Well it's that time of year again where we all have to deal with wind. Fishing in the wind can be very productive...or dangerous. So where do you draw the line?

This video helps you weight the options for your lake or river:

But if it's safe to go fishing, then here's how to capitalize on it:

What about you? What are your tips for fishing in the wind? When do you call it a day and stay off the water?

Varies based on the size of the lake/river.

The smaller lakes (about 250 acres), it's no big deal. I can safely travel and fish effectively.

But there are two larger lakes that I occasionally fish where the wind can be a significant factor, and one of them is a giant round open version. That one is downright dangerous to be out there in big winds so I watch the forecast carefully in advance if I'm going there.

I've owned my boat for 10 years now and I know what it can handle, and cannot.

12mph and under.

I always avoid center of lakes and large bodies of water because wind can change quickly, and I always use the trees to help block wind.

It is one of the first things I check before going out, and as soon as on the water, take wind into consideration for where to fish on some lakes if too windy just to use the trees to block wind.

In the summer here in Florida the radar and weather can all look clear going out. And then once on a lake a storm can form right over top of us quickly and hit us with winds sometimes reaching 70mph. I have had to run for shelter numerous times. Calm lakes can turn into white capping 24"+ swells in seconds.

When I am on lakes if I think bad weather may happen, as I work my way around lakes I am always keeping an eye out for places to shelter like empty open boat houses and bridges which I have had to use many times. Sometimes we will fish around a bridge and keep it close just in case.

Another issue we have to deal with here in Florida in my area is the east coast sea breeze. It is kind of separate from the normal weather predictions. Winds can go from calm to 20mph straight winds in seconds when it hits.

A great topic!

Most of the time the wind is my friend. The wind can set the table for some great fishing. I like for it to be from the same direction for 2 or 3 days. What that does is set up the buffet. The wind will move the algae toward wind blown banks. The zooplankton which feed on algae follow along. The fish like shad which feed on zooplankton join the parade. The predators are now set up to feast on the buffet.

If you have the power you can fish into the wind at what ever speed you prefer. If you don’t you can fish down wind and slow down by turning the trolling motor on and pointing it towards you like you were backing up. You will have to make several adjustments but it is doable. Side winds are the most difficult for me as I keep having to pull out to maintain a good boat position.

A sustained wind at 30 mph will usually keep me home.

I know that a lot of smaller craft can’t handle as much wind as I can. That’s why I have a 2,000 lb 20 ft boat with a long shaft 112# thrust trolling motor.

I've dealt with more than too much on more occasions than I'd rather. I'm really confident in my abilities and my kayaks abilities. I quickly realized yesterday, my tolerances are much lower when my kids are involved. As soon as it started gusting around 25 and I saw the little white caps forming, I immediately made the call for us to get back to the ramp and I'm glad I did. I know what I can do and handle, but I don't want to put my kids in that situation and I'm not sure what the little Hobie my oldest son is in can handle.

I dont have a boat that handles wind very well. My wife wanted this deck boat , 22 foot Lowe, that blows around like an empty potato chip bag. Being she hardly goes out, I've been trying to talk her into getting something more suitable for fishing. I fish a lot from a one man plastic boat and cant take it out in heavy wind.

It has to be under 10 mph for me to launch...unless...I can find shelter where I'm launching. I especially like the responses by @Jig Man and @FloridaFishinFool. I do wish I could fish wind beaten shorelines. When I had bigger boats, I could and scored and scored on those wind beaten shorelines.

Anything over 10 mph in my paddle kayak makes it pretty unpleasant to fish which is unfortunate bc the wind can definitely be your friend as far as catching fish goes.

When I had my last bass boat, we went camping at Mark Twain lake. The first day there was a sustained thirty mph wind with stronger gust . I fished from the wind blown bank that day and caught all kinds of fish. Several different speices including bass ,capped off by a 20 lb flathead. Next day the wind subsided , I took the boat to that same bank and blanked.

51 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I dont have a boat that handles wind very well. My wife wanted this deck boat , 22 foot Lowe, that blows around like an empty potato chip bag. Being she hardly goes out, I've been trying to talk her into getting something more suitable for fishing. I fish a lot from a one man plastic boat and cant take it out in heavy wind.

I’ve been down that rocky road. My wife just had to have one. However I did not get rid of my boat. We had some great times taking another couple with us. She could never figure out why I never took her boat when she didn’t go, WIND.

Bank fishing? Idk I can take a lot before I get to annoyed lol. And have had some great days. Back when I kayak and canoe fished. Oh boy was I young and have put myself in some situations I had no business in. Especially

Fishing the intercostal and bridges in Florida. Interested to see what gets annoying in my new boat.

1 minute ago, Joedodge said:

Interested to see what gets annoying in my new boat.

I just hope you don't have heavy metal bands on Jet skis equipped with bazookas in Iowa. They are annoying.

Just now, Swamp Girl said:

I just hope you don't have heavy metal bands on Jet skis equipped with bazookas in Iowa. They are annoying.

Oh we for sure have that. But most of the lakes I’ll be frequenting aren’t party lakes

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

When I had bigger boats, I could and scored and scored on those wind beaten shorelines.

A lot of anglers often head for the calm side of the lake in these conditions. It's generally just easier to fish there with better boat control and better lure control.

I will admit, I used to be one of those. In recent years, I've had far more success on the wind blown side of the lake tossing a more aggressive presentation though. The wind and chop it creates on the surface is stirring up the water, making it murkier. Which in turn, creates a better situation to toss a moving lure.

One of the reasons I bought my Old Town Autopilot 120 kayak was because of its stability, and on more than one occasion I have been very thankful for that attribute.

For me, battling the wind depends upon the lake, the situation, and the time of year, but my cutoff is usually anything above 25 mph. If I'm just fishing for fun, if winds are going to be over 18 mph for the day I'll usually find something better to do. Tournaments and pre-fishing are different. Many times with pre-fishing winds are 18-25 and I'll find somewhere to fish off of the main lake. But in Kissimmee this year that was impossible with the bowl shaped lakes. One day I called it early and the next day with winds hitting 30 I stayed home.

If water temps are cold where hypothermia will happen quickly I simply don't risk it at all. For me, that's usually any temperatures below the mid to upper 60's, but even then being in the water 10 minutes is a risk.

But even with winds under 20, some lakes start spawning bigger waves. In that case I head right back to the ramp. There's no sense putting myself in jeopardy.

If I'm fishing from the bank then I'll try to get behind a hill, or get in some trees to cut the wind. If I'm fishing from a boat and the 15 lb anchor is dragging, then that's a pretty good sign that I'll be heading back over to the ramp.

It might be a slightly different answer back when I had a bass boat before I transitioned to a kayak... But I did compete in a tournament a couple of years ago in my kayak with sustained 17 mph winds. There were 28 boats and I was the only kayak. I thought about bowing out, but stuck with it and actually won that day. That said, much above 17, let alone 20+ mph in a kayak, and I'm out.

I will say, I have had some of my best days in the bass boat that were a constant 15-25, and gusts to 35+ mph. There were small craft warnings and no one was fishing anywhere. On those days, I would go to a local river with fairly high banks/trees. I wouldn't say I was completely protected, but never felt unsafe or unable to fish effectively. I had the entire river to myself those days.

Too much wind? When I start getting blown back upstream on the river. It's happened a few times, and makes for a veeeeery long float when you have to actively work just to get downstream.

A lot depends on the body of water. But usually over 20 steady I don’t go. I just don’t want to fight it. Under 20 the wind picks where I plan to go, and what I plan to throw. I like the wind to be an asset and not a problem. Keep it simple, and as enjoyable as possible.

Tonight with 25 steady winds but from the bank, no boat in this weather.

Depends where I'm fishing but around 15mph is the limit.

Sustained winds are one thing but gusts sometimes add another dimension.

I'm in a paddle kayak, so that is limiting too.

In the salt with tides running makes a big difference.

I've been out in much higher winds, the really hard part is loading the kayak back onto the roof of my Forester.

in my 17 sea nymph which, is a older lund type deep -v aluminum boat. A sustained 15 mph wind either on an inland lake or a Great Lake is about my limit of what I want to deal with. At 15 mph the spot lock has a hard time spot locking. The spot lock wants to point the boat directly into the wind. It’s gets really bumpy fishing from the bow on my boat at 15-20 mph

if I had a heavier glass boat it wouldn’t be so bad probably up to 20 mph depending on where and how I’m fishing. Even on a river once the wind hits 15 mph it starts just funneling the wind right down the river bank.

Generally speaking if the wind forecasts says 10-15 mph I’m going no matter what. 15-20 mph I won’t go. I have enough days off now that I can go another time. Luckily Michigan is a big enough state that one area might be blowing 20-25 mph but, an hour north might only be 5-10 mph. I’ll drive to 5-10 mph wind spot and fish.

Knowledge & experience breeds confidence.

Confidence to select a craft that can safely be operated

in the conditions that one is routinely likely to want to fish in.

Confidence to know when the conditions exceed the limitations of the operator & or the vessel.

And then the confidence to manage challenging situations safely

while having some of the best fishing you might ever encounter.

Fishing in some wind can be good, bad, and even very ugly.

I live & fish on water that has plenty of wind.

Admittedly, it is far more comfortable to fish in calm conditions.

My personal hope in the wind is that I need to be able to be safe and also be able to present my baits effectively.

So when the wind and waves get up, I just bite the bullet, put my head down, and cast.

Because that's when the real magic can happen.

https://youtu.be/W2jqCf7BVAE

Stay Safe

A-Jay

As usual A-Jay nails it.

I have over 20 years of paddling experience, before paddling over 30 years of boating.

Confidence is great, over confidence is not so great, a man's (or woman) gotta know his limitations.

I've had to make some concessions to age, so things I would go out in 10 years ago, I don't now, and it's not that I can't handle it, it's just not fun for me.

Live to fight another day.

Anything under 20, I would say for the lakes and rivers I fish.

I try to schedule to fish on the windier days and I fish in the wind. It's the very reason I have an 80 lb TM on my 14' boat.

Summer nights are different, I prefer a gentle breeze.