When the wind.......

[dudley]

When the wind is from the east.. that's when the fishies bite the least.
When the wind is from the north.. the brave fisherman does not go forth.
When the wind is from the west... that's when the fishing is the best.
When the wind is from the south... it blows the bait in the fishie's mouth

Or something like that.

I find this to be generally true. I plan to fish tonite. The forecast is for east/northeast winds 10-15 mph. But the first night of north winds seems to turn the fish on.
Do you take the wind direction under consideration when you fish?


[This message has been edited by dudley (edited 16 September 2005).]

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

When I get to go fishing , I get to go fishing . I cant afford to wait for the most favorable weather . Plus I live in a large valley and the winds are predominatly north/south .
I dont think the wind direction has as much to do with the bite as the wind speed has to do with the bite , just my opinion .

On the Saltchuck it makes a huge difference
tho which way the wind blows .

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Dudley,

Yes I do. I fish Lake Moultrie in SC
almost exclusively. It's a huge lake of
60,400 acres. The wind direction often
dictates the area of the lake that is
fishable due to wind induced conditions.
However, as to wind directions and the old
poem you quote, I've had many days on the
water that were contrary to it. But it's
been my experience that in some locales,
winds from a particular direction may be
indicative of other weather phenomena that
may have more bearing on the fishing, i.e.
a high or low pressure system moving in.
Give me the low pressure system any time.
Warm regards, Jim

[Jeremy]

....blows in your state it actually sucks in mine)

Have a nice weekend all.

Jeremy.

[Byron Zuehlsdorff]

If it ain't at least 20 mph, it an't no challenge!

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Wyo-blizzard

[MarkKillam]

I dont take wind direction into consideration much when fishing. Some of the alpine lakes I fish are in in narrow cirques where the wind either blows up or down the canyon depending on time of day. Same also applies to fishing the Madison where I fish it. I have on several occasions fished it where the wind is up around 40 mph....makes very good entertainment. All things said though I like just a slight chop on the water and use an EHC. Seems to work very well for cutts...caught 20 between 15 and 18 inches over a few trips plus a very fat 19 and 21 incher on a lake that will remain nameless and I know has a few bigger ones (since I broke off one that I guessed to be around 23) I have to admit I didnt see any caddis but the fish didnt seem to mind....maybe they are a bit less wary. Tried the same when the water was flat and they would look at the fly but not take it. Found the fish to be much pickier.

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Take care everyone and cya around. Mark

[fishlux]

The old adage doesn't work here in the middle of Ohio. Here we get a wind from the west, then the north, then east. After lunch it'll be totally different.

Lux

[teasels]

with the winds around here who knows.But I am going now that we have a nice cooling off.Just don't like fighting hard winds but a nice breeze works for me.

[Chuck S]

Out in the West they have a name for wind and rain and fire,

...

They call the wind Mariah!!

Or so goes an old Kingston trio ballad. One thing for sure, if you are a fly angler, you'd best get to know Mariah. From knowing the prevailing winds in your area to understanding what daily changes occur, it plays a big part in fly fishing from casting control to understanding fish behavior.

The biggest thing down here is having a number of good fishing holes we can visit depending on the day's wind and expected changes. Doesn't hurt to have a map laid out by compass bearings so at a glance you can tell which hole is unapproachable for any decent casting attempt and which is prime. A good guide takes you fishing while a great guide takes you out where the wind is always aiding your casting throughout the day instead of making things difficult.

Another aspect of the wind when fishing still waters or salt is how it interacts with structure and bait fish either blowing them to shore line for instance or scattering them.

Lastly it pays to know the wind and signs that accompany change as it may mean having a nice trip back to the landing or having a trip turn into a survival event.

And about that ditty that strated this thread. As I recall Stanley M Polltroon,s version was When the wind is from the east, then the fishes they will feast. When the wind comes from the west then the fishing is the best. When the wind blows from the south it carries the fly to the fishes mouth and when the wind is from the north then the fishes all come forth!!!! course that's all forecast with the bowl of Noodle Soup method found in "How to Fish Good, by Stanley.

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Good Fishing
Chuck Scheerschmidt
"I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved."

[MOturkE]

The best crappie fishing I've ever done was in an east wind blowing fairly stiff. All of a sudden the crappie disappeared and I didn't know why... the wind quit blowing. I didn't catch anything the rest of the evening.
I went out today and got maybe 3 bites without hooking anything. There were fish jumping frequently (probably gills), maybe after damsels but couldn't say for certain. One pretty big one cleared the water, maybe a 12 inch bass. Temp was cool and I guess there's a moon tonight. If only I could fish in the dark... (sigh).


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There's almost nothin' wrong with the first lie, it's the weight of all the others holdin' it up that gets ya'! - Tim