Bob Smith
bob@bassinbobs.com
Pensacola
Blue
Angels
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"BOBS LOCAL RIVER REPORTS"
Local Reports and Fishing Articles
Fishing In The Wind
To a lot of anglers the wind is something to be fought.
When the wind blows they run for protected waters where the surface is smoother and casting is easier.
They can fish better out of the wind.
Savvy anglers know that the wind is their friend, most of the time. Fishing can be the best around on the windward bank.
As the water is pushed up against the windblown bank, the microscopic organisms that the smaller fish feed on are moved to the windy bank. The smaller fish in turn will gravitate to these places where their food supply is the best, and the
bass, being an opportunistic feeder, will follow its dinner table.
Fishing in the wind is not as easy as working a calm bank, that probably goes without saying. There are the problems of accurate casts, backlashes, the reduced sense of feeling bites, and boat control to overcome.
Accurate casting on a windy day is a combination of skill and some good old "Kentucky windage". With some practice you can pretty much anticipate where your bait will land most of the time. By using spinning tackle instead of casting rods you can virtually eliminate the backlashes. Backlashes are a constant threat when casting during stiff winds or variable winds.
If possible keeping the boat close to your targets is one way to overcome frequent backlashes - you don't have to keep your bait out in the wind for a long distance. Additionally, there are other benefits to be gained by staying close.
The reduced amount of line you have out, with close boat positioning, will pay big dividends in detected strikes, especially if you are fishing a small bait or a worm where feeling the bites is crucial to success. If the wind is parallel the bank then it can also help you trolling motor batteries last a bit longer if you drift with it using the motor to control curse and occasionally as a break.
Heavy baits are more conducive to feeling bites than light ones, and the cast better to. However, small baits (like my favorite - Baby Eel and 1/8ounce sinker) can still be fished effectively. Using light line, and a spinning rod helps a lot. Also, the bow put in your line can actually help detect bites, since the line is fairly taunt and will transmit a bit to the rod. Another helpful hint is to keep the rod low to the water rather than high up. This keeps the majority of your line in the water not in the wind.
Common sense has to prevail in windy situations. Evaluate the situation at hand and do a little risk assessment. If it looks like you can be putting yourself in danger, find another area to fish. Water is a very powerful thing when set in motion.
Have a lot of respect for it, but don't let it intimidate you into fishing lesser areas.
Good Fishing!!
Bob
