Fishing With The Wind VS Fishing Into The Wind

[DEPS_250]

Since the fish usually position/face themselves into the wind/current waiting for bait/food to funnel their way, they say you should always fish/cast into the wind and retrieve your bait with the current/wind. By having your bait move in this direction, it makes the bait look like what the fish are used to seeing real fish do and therefore achieves the most natural presentation. If you were to fish with the wind, you would be bringing your bait behind the fish and directing your bait at the fish's tail/back instead of directing the bait head on into the fish's mouth/front or sides. They say this could spook/scare the fish instead and therefore decrease bites. 

 

On the other hand, every lake/water/situation is different and conditions are always changing all the time. Therefore, positioning yourself into the correct angle in order to get the right cast into the wind/current isn't always going to plan out the way you want and sometimes you are forced to cast with the wind and retrieve your bait against the wind/current. In the case where sometimes the conditions and situations are not ideal and do not line you up for the right presentation/cast that you want, would most people agree that in these situations it is still 'worth it' to cast with the wind and retrieve your bait against the wind/current even though it might not be the most ideal or the most natural presentation? I mean, 'you gotta do what you gotta do' right?

[WRB]

Should learn to cast into the wind.

Option is cast 45 degrees in lieu of casting directly into a strong wind.

Tom

[Jig Man]

99% of the time I am going to fish into the wind.  I am a boat control freak and can’t get enough control going with the wind.

[Woody B]

Into the wind.  

[optimator]

This is one time where spinning gear comes to the front for me.

[softwateronly]

I set myself up to be uphill, downhill, or parallel.  Wind direction plays an important part in where I choose to fish, but it doesn't tell me how my bait will move when I'm there.  Wind doesn't really move the fish my bass eat, that's a step or two down the food chain ladder. 

 

Current is a different story, and I would lean to always working downstream.

 

scott

[LrgmouthShad]

I do prefer to cast into the wind but it is not a hard rule for me at all. I will break it if I want. 

[Smokinal]

As far as boat control goes, anyone who watched Schooled by Denny Brauer knows to always have your nose into the wind.

As far as casting, I suppose this forces an into the wind cast or as Tom said, a 45 to it.

[Bird]

Much rather fish with the wind and tap the trolling motor vs staying on it.

Baitcasters don't particularly care for casting into the wind.

 

[scaleface]

  I fish whatever is easier for me. 

[A-Jay]

For me, the wind (direction & speed) dictates where I fish. And that starts before I leave the house.  Clearly conditions can and do change and forecasts are notoriously semi-reliable.  But there are places/spots that get totally ruled out with big wind in a particular direction.

So matching the two works better for me.  That said, I totally prefer to be either heading up or down wind.  Both work for me.  What simply does not is making presentations with a big cross wind, especially long casts.  That wild bow in my line makes me crazy.  Always a last resort and rarely produces unless the bass are mostly suicidal.  I'm forever hoping just to be able to present baits effectively.  If and when I can do that, my odds and confidence go up a notch.

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

45 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

What simply does not is making presentations with a big cross wind, especially long casts.  That wild bow in my line makes me crazy.  Always a last resort and rarely produces unless the bass are mostly suicidal

I’ve noticed bass not biting under that scenario too. Doesn’t make sense to me but I won’t question it, I guess. 

[ironbjorn]

It's never a concern for me. I'm just not fishing in strong wind, period. Fishing is supposed to be fun, and I have other hobbies. Fighting the wind isn't something I'm going to do. It's miserable.

[gim]

Make sure you don’t pee into the wind otherwise it just ends up on your shorts. 

[Team9nine]

Who is this “They” who “say” all these things  Do “they” actually bass fish, or just pontificate on the basis of logic and reason without experience? To these “They” persons…

 

 

It doesn’t matter most days. I catch plenty of bass fishing both directions. 

[GreenPig]

 Often in light, moderate, and This is Almost Dangerous winds I've caught bass 360 degrees around the boat. I believe the deeper it is the less the wind direction or strength matters. If I'm fishing a lure(Jerkbait, Squarebill, Topwater, Spinnerbait, etc.)  above them I'll cast in any direction. 

In shallow water I do feel casting into and across the winds is beneficial when you're putting a bait in their face.

[WRB]

Logically a lure coming from behind a bass blind spot can spook it. Just a consideration.

My 1st experience with natural lake current was Lake of The Woods, Sabaskong bay at Split rock. The current through Split rock is the passage all the water goes through from the main lake and is wind driven. Sabaskong bay is about 20 miles long and the depth changes up to 2’ lime  a tide when the wind is blowing. That is a lot of current like a River.

Wind can have a major affect on how and where bass position.

Tom

 

 

 

 

[Susky River Rat]

I try to avoid wind. I will tuck into anywhere I can to get out of it. Yes, fish face into current. If you come up behind one with a bait from

the wrong side they will still eat it if they are active. It’s all about opportunity for them.  If fish are feeding they will tend to push bait to the bank to eat it which they would have their back into the wind/current.

[Tennessee Boy]

10 hours ago, gimruis said:

Make sure you don’t pee into the wind otherwise it just ends up on your shorts. 

Wisest advice on this thread.  ?

[A-Jay]

17 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I’ve noticed bass not biting under that scenario too. Doesn’t make sense to me but I won’t question it, I guess. 

"Something Else" that I've come to factor into my windy day fishing.

When it comes to presenting baits to just about any type of off the bank structure and or cover, (so drop-offs, humps, saddle areas, bottom contour spots like inside turn & long edges, even a mid depth weed edge), under the right conditions, each of these has a 'sweet spot' or at the very least, a somewhat more productive 'fishing direction'.

I do much better when the wind is blowing STRAIGHT ON or STRAIGHT OFF any of the above, as opposed to blowing Down one side or the other or 'along it' (if that makes any sense).

So if the structure I'm setting up on is facing West for instance, I'd prefer an East or west wind to fish it best.  The more northerly or southerly flavor a steady wind has on that spot, the less desirable that spot becomes for me.  At the very start of a wind event it might not matter much but as time goes on and wind currents increase, my success rate right there seems to decrease proportionately.

So boat position is key and at times I will 'work with' a slightly cantered blow, but if I can relocate spots or even better, choose the right lake to start, I am usually a lot happier at the end of the day.

#fishtheconditions

I need to go fishing.

A-Jay

  

[Tennessee Boy]

I learned an important lesson on Sanibel Island Florida that I always remember when fishing.   The south side of Sanibel is considered the best shelling beach in the northern hemisphere.  Why?  Because there is deep water south of the island and the prevailing wind is from the north.   Seems kind of odd that a north wind would result in shells being pushed north on to the beach.  What happens is the north wind pushes the surface water south which causes a northerly currents along the bottom to replace the water being pushed south.  This current moves the shells on the bottom north toward the beach.  When the tide goes out,  there are tons of shells for the tourists to pick up.  The stronger the north wind is,  the better the shelling.
 

The lesson I learned is this. The wind blows the water around but it does not blow it out of the lake.  What the wind blows away at the surface is being replaced by currents from somewhere and when the wind blown currents reach the bank, the water has to go somewhere.  I try to think about what currents the wind is producing down where the fish are,  not just the obvious ones at the surface.

[Bankc]

Either or.  There's a lot more factors that take priority for me over the wind.  Casting from the bank vs. a boat will often change things as well.  And I don't control the wind, so I usually fish a spot, and whichever way the wind is blowing will often not effect my approach.  Though sometimes I'll fish a windblown bank because of the wind, and sometimes I'll fish a more open spot that I have a choice of where to set up.  And if I have a choice, I usually go into the wind/current, if the wind isn't too strong to make casting at the distance I need almost impossible.  The exception being when I'm on the bank, where I'll usually opt to cast with the wind at my back for increased distance and being able to reel back against the wind.  

 

So for me, wind direction is a factor, but it rarely changes where I'm casting from or to.  

[Dwight Hottle]

@Tennessee Boy hit upon my thoughts. Wind direction & current are not always the same. A lake that drains from west to east has a westerly current even though the wind could be blowing from the east. Surface current & under water currents can be totally different. So it depends on the body of water. Obviously it is easier to fish with the wind increasing your casting distance especially when fishing mid depth to deep. Simply drifting with the wind can be very productive.  

[Catt]

I've heard all my life, the wind is your friend.

 

NO IT AIN'T! I HATE IT!

 

I'm talking sustained winds of 18-20+.

 

Like @A-Jay I fish a lot of offshore structures where getting bit is about angles & boat positioning. 

 

Then there's ROF, I'm getting bites on a 3/16 oz, the wind picks up & now if the 3/16 reaches bottom it ain't nowhere near my target. Everyone says to just go up in weight, problem is the bass want a ROF of the 3/16 & thumb there nose at anything else.

 

I ain't talked shallow water yet!

[Darth-Baiter]

wind is relative.  it really depends on the windspeed.  

 

i'm in a kayak, so i am in my truck headed home if it is over 10mph.  i can cast against 10 tho.    in Oklahoma.  Wind is the norm.  if i had powerful enought binoculars i can look way far and see the back of my own head.  it is flat over there!!  and Stripers munch in the wind.  so it is neccessay ro cast against the storm.  braid, a DC reel, and a 3/4oz lure...bzzzzz....like a rockstar.