specific replies. I will say, however, that there are a few things you can do to make things a little less frustrating. 

The first is to cast either directly into or with the wind. 

Second, keep your rod tip low (as close to the water as possible. Both actions will help keep the wind from moving your line and lure. 

[scaleface]

Wave action will often bring the fish shallow . The waves dislodge and stun bait . I like to parallel cast the  banks with various lures . It can be a tiring day trying to keep the boat in position and not running ashore but the fishing can be spectacular .

[RoLo]

 

Benefiting from windy conditions is not so much about what you use,

but is mostly about 'where' you place your boat. In a stiff wind, it's more pleasant to fish

in a sheltered cove, but the war is being fought in the teeth of the wind.

It's mandatory to place your boat where plankton and baitfish are piling up,

which provide stakeout points for predators. Focus on windblown points, windblown ridges,

windblown weed-lines and windblown shorelines where predators can trap forage against a barrier.

 

Roger

 

 

[FreddoB]

GREAT information to all! Thanks! So now this newb bass angler might "want"some wind?!? Say what!?! OK bring it I'm trying these tip and tricks.

 

QUESTION: How is it that the wind will drive bait fish toward the the areas it's heading to (the forage is underwater)? I'd like to understand this!

 

Thanks and regards - Freddo

[RoLo]

12 hours ago, FreddoB said:

GREAT information to all! Thanks! So now this newb bass angler might "want"some wind?!? Say what!?! OK bring it I'm trying these tip and tricks.

 

QUESTION: How is it that the wind will drive bait fish toward the the areas it's heading to (the forage is underwater)? I'd like to understand this!

 

Thanks and regards - Freddo

 

The process begins with plankton.

Phytoplankton (vegetable life) is totally immobile, and at the mercy of wind, waves and current.

Zooplankton (animal life) enjoys marginal perambulation, but is no match for wind, waves & current,

and is swept down-current right along with phytoplankton.

 

'Forage fish' applies loosely to juvenile fish and fish that are small at maturity.

'Plankton' is the staple diet of forage fish, and they follow rafts of plankton like a dog on a leach.

In a brisk, steady breeze, plankton & baitfish eventually pile up against windblown barriers

such as islands, shorelines, underwater ridges and so on. Whether game fish actually follow

baitfish or plankton is blown into game fish habitat the result is the same, a feeding frenzy.

 

Roger

[scaleface]

  I dont see how  wind blows baitfish toward the shore . They are under water,  the wind doesnt touch them . The wave action stirs things up . Baitfish are attracted to that .  

 

 This is off subject but the wave  from boats do  the same thing . On the Mississippin river I've watched first hand waves from barges dislodging crayfish .   Barge waves slapping against a rip rap bank often causes a short lived feeding frenzy .

[Dtrombly]

Wind + stained/dirty water= spinnerbait for me 

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Definitely need more info. Boat, kayak, shore?

Soft plastics? Hard lures? Casting, spinning?

[scaleface]

2 hours ago, Dtrombly said:

Wind + stained/dirty water= spinnerbait for me 

 

I went yesterday and my plan was to fish a rip rap dam last .  The wind had been hitting it hard all day and the water 6 to 8  inches visibility . I figured there would be some bass willing to hit a spinnerbait or crankbait there .I didnt have enough battery left to fish it . I ran it dead fighting the wind while fishing  points  but caught a lot of bass doing so .