Wind

[LrgmouthShad]

Hey ya'll,

 

I've generally heard a lot by now that wind is good for fishing offshore, and that it generally helps with fishing moving baits. The only reason I can figure why moving baits are better in the wind is because the light reflection off waves breaks up the profile of these baits. But for offshore stuff... I'm not sure why it is better in the wind. For the same reason? What are ya'lls thoughts and what else do you consider good areas to fish in the wind? 

[WRB]

Wind is wind, sometimes good, sometimes horrible.

Lake Casitas near me a breeze or light wind is always welcomed, turns the bite on. 

Lake Castias wind isn’t friendly, it’s nearly always a high wind.

Why is wind considered good off shore? Because it creates current, mixes up the plankton attracting baitfish around humps. But again light wind is OK off shore 3’ white caps are not, boat control becomes very difficult.

Tom

[OkobojiEagle]

3 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Hey ya'll,

 

The only reason I can figure why moving baits are better in the wind is because the light reflection off waves breaks up the profile of these baits. 

That and moving baits are easier to fish in wind.  Unless the wind is blowing into "off shore" shallow cover and/or structure, I find the wind has a greater effect on the windward shorelines than "off shore".

 

oe

[WVU-SCPA]

6 minutes ago, WRB said:

Why is wind considered good off shore? Because it creates current, mixes up the plankton attracting baitfish around humps.

Fish get conditioned into a feeding response just like people do.

 

I used to fly fish for trout under a rail road trestle 100+ hrs a year.  I can't validate it statistically, but had a higher catch percentage when a train was passing or just passed.  My belief is the passing train created vibration and air movement resulting in bugs falling and a feed opportunity.  The fish became conditioned to this as a dinner bell.  

 

Same goes with wind, current, and ambush locations. 

[LrgmouthShad]

1 minute ago, WVU-SCPA said:

Fish get conditioned into a feeding response just like people do.

 

I used to fly fish for trout under a rail road trestle 100+ hrs a year.  I can't validate it statistically, but had a higher catch percentage when a train was passing or just passed.  My belief is the passing train created vibration and air movement resulting in bugs falling and a feed opportunity.  The fish became conditioned to this as a dinner bell.  

 

Same goes with wind, current, and ambush locations. 

That is fascinating. Thanks for sharing

[Choporoz]

15 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

That and moving baits are easier to fish in wind.  

Yep.

 

Last weekend I went out in a kayak in 17mph winds, gusting to 25.  Could not buy a bite with anything moving.   Could not feel my bait when dragging. Found a couple small areas where I could get out of the wind somewhat.  The stupid bass wanted EXTREMELY slow presentations.  It was maddening.   I caught fish..even decent ones....but it was very challenging.

[king fisher]

Wind is good for the fish. For multiple reasons almost all sport fish prefer to feed on windy days. The problem is wind causes many problems for the angler most of the time. You have to find the sweet spot where The wind makes the fish start biting But doesn’t blow so hard It ruins your ability to fish.

[Zcoker]

Can't say how the wind effects the fish in a favorable way to the fishermen but from my own experience wind sure has put many fish on my hook. I find the hits increase substantially during windy days (or nights) especially if the wind is just starting up. I recall not too long ago a storm or front was just arriving in south Florida. The day had been very nonchalant with not much action, very calm. Then, suddenly, a cool, crisp wind picked up. The water rippled up and got wavier and then the wind started howling and blowing and I instantly started catching fish after fish, cast after cast. Maybe it was because of the storm, or the frontal pressure fluctuations, I don't know, wind is usually associated with both of those. Regardless, that wind sure did get things going! So 'wind is my friend' is a good motto to fish by, and I look for it to be around when I go out fishing, even if it's 25 plus mph!

[scaleface]

3 hours ago, WVU-SCPA said:

used to fly fish for trout under a rail road trestle 100+ hrs a year.  I can't validate it statistically, but had a higher catch percentage when a train was passing or just passed.  My belief is the passing train created vibration and air movement resulting in bugs falling and a feed opportunity.  The fish became conditioned to this as a dinner bell.  

 

Fishing the Mississippi river was best immediately after a barge passed by . The waves would dislodge things game fish liked to eat .

[gim]

There is a fine line for me when it comes to wind.  Some is fine.  More than some makes things difficult on the bigger lakes I fish.  One particular big lake I fish a couple times of year can become downright unsafe in the wind.  Boat control is also another issue in the wind.

 

Luckily I live in the land of 10,000 lakes and there are multiple options within a reasonable distance.  So even in a very strong wind, I can still fish on one of several smaller lakes in the area.

[cyclops2]

Any water with cormorant, eagles, herons and osprey ?  Calm, sunny clear water Is DEATH to fish a couple of feet down.   SOOOO 

I have all of those birds. 

 

Buutt

They were very few of the birds last year.  Fewer fish is only reason I can think of.

[Vilas15]

Wind breaks up light penetrating the water. Baitfish can get blown around, harder for birds of prey to hunt, easier for predator fish like bass to hunt. I hate fishing in the wind, but catch more fishing in the wind. You have to fight the urge to head to a protected bay for longer than a snack break before getting back out there. Greatest walleye fishing day of my life was this past fall in the highest winds I've seen. Killed the TM batteries spot locked on a point just getting beat up, but we were the only ones out there.

 

Wind blowing into the shoreline is great to get things churned up and get the fish going, boat control is difficult though.

[Bankbeater]

I was taught to fish the bank the wind was blowing against.  Sometimes that can get dicey if you can't hold the boat in place.

[Deleted account]

9 hours ago, WRB said:

Wind is wind, sometimes good, sometimes horrible.

Amen.

[TnRiver46]

The last time I caught a fish with the wind blowing was over a year ago (or at least that’s the last time I remember it happening). 
 

much rather have super calm conditions offshore (like avatar pic)