I've got no idea where else to post...

 

One of the lakes I fish is around 7 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, and runs north-south. I fish out of a square bottom canoe, launching from the north end, and I have to be cautious about fishing on days with wind because the waves can get treacherous. The other day I got half way down the lake, a NE wind picked up, and I was struggling to make it back to the launch with my 3hp motor. As I neared the north end of the lake, the waves suddenly got more manageable...which got me thinking, do waves increase the further they travel? The implication being that if I stick around the same end of the lake from which the wind is blowing, the waves will be smaller, and I can plan my trips accordingly. 

Yes, if the wind is blowing from the north, the waves will be largest on the south end and smallest at the north end. And vice versa.

They sure do 

Seemed like a logical conclusion just wanted to make sure. Circling on the north end on breezy days will be my plan. 

It will most certainly at as a funnel. 

Worth a watch... it talks specifically about this (and more)

 

 

What the OP is describing is called wind fetch.  

So my main hobby is surfing. Obviously in the ocean. Not lakes. Waves don't get bigger as they travel. What your experiencing is called wind fetch. 

 

When there's a hurricane (or any substantial low pressure system) out in the middle of the ocean that wind is blowing unobstructed (fetch) for long distances. That energy gets transferred into the water. This is how waves are created. As they travel (again talking about ocean here) they actually get smaller as that energy begins to dissipate. 

 

I'm a surf geek. So I'm sure that's more information then your looking for. But technically, no they don't grow. But that north side of the lake has less fetch due to the land essentially causing friction. As you get further away from the north side you'll experience bigger waves due to the increased fetch (wind blowing unobstructed).