Strong wind

[Guest avid]

What effect does strong windy conditions have on bass behavior?

[George Welcome]

Most often: very little. It's your behavior and your safety that is seriously affected.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Aside from providing cover (they can't see you as well) and giving us another pattern to try (windblown banks), I really don't know.

I know that a drift anchor is a gift from God on these days but in boats like mine (small), you have to keep Georges statement in mind. I hang my drift anchor off the middle of the boat in winds up to 20-25mph so we drift sideways enabeling us both to fish. Any higher and I have to launch it from the bow to keeping the nose into the wind.

[Panamoka_Bassin]

I have been under the impression that bass will try to stay out of the windiest areas, on the lee-ward side of a shore.  Whether this is true or not, I can't really say, but it is what I have been told in the past.

Otherwise, I do know that wind direction can play a factor, at least around these parts.  A nice little way to remember:  West is best, East is least.

[flechero]

Wind (through wave action) also diminishes light penetration, which IMO is the biggest help.  The bass are more aggresive and less spooky in low light.  Aside from that if there is a big shad population the wind helps to concentrate them by stirring up what they eat, in certain areas.

[ball_coach_1]

Sharing something at least ONE professional confirmed.  I actually try to fish the most wind blown part of the lake/water, as long as it is not ridiculous.  Two reasons, one being that nearly no one else is doing it (fighting others for protected coves or waters), and as mentioned above, believe there is a better bite due to less visibility (great spinnerbait conditions, and I like throwing a spinnerbait more and more).

When on Lake Fork a couple of weeks back, the day with the guide was WINDY (30+ mph gusts).    Later in the day he commented that he hoped we didn't mind, because he liked to fish the wind, for the same reasons mentioned above.   I am not a  pro, far from it, but it something I am committed to doing.

[Matt Fly]

The wind is your friend.

1.   after 2-3 days of steady wind out of the same direction, it postitions the planktons along the wind blown points and banks which shad and other minnow type baits feed upon.   Find the shad and find the bass, thus wind positions them.

2. As mentioned above also, mirror like surfaces with clearer waters will cause bass to dive deep into the cover making a money cast harder to achieve some times.    With surface chop as mentioned, you can't see into the water, and bass can't see you as easy and will/might position them selves on the edge of cover vise deep into the cover/structure/docks.   Making it easier to cast into.

I have found it is easier to drop anchor on rough days and fish points more thoroughly.    If I am throwing a search type bait, spinner, crank, I also use a drift sock/anchor to slow the drift down.

[Upnorth]

Although it makes for a rough run, windy days are the best for big smallies on the great lakes.  I carry two drift socks and work the trolling motor to control the drift.  Like the other guys said, the wind really breaks up your profile, especially in the crystal clear water we have up here.  Even on our inland lakes, fishing the wind is more work, but well worth the effort.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

The folks fishing the wind definitely catch the bass while most are taking it easy in the protected coves. I've had to dive into those places due to dangerous winds, but rarely see anything interesting on sonar and rarely catch any better than a 12" bass in there while the open water is churning.  Bass just know to get out in it. Down a few feet they are not affected by wind current, but like said above, baitfish forage is being blown around and caught in main lake pockets, along points, and against shallow ridges. One of my favorite places in high wind is between two islands where wind is funneled between them. There's usually a little pocket I can park in and cast out as much as possible into the wind, letting baits swim down wind. Bass line up on the lee side catching baitfish blindly following their food supply through the cut.

Wind also regenerates dissolved oxygen, which is highly beneficial to all water critters. It also accumulates floating debris in traps where bass will use it for shade and an ambush point.

Jim

[Rattlinrogue]

Not sure exactly what effect it has,but I can say that I've had 2 or 3 of my best outings this spring during wind and wave action that was almost unbarable.Always fished banks that were getting pounded by the wind ,or I fished with the wind across wind swept points.

[Guest avid]

The spinnerbait bite on my home lake really turns on when the wind is blowing hard AND the sky is overcast.  Big fish off of the wind swept points.

[cart7t]

Wind blows plankton up against shores or points

baitfish follow the plankton

bass follow the baitfish.

Bass then hang at murky/clear breakline on said windy point/bank to ambush baitfish.

I think you can figure out what to do from there.