Fishing in windy conditions

I don't know how fishermen and fisherwomen can do it. I tried earlier today during a 15 - 20 mph wind today and at first i was casting sideways to the wind, decent casting, no tangles, but the area wasn't ripe for fish. So i went to an area that was suitable, unfortunately i would have been casting into the wind and the bait would have stayed in shallow waters instead of further out where i wanted it, this is when i ran into my first tangle while casting (had to cut the line and re-rig the rod. My third location was a dropoff facing with the wind, this i thought was perfect, i have the depth i want and the wind at my back to take the lure further out. Wrong! I tangled three more times while casting the line, one i got out in 10 min, the other two times, once again i had to cut the line and re-rig it, after the third time, i called it a day. I was wasting $35 fishing line because the wind kept tangling up my line while casting.

Any tips on where i should fish during a windy day like that, or what type of fishing line i should have on? It truly is annoying to have a near perfect day to fish except for the wind.

Wind just plain makes it difficult.

High wind makes for a rough day, I don't have any good advice

When it is windy and your out on the lake...It is a must have a marke bouy...If your fishing brushpiles etc....That is my one tip...But, I am not a fan of the wind myself..But, sometimes on the windest days...The fish will bite better...Sometimes..


Go with the heaviest jighead you feel comfortable with..

Jeremy

I usually stay home or go home if the wind kicks up, just not any fun imo.

A for effort tho

We fished in 15 -20 winds today too. Can't control the boat, can't get the bait to the spot you want. I finally anchored a ways above where I wanted to fish, let the wind take my bait to the spot. We started catching fish, but got a phone call and had to go to shore Anchor up wind of your spot.

I don't know what part of the country you are in, but here in East Texas I hunt a creek when the wind is tough. I will try on the inside of a point just out out of the wind. I also do under hand casting and as low to the water as I can get it. I hope this helps.

Have a good evening.
Jim

Well i got some advice from a friend to fish in an area where a hill is behind you, kind of deflects the wind. Most of the fishing i do right now is shoreline fishing. No boat, yet.

Best Place to fish in the wind is straight down. Ferdi aka Fred

Sounds like you might be using braided line from the price you quoted. That is difficult in the wind sometimes, have to really pay attention to the reel and if the line is looping or not. If it's mono, I don't know what to say other than what has already been said, wind makes it tough. Weighted bobbers maybe?

wind makes it real tough

The key to me not getting frustrated is to find a spot out of the wind. I can pick a protected cove, bluff, etc and be quite comfortable in 20+mph winds. Many times I can't fish exactly where I want, so I'll have to change locations. Many times the lakes will have much less traffic during high winds, and IF you're "slaying 'em", the wind won't bother you a bit!

use heavy jigheads.

I know what you mean about the wind, Chris! It's been a breezy spring around here, hasn't it? Seems like when it's not blowing 20-30 mph, I don't have the time to go fishing. And when I have the time, the wind is howling!
It is very frustrating indeed!
I hope Saturday, the 14th, is a nice day. I plan to take my daughter fishing that day.

I've been working on my underhand cast technique to keep the lure from being carried by the wind. Yes I am using a braided line both a 20lb and 10 lb line. Yea the wind has been pretty treacherous lately. This week looks pretty rainy now. Showers and storms through next Tuesday.

Many of the lakes here south and west of Chicago are very clear to gin clear waters, and many of them are perched retention ponds built to catch the wind as they are used to cool power generating stations. Many times no wind means not catch ing any fish. The chop on the water gives you a little more cover to get up on fish that would most times be spooked if the water was calm. My sugestion is to use that to your advantage. Focus more on boat control, make shorter casts, the fish will not spook away from your boat nearly as much in the windy conditions as they would on calm days, and keep the same size jighead that has been productive for you. If you need more weight to get your bait to the fish, try splitshots 18 to 24'' up the line. Works well for me.

Ray

I have always said "wind is my immortal nemisis". I HATE dealing with it. Can't position my boat right, stuff trying to blow out of the boat, can't cast where I want...etc. I get frustraited easily in such conditions, so I learned to just wait for calmer days. However, a few thing I learned while battling my arch-foe that helped. 1) Use an anchor on both the front and rear of the boat to help hold your position. 2) Locate almost directly over the brush pile. 3) Fish straight down...no casting. 4) If possible, find a creek, cove, or lee side off a bank with big woods to help block the wind.

We are lucky here on the sister lakes of Ky and Barkley Lakes to have dozens of bays that face different directions...

I watch the weather forecast for the day of fishing to get the wind direction...then I study my topo map to determine which bay (or bays) I can effectively fish with the forecasted wind direction...

Rickie

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Originally Posted by jimp

I usually stay home or go home if the wind kicks up, just not any fun imo.

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Once the wind gets that strong my day is usually done too unless I find a wind protected area to fish. $35 fishing line?!?:eek:

I can't help you with the wind, but this may help you with the tangles.......

Trick Using Baitcast Reel (Get Rid of Backlashes Easily)

It is from a bass fishing site, but it is good information anyway.

Being stuck on the bank in the wind is frustrating to say the least, but the wind can be your friend. I've found that especially in waters without a current the wind can sometimes stack the fish up on the windy side of a point or bank. It pushes the bait and where the water gets shallow quick the bait is concentrated against the shallower water. I've had days when it was hard to keep my cap on and found fish piled up in 3-4 fow or less on a flat where the wind was blowing up onto.

Throwing a cork with a minnow against the wind is tough, but switching to something heavier and more compact makes a big diff. Also, wind calls for spinners, that's an old rule that I've found holds true in most types of fishing. Try a 1/4 oz Roadrunner with a curly tail, or a 3/8-1/2 oz Little George or even a small Kastmaster spoon.
If you really feel that a minner is the best bait, try a cedar float and plenty of lead.

If it's blowing 15-20 mph then I pick another day for fishing.:o

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Originally Posted by Drifty4

I can't help you with the wind, but this may help you with the tangles.......

Trick Using Baitcast Reel (Get Rid of Backlashes Easily)

It is from a bass fishing site, but it is good information anyway.

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If you use spinning gear, do not use the reel handle to close the bail. Close it by hand, make sure that the line is in the pickup roller, then tug on the line while you reel it in a few turns. This will keep the line tight, and allow a few seconds for your bait to sink. When you close the bail with the reel handle, you may not always get it promptly in to the pickup roller, and you will introduce a 1/4 twist into your line. After a few dozen casts, you have a mess waiting to happen. I got this from a book written by pro bass (yes, I know I shouldn't use 4 letter words here!) tournament fisherman Jimmy Houston.

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Originally Posted by flyboy2610

If you use spinning gear, do not use the reel handle to close the bail. Close it by hand, make sure that the line is in the pickup roller, then tug on the line while you reel it in a few turns. This will keep the line tight, and allow a few seconds for your bait to sink. When you close the bail with the reel handle, you may not always get it promptly in to the pickup roller, and you will introduce a 1/4 twist into your line. After a few dozen casts, you have a mess waiting to happen. I got this from a book written by pro bass (yes, I know I shouldn't use 4 letter words here!) tournament fisherman Jimmy Houston.

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That's good stuff, it's also good practice to look at your spool before every cast. That little loop sticking out of the spool will be a big mess if you try to cast it out, but if you carefully strip the line off by hand until you get the loop out it's much more manageable ..... just be careful where and how you strip it off, lay it out neat and away from stuff it can tangle on.

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Originally Posted by jonny177

use heavy jigheads.

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2nd that. Heavy jigheads (3/16 oz.) with sidearm cast. Put something on you can reel back with action, like a Bobby Garland Stroll'R or a Mister Twister Sassy Shad. If you're intent on bobber watchin' it will have to be a weighted bobber and plan your cast well upwind of where you think the fish are...it will get there soon enough...

Or, like some others said, find somewhere to vertical jig so you don't have to cast. If there's a north wind find a south bank dock (and vice versa) and let the wind & waves carry your bait back under the dock to the fish.

In Oklahoma, if we didn't go fishing because of wind we'd never get out! :D

Guess my main problem was using too small of a lure for the windy conditions and not keeping the lure close to the water, allowing the wind to grab it and bring it back towards me and twisting up the line. Very good advice from everyone, thank you.