Wind – Love it or Hate it?

For a long time I had a hate relationship with the wind. It is the only thing that would keep me off the water. After fishing with some guys who are older and wiser, they all made a good case that wind is a fisherman’s best friend. It moves the baitfish/food source to one side of the lake.

I have tried to fish the windy shore ever since with mixed results. I find myself still drawn to the quiet protected cove on the OTHER side of the lake.

Do you instinctively fish the windy shore? How much difference do you think it makes?

Thanks,
Dave

Take Lake Pepin for instance… the wind is like magic out there in May & June. No wind, fair – poor fishing. Get some 2 footers rolling into a shoreline and the fish go nuts. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been fishing a shoreline in calm conditions, struggling to catch quality fish, waiting for a forecasted wind to show up. Once the blow starts, the fish just “turn on” and the average size increases noticeably. Not all the time but most of the time.

I will say that 4′ waves aren’t “better” then 2′ waves so there’s no need to kill yourself by fishing right in the teeth of a gale force wind. There is a point when ability to fish effectively is lost and sticking it out stubbornly needs to be evaluated.

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Take Lake Pepin for instance… the wind is like magic out there in May & June. No wind, fair – poor fishing. Get some 2 footers rolling into a shoreline and the fish go nuts. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been fishing a shoreline in calm conditions, struggling to catch quality fish, waiting for a forecasted wind to show up. Once the blow starts, the fish just “turn on” and the average size increases noticeably. Not all the time but most of the time.

I will say that 4′ waves aren’t “better” then 2′ waves so there’s no need to kill yourself by fishing right in the teeth of a gale force wind. There is a point when ability to fish effectively is lost and sticking it out stubbornly needs to be evaluated.

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That is absolutely what I was going to say. The difference in average size is unmistakable on Pepin when there is a chop on the water.

Gator Hunter

The wind can really turn the bite on. Lakes like Mille lacs can produce a hot bite when the wind is really blowing. My favorite bites are sunny warm days when the wind is kicking up 3-4 footers. Bobber fishing the shallow reefs can be hot.

On any body of water, If you have a prevailing wind for many days, I would almost always target that area..

After Erie, all I can say is HATE IT!

Depends….trolling raps at night, love it…The thing I hate is looking at the weather report and seeing that the wind will be 5 to 10 mphs from the Northwest and then making the drive to Mille Lacs just to sit in the parking lot and watch the 4 to 5 foot rollers pounding the shoreline. I don’t why it always seems a lot windier there. I guess I shouldn’t complain, the drive to Mille Lacs is a lot shorter than the drive to Erie.

Travis,

I feel for ya man!
I was talking to one of my buds on his way home from Erie last night, and he commented that there were alot of disgruntled anglers at the RCL for not building in a blow day on large waters such as Erie. Your almost garanteed a bad day 1 out of 3 much less 1 out of 4. There format is not good for those big lakes. A lot of people are not happy with spending $600-$1100 bucks for one days fishing. But I guess you all knew the risks going in, and the rules are the rules.

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The thing I hate is looking at the weather report and seeing that the wind will be 5 to 10 mphs from the Northwest and then making the drive to Mille Lacs just to sit in the parking lot and watch the 4 to 5 foot rollers pounding the shoreline.

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I have a personal rule that I use for wind and Mille Lacs. If the forcast is for 5-10, I add the 2 together and expect that! So in this case I would expect a steady 15!

I also like a quote that ~H2O~ wrote a couple years back…”If a frog farts in Garrison, expect 4 footers on the south end”!!

Congrats on your finish on Erie Travis, sorry you didn’t get a second day!!

As for the wind, while I don’t like how much extra effort it forces us anglers to put out for boat control, it is often the key to feeding fish. I’ve had the same results on Pepin as stated above. Out on Oahe, it was a must to fish in the wind most days. We always fished the big points with wind blowing into them. Mudlines were a key to our success out there.

Hate fishing in it. Love the bite it produces.

Very interesting… thanks guys.

Dave

After coming to Devils Lake from Lake Oahe I thought I could handle wind. On Oahe the waves would build into nice rollers with 12-15 miles of open water and a 25 MPH wind. No biggy, toss out a wind sock and drift spinners on 3 mile flats, motor back and do it again. On Devils Lake they build for 8 miles and turn into the nastiest buggers you ever want to see with a 25 mph wind. The waves are tall and close. The front and back of your boat can be in the swell and you can’t see over them. The waves are breaking at your transom and at the bow. It can be scary. You need power on demand. A high five prop and 200 horses is nice.

Being I live a block from the block and can fish on a whim, I don’t push this lake. Usually folks want to cancel their guide trip when you stand at the dock and watch the waves break over the dock.