Windy conditions strategies...

I am interested in hearing what others plan for a fishing trip, when you know it is going to be windy when fishing. I don't mean severe, small craft warning stuff, just very breezy 10-20 mph.

It is like that a lot this time of year after fronts move thru on my lake. If it is, say, NNW winds, I just look on google earth or Navionics to find the creeks and areas that would be sheltered on the NNW side (also ramps). Maybe step up a size or two on jig weight. The other thing that is different right now is that is has also been warm for a January (60-70 highs) and raining a lot. I've been having the best luck lately dock shooting up-river, but the rain has all that looking super muddy, so down toward the main lake I go.

I use spot-lock MK feature a lot, and it is great when the wind is steady in direction and strength, but hunts around and over-shoots a little when the wind is twitchy, changing in direction a lot. I've bumped a pier or a dock a time or two not paying attention (I had a nice fish on LOL).

It can be aggravating fishing in the wind, but I am going anyway. Also hard to keep a cigar lit. :cheers2

Spot lock surely helps with boat control. Even if it hunts around it is no worse than running by foot control and having a fish on. Too much erratic wind usually puts me back on the trailer

I love a "breeze" like that. We just side drift our rigs or use the side mounted TM to kick us up even faster. It may sound incredible, but we've had our best luck drifting (controlled or just by the wind) with some pretty stiff breezes. Sometimes it seems like our jigs (1/16 & 1/8 oz.) are water skiing! Yet.....over 20' of water, we've brought up many crappie, white & yellow perch and even bass doing this. Not sure why it work, but it sure does for us. :)

NNW is where you are supposed to look first in the early part of the year I hear ….
but I thunk it was due to the warmer waters along those banks from the exposure to more sunlight ….
I had no idea it was wind related ...

We use the wind to our advantage on one particular lake when it blows the hydroponic growth and baitfish toward the shoreline. Big crappie just feast on this offering and the occasional jig we pitch.


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I just move to the shoreline from the direction the wind is blowing where I can usually find calmer waters. The crappie may not mind the wind but my back hates the bouncing conditions the wind gives you.

Wind is a pain at times !
I usually try to use the lake shore terrain to my favor.
I’ve had some luck using the brush grippers when fishing around trees.
Clamp on and fish the structure with the wind in my face
( old school spot lock )


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If the lake has a lot of cuts and bays, like my home lake does, you should be able to find an area out of the heavy wind. I’ve searched these areas on days when I’ve limited early or had a slow bite day to find the spots the fish hold on. Found brushpiles in these areas. On days when I can’t take bouncing in the wind, I go fish these places. We’re not permitted to drop brush but the COE has dropped structure in a lot of these areas already. If you’re permitted too, drop some brush in these spots for future use.

I do the same thing, the flooded reservoirs in this area have lots of fingers and coves. It's usually not hard to find one that is sheltered from the wind.

I like a little breeze, but much more than 10mph starts to make boat and jig control difficult.

I have spot lock as well, while it's not perfect it sure beats getting blown way off target while you fight a fish.

In my pontoon I point the bow towards shore and use the trolling motor to stay in the zone and drift down the shore. If the wind is from a steady direction blowing offshore I'll look for structure, toss the anchor up on shore and let the wind push me back until I'm over the structure then tie off. Up to 15 MPH I do ok, anything over that forget it. This is on my charter trips and I have to be out there. Personally, I'd just as soon be off the water windy days.