East shore vs west shore, AM vs PM, wind direction...how do you choose a spot?

[Neil McCauley]

I always like the leeward facing shore because I hate wind. But on calm days when I have my choice I am not sure where to go. I think it depends on the time of year to an extent. If early spring when the water is cold, you want an east/south facing shoreline because the morning sun is warming things up. And in the mid summer you want the shade on a west/north facing bank. Year-round weed growth may factor into this also- east vs west facing shorelines may get more sunlight. Or- am I overthinking this and a good spot is just a good spot? 

 

For example, where would you choose here:

 
 

[JackstrawIII]

In general I also try to avoid wind. If it's blowing hard that day, I'll find the most protected space I can find. Not only do I enjoy it more, but I tend to get bit better.

 

With that said, by far the biggest factors I consider when approaching a new or unknown body of water (where I don't know the "good spots) are: depth, shade, and structure/cover. In general, I dislike fishing deep water (over 10' or so), so I'm looking for shallow structure (like points and flats) that also have cover items I enjoy fishing (pads, docks, etc). 

 

In spring here in NY, shade isn't AS big of a factor... but as the summer comes, it becomes almost the #1 factor. To me, at least. So, that means east side of the lake in the morning and west side in the evening. I'm not saying that I think the fish go to different sides of the lake at different times of day, but their behavior changes and they get more aggressive when their area is shaded. 

 

My $.02. Worth probably about that much...
 

[casts_by_fly]

If its cold outside, I want the sun and warm water.  If its bright outside I want some shade.  if I feel like throwing a spinnerbait I want some breeze.  If I want to live scope I will pick calm.  All of those are hard and fast rules for bass.  Until they aren't.  Then the fish are where you find them and then you go to them regardless of direction.

 

When would I pick that spot?  When I thought fish might be there.  You've got a nice variety of depths available for prespawn, post spawn, and summer living.  Now you just need to fish it and see if they are there.

[gim]

I generally try to avoid the side of the lake where the wind is blowing in...but only if the lake is a sizable one.  Fishing in 2 foot rollers is not my idea of tolerable because 1) boat control is unmanageable, and 2) it can be borderline unsafe to get there and back.  But a nice chop is very desirable as it often can create a more aggressive bite with moving lures.

 

Stagnant, warm air coupled with bright sunshine is just as bad IMO, especially in the summer time.  It creates tough fishing for me and the bugs are free to do whatever they want, including bother and bite me.

 

 

[Functional]

My approach...take it for what it is.

 

1) Is there wind and how much? Hard I'm finding areas that have surface action but nothing that makes me wobbly legged on the deck (think the "protected half" of wind blown points, semi protected coves, etc.). Moderate I go straight to point #3. No wind I go straight to point #2

 

2) If there is very little to no wind I look for the shade sides of coves/points/shoreline etc. If its cloudy and there is shade everywhere go right to #3.

 

3) Cover, find the best cover you expect them to be in depending on where 1 and 2 put you. Docks, blow downs, rocks, weeds, brush piles, main/secondary points, etc. 

 

4) If its boiling hot, no clouds and dead calm with hardly any shady points (11am/4ish). Beach it and enjoy time with the family. 

 

Lure selection dependent on time of year and surface/cloud conditions. Seasonally there are exceptions to this. Winter/spring I'll hit areas that warm up fast or hold heat. 

[gim]

9 minutes ago, Functional said:

If its boiling hot, no clouds and dead calm with hardly any shady points (11am/4ish). Beach it and enjoy time with the family. Stay home and enjoy your air conditioning.

 

Fixed it for ya

[DaubsNU1]

I like a little wind...and now that I have spot-lock, I will fish the wind blown side of the lake.

 

I'm with @gimruis, if the wind is howling, big white-caps, I am playing it safe.

 

Wind from the west, fish bite the best

Wind from the east, fish bite the least

Wind from the south, fish use their mouth

Wind from the north, do not go forth (okay, not really here in Nebraska...we see north wind a lot...just get out and fish...unless it's howling)

 

[Pat Brown]

I am just gonna adjust how I target bass in windy areas vs calm areas or even windy days vs calm days.

 

There's usually bass in both places.  Same for sunny and shady banks etc etc etc.

 

What people are saying that I believe holds true: you'll have to feel out how 'calm water bass' like a bait presented on your body of water if that is your preference.

 

Same would hold true for 'windy water bass' on your lake.

 

What works one day might not work the next.

 

Some days the shade might fire em up.  Some days they might be munching in the sun.  'It depends' is about the only thing anyone can say with any degree of certainty!

 

Bass fishing is fun!  Solving the puzzle is probably  the most fun part. 😎😎😎🎣🎣🎣

[A-Jay]

While I can and do get bites in a variety of conditions and areas of the lakes I fish,

if it's safe, I do really prefer to be fishing with a some type of breeze blowing straight on to whatever I'm fishing.  

Pretty much all season

A-Jay

[MIbassyaker]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Stagnant, warm air coupled with bright sunshine is just as bad IMO, especially in the summer time.

 

1 hour ago, Functional said:

4) If its boiling hot, no clouds and dead calm with hardly any shady points (11am/4ish). Beach it and enjoy time with the family.

 

That's when you go find moving water and do a float for river smallmouth.

[gim]

4 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

That's when you go find moving water and do a float for river smallmouth.

 

Oh yes, been there done that so many times in the past.  Those hot nasty sunny days seemed to send the metabolism of those river bronzies into over drive.  Now if we could just stay out of drought...

[Functional]

@MIbassyaker unfortunately eastern NC does not have smallmouth. I'd be driving quite a bit to go do any SM fishing. Otherwise I'd be there lol. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I don't like rules but all things being equal here are my preferences.

 

East vs West - Whichever offers more shade at the time. 

 

AM vs PM  -  AM in warm weather,  PM in cold weather.

 

Wind - I like it if I can fish it safely.

[Catt]

Well! That's a big ol rabbit hole!

 

I make those decisions the day before, on the way to the lake, & finally on the water.

 

Y'all better have a plan B!

[throttleplate]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

Stagnant, warm air coupled with bright sunshine is just as bad IMO, especially in the summer time.  It creates tough fishing for me and the bugs are free to do whatever they want, including bother and bite me.

 

With this non stop rain here in fargo nd and into minnesota with all the low lying areas full of water including my back yard its going to be a mosquito fest like we havnt seen in a few years.

[Bankc]

I tend to focus less on what's going on above the water, and more on what's going on below the surface.  I focus more on cover and structure than sun and weather. 

 

Now, if the wind is really high, and it often is around here, I'll try to either find a spot out of the wind, or find a spot where the wind direction will blow me parallel to the bank so I can just drift and beat the bank.  And in the winter I might look for sunny spots, and in the summer I might look for shady spots.  So I'm not saying they're not factors.  They're just factors that are much lower on my list of priorities.  More of a tie-breaker between two otherwise identical spots. 

[MassBass]

I think if you are going to fish sizeable lakes, you need to learn to capitalize on the wind bite. It pushes microorganisms and bugs, concentrates baitfish, and makes fish move up to feed from the pelagic abyss. When bass are in wind, they are usually ready to chase and feed, a flashy spinnerbait is often a good idea. The wind distorts the surface so they can't see you, or hear unnatural disturbances as well. If it is unsafe, (or will be unsafe soon) don't fish it, but in big lakes you could be richly rewarded by fishing the wind.

[gim]

2 hours ago, throttleplate said:

 

With this non stop rain here in fargo nd and into minnesota with all the low lying areas full of water including my back yard its going to be a mosquito fest like we havnt seen in a few years.

Yep, but hatches are going to be biblical for the foreseeable future. Watch out for more ticks!

[Woody B]

I may not be correct, but the only time I look for areas protected from the wind is during the spawn.  Any other time I consider the wind to be my friend as long as it isn't so bad I can't accurately cast.     I believe the wind moves plankton around, so it moves baitfish around.  A wind blown bank can be very productive.  Same thing to some extent for what I call wind tunnels.  Narrow places in channels that funnel the wind in or even bridges.  Bass will hold in the eddy next to a bridge pilling and wait for an easy meal to come floating by.   

 

When it's super calm Bass are easier to spook too.   

[Swamp Girl]

I love wind, but my love is unrequited, as the wind doesn't love my canoe. Still, if it's 6/7 mph or less, I'm fishing the windblown shore. I just paddle a lot more because the wind keeps blowing me against the bank. 

 

As far as a.m. vs. p.m., they're both great. Mid-day is a challenge. I can catch bass in the middle of the day, but I can't catch 40 bass. 

[king fisher]

I like to fish in areas with very little wind, but I catch my bass where the wind is blowing.  I have to decide if I want to fish to fish, or fish to catch fish.  Sometimes I can have the best of both worlds fishing a point where the wind blows strongly across the point.  I can tuck in the lee side of the point in the calm area, and cast to the end of the point where the waves are crashing.  The bass will at times be in the same location ambushing bait that gets blown around the point. 

 

Many times I am forced to fish right out in the worst of the wind in order to get bit.  It is impossible to position my kayak, I can't anchor, I back lash my reels, and do a lot of swearing, but when a giant bass hammers my spinnerbait, I forget all about the wind.  Just remember the bass like the wind even if you don't. 

[Swamp Girl]

57 minutes ago, king fisher said:

I like to fish in areas with very little wind, but I catch my bass where the wind is blowing.  I have to decide if I want to fish to fish, or fish to catch fish. 

 

So well put. 

[papajoe222]

Very few spots are good year round. My first consideration is the season. Pre-spawn, I'm thinking PM and the area that gets the most sun during the day and doesn't get pounded by the wind. Once the spawn is over, I change my train of thought. Early morning east/shady side of structure and cover. I also am partial to the wind blown shore post-spawn.

I'm referring areas where I begin my search. You gotta have a plan A and a plan B. My plan B is an afternoon nap

[txchaser]

Windblown is usually more productive for me, but last weekend was the opposite. I kind of got lucky as I decided to fish some upwind on the way... just because? And I was on-em pretty quick. Same situations/locations downwind didn't produce at all.

[Bankbeater]

I don't really pay attention to shade or temps.  The lakes I fish are starting to weed up this time of year so the shade is easy to find, and if I'm not cold then I'm good. 

I worry about the wind.  I want to have wind on the water but I also want to be able to control the boat and not get knocked around by the waves.