Winds in the East, Fish Bite Least?

[Gandolf]

Hi All, I have thought of that old saying several times lately. The last few chances (not many) that I have had a chance to go fishing, the wind has been out of the east.

Any thoughts on this old saying? Have any of you paid attention to this over the years?

Thanks and regards,

Gandolf

[Buddy Sanders]

Gandolf,

I don't pay attention to any of those 'weather' related sayings, nor do I fool around with lunar tables, water temps, or water conditions when warm water fishing.

The fish can ALWAYS be caught if you can find them and figure them out.

Too much data from tournaments that fish regardless of weather/water conditions shows that someone always catches some.

My main problems is usually just finding time to go. If I let the wind/weather become too much of a factor, I'd NEVER get to the lake.

So, I go when I can GO, and I deal with the conditions as I find them...sometimes it's too much for me, and I don't do well, but I know that it was ME, not the fish or the weather that caused me not to catch fish.

Fish when you can fish...every time you can fish, and you can become a better fisher....

Buddy

[joe cool]

I think about that, along with the rest of the saying all the time, but haven't really seen any effects on my fishing. Some days my style works, some days it doesn't and I struggle, but I don't think the wind's direction has much to do with it except when I want to fish a certain area and a strong wind is blowing the wrong way, but that's another issue.

[WarrenP]

I am with "Buddy" on this. I go when I can and do not pay much attention to the "old saying", but, it would be interesting to keep notes and see if your "not so good catching" days fall on the days that the "old saying" states are not good fishing days.

I do know of some that will not fish on the days that the wind is out of the East, but, I will fish any day that I can...

[FishnDave]

Fish relate to certain areas when the wind is out of the west.
Since the "prevailing wind" direction for the latitude the U.S. is in is from the west, fisherman get used to fishing certain areas that produce fish much of the time, and chances are the wind is blowing out of the west during the majority of their fishing trips.

When the wind is out of a different direction, the fish adjust to different feeding areas. Anglers can be a bit more stubborn about changing their habits.

The above is less true in rivers and streams. However, if the wind is out of the East, it is likely because of some weather-related pattern, which in combination with barometric changes, temperature changes and such, will often have a negative affect on the fish's behavior.

A local walleye pro has told our fishing club repeatedly that,"There are ALWAYS active fish somewhere in a system. You just gotta find them. Guaranteed somebody else will."

I generally go fishing whenever I can, regardless of weather. Sometimes the worst weather provides some excellent fishing! Strong winds sometimes deter me, but little else will.

[Bluegill222]

Around here an east wind often means you are on the back side of a pressure front. The front can affect the fishing in several ways. The wind is a symptom in those cases rather than a cause.

I think there's an awful lot to be said for FishnDave's thoughts as well. We are often a stubborn bunch when it comes to altering our fishing patterns.

[FishnDave]

I was fly-fishing late last night (9:30pm-midnight), and the wind had switched around to the East. One pond I fished was slow, but I caught 5 fat bluegills, 2 nice crappies, and a bass in 1.5 hours.

Overall it was slow fishing there, so I visited another pond for 1 hour, and I caught 17 crappies, 3 bluegills, and 3 nice bass (15-16").

I had a lot of fish throw the hook before landing them last night. I've caught a lot of fish (probably around 100) on that one particular fly (a yellow version of Rick Z's boa yarn leech), and suspect the barbless hook may need to be sharpened, but I didn't have a hook hone with me.

I left my camera at home, and had to take horrible pictures with my cell phone.

[okflyfisher]

I go fishing when I can.

East winds are genrally after a major storm front has passed. I have noticed in these conditions serveral areas where the fishing is not as good(not that you can not catch fish)

Here in oklahoma our highly stained warm waters often become almost opaqe after a nasty storm which decreases your strike zone. After a few days the fishing returns to its previously superb status.If you happen to catch a light summer rain(no lightning) the fish go absolutely nuts

In Northern Michigan my dad in His later years of fishing liked to catch white fish off the pier at Grand Marais MI ( definately not fly fishing but I joined him when I could just to be with him) Fishing was always best of strong nw winds which created an along shore current which when the current hit the pier it created a strong river like current headed north out into Lake Superior. The current carried food which drew in and concetrated the white fish from deeper waters. After the front passed (and the east wind came ) there was no current and hardly any fish.

We never did well on yellow perch immedialy after front

I haven't noticed a difference for trout unless the stream was blown out. In fact if the stream is just of color some of those big nasty flies we all carry but seldom use can have a field day

As I said I dont let weather in general keep me from fishing I fish when I can

[dudley]

When the wind is in the east,
'Tis neither good for man nor beast;
When the wind is in the north,
The skilful Asher goes not forth;
When the wind is in the south,
It blows the bait in the fishes' mouth;
When the wind is in the west,
Then 'tis at the very best.

In saltwater fishing, here in the northeast anyways, the wind direction is a huge factor, more important than the moon phase and nearly as important as the tides
A light variable southwest wind is best
A northerly blow will turn the fish on for a short time, two changes of the tide maybe, then everything shuts right down until a positive weather change.
East winds bring the poorest weather and muck up the water with mung making fishing next to impossible.

Plus the wind direction dictates the best places to fish.
Wind directly in your face pushes bait and game fish toward shore.
High winds need to be avoided and finding a place to fish in the lee is the only course of action.
We listen to NOAA weather constantly in camp
Not so much for storm information, it's all about the wind

[Greg Hunsicker]

Normally the winds this time of the year are out of the southwest but today they were out of the northeast. SKUNKED! Nothing, nada, zilch. A bad day is normally a few very small bluegills and fingerling bass but today, nothing. It had to be the east wind thing. It must be true. It's true.

Greg