Max wind you'll fish in..?

[Diablos]

i am sitting here right now contemplating whether to head out for late afternoon/evening fishing and the winds are 15-25mph.

i have a 1000lb boat/motor and sometimes just don't feel like fighting the trolling motor to hold positions.

[RandySBreth]

As long as it's safe to do so, I'll fish in anything from calm to almost hurricane strength.

It is a pain to hold position in the wind though...

[Hook Set]

Do it!

Fish the wind blown banks/points and put a beating on em. Had some of my best luck on windy days, gets things stirred up!

[Andy Taylor]

I hate fishing when it's too windy, but that's why someone invented anchors. It's almost impossible to fish a plastic worm without anchoring. When it's fairly windy, I tend to drift and cast.

[skunked_again]

typicaly you can find good grounds to fish in bigger winds. smaller lakes are harder but bigger lakes offer many more points. go fish.

[Bassnajr]

I fished one time in wind so bad, I looked like Lt. Dan from Forest Gump on the front of the boat!!!!!! (Is that all you got!!!)

[D4u2s0t]

Our lake is small, and doesn't allow gas motors, so we have small aluminum boats... I won't go out in anything over 7-10 mph, because any stronger than that and you can't control the boat.

[SJB1226]

I will fight the wind I dont care about it because boat control only becomes a little harder but I love fishing so I dont mind dealing with it. what keeps my in is if the main lake or river im fishing stays under 3 feet when its gets over 3 feet thats to rough for me and I dont like beating my boat and self up that bad. I mean I fish off a aircraft carrier lol (My 09 Nitro Z-9) so it can handle 4 foot chop with ease but not comfort lol and I dont "Like" to do my gear that way I will given its a big tourney with big bucks on the line but I wont just for a fun trip out fishing... so thats how I judge it.

[Sam]

If in a creek and out of the major force of the wind then there are no problems.

Usually up to 15 MPH with gusts to 30 MPH.

However, getting to and from the launch ramp is the problem.

If there are white caps then it is into creeks and close to the ramp. Otherwise, it depends on how much wind and if the fish are hitting lures. 

[Shad_Master]

I've heard it said that here in Nebraska - on a calm day you can fly a cast-iron kite - four foot rollers on big lakes are common - however, I have an aluminum boat and don't consider myself that good of a boater - so for me 20 mph is starting to push it, but have fished with guys with bigger, fiberglass boats in 40 mph.  Most of it depends on your boating skills

[Big-O]

I agree with the above comments on Safety First regardless of the conditions. We have the rest of our life to fish....as long as we're still around to enjoy it 

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[SJB1226]

This is the best advice! I know im a good enough boater to handle it when it gets nasty I just choose not to unless I have no choice. but what this gentleman said will keep you safe

I've heard it said that here in Nebraska - on a calm day you can fly a cast-iron kite - four foot rollers on big lakes are common - however, I have an aluminum boat and don't consider myself that good of a boater - so for me 20 mph is starting to push it, but have fished with guys with bigger, fiberglass boats in 40 mph. Most of it depends on your boating skills

[Catt]

Ideally 5-10 mph, realistically 20-25 mph

Wind or no wind I hold position by anchoring, too much feel is lost by constantly moving up & then being blown back.

[SirSnookalot]

These days my boat fishing is only done in the ocean, we have a 24' sea fox, bit small for my taste.  The wind is a secondary issue, the main issue is the chop, I do not enjoy anything over 6' anymore.  I think it's easier to handle a bigger chop in the ocean, the waves roll more and are further apart....inland or gr lakes can be more treacherous.

[WRB]

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/beaufort.html

Some lakes still use small craft warning flags; 1 red triangle flag = small craft warning, sustained winds up to 20 knots or 23 mph.

Every lake is different due to size and depth factors. Any inland waterway with wind generated wave heights of 1 meter or 40" is extremely dangerous for bass boats.

Use common sense and be safe.

WRB

[Nebraska Bassin]

I've heard it said that here in Nebraska - on a calm day you can fly a cast-iron kite - four foot rollers on big lakes are common - however, I have an aluminum boat and don't consider myself that good of a boater - so for me 20 mph is starting to push it, but have fished with guys with bigger, fiberglass boats in 40 mph. Most of it depends on your boating skills

You're not kidding about Nebraska.  South Dakota seems to be the same way.  We go fishing on Lake Francis Case from time to time with my brother, and he's used to some of the huge waves on that lake, so he'll fly right through everything with his bass boat.  I don't think I'd ever try using my dad's 16' aluminum Lund on that lake, though.  Some of the waves I've seen on that lake (in days when it's not even that windy) would swallow that boat whole.  We've had it on the water in some pretty windy conditions, I'd say as high as 25MPH, but when the white caps start forming, we either get off the lake ASAP, or don't put the boat in in the first place.

[Redlinerobert]

I fish for fun.  Anything over 10 mph is just not fun....

[K_Mac]

I have a hard rule of never fishing in wind greater than 50 mph.

It depends a lot on the lake. A couple of the lakes I fish have many sheltered areas that provide protection from the wind. I also fish a perched power plant lake that a 15-20 mph wind makes completely unfishable.