Ok...so a little nugget about me.  I *HATE* fishing in the wind.  Hate it hate it hate it.  On otherwise beautiful days where I could/should/would be fishing, I'll stay home because I hate fishing in the wind so much.  It blows the boat all over the place, it makes fishing finesse that much harder (my strong point) and of course, it blows your crap all over the place.

So here's the point of my post:  It seems like I'm going to have to learn to deal with fishing in the wind.  Every flippin nice day we've had here in VA has been windy.  Every one for the forseeable future is supposed to be windy.

What techniques do you use in the wind this time of year to produce a catch?

Suffering from an unreasonable dislike for windy days in VA....

-JC

On windy days I normally move to either hard lures (crankbait, spinner-bait, etc.) or texas rigged plastics (with the bullet weight).

A tip for the wind is go fish on a bank that the wind is blowing into (wind blown banks), if you find any cover or boat docks there fish them thoroughly. It is a tough condition, but sometimes it can be a good time to catch bass. Most people stay home when it's windy...

For me I like a slight wind (5-10 mph) on an overcast sky.

Another tip is when the wind is blowing located a log or other cover that stretches out. Fish the side that is opposite of the side of the wind. This basically creates a wind breaker.

The first place I got in windy weather is a nice deep cove with trees for wind breakers.

Yeah the winds have been blowing here in Va, it was blowing pretty good today but we still had success at our club's tournament.  

A tip for the wind is go fish on a bank that the wind is blowing into (wind blown banks), if you find any cover or boat docks there fish them thoroughly. It is a tough condition, but sometimes it can be a good time to catch bass. Most people stay home when it's windy...

Watch for wind blown corners on ponds as well.

I used to hate fishing in the wind.  It can be problematic, no question.  But here in south Texas it goes with the territory, so I learned how to use it to my advantage.  Find a windblown bank, point the boat into the wind and bombs away with a spinnerbait, crankbait, or lipless crankbait.  

I fish a lake that is notorious for not being a spinnerbait lake, and most times/places it is.  But when the wind is blowing the spinnerbait bite can really turn on.

The absulote best thing I ever read on fishing.

"Those that control the wind WIN"

From a salt water shore fishing book.

Couple things Largie guys are addicted to there trolling motors and eye candy. Eye candy being that stump,that log, that dark spot.

So get a crappie fishing book and those boys drag a logging chain to slow down. I took this and drag a logging chain and run the trolling motor at the same time. Couple keys get those weave clits so you can adjust your rope by pulling some chain off the bottom you can speed up. Also get your rope as close to the center line of your boat to go straight unless you want to slide sideways.

Get drift socks and learn how to use them. Only fools drag then 25 ft behind there boat again those weave clits at different locations around the boat and you can fish some hellesh wind.

Get your anchor out and use it. Couple hundred ft. of rope just back down on thoses spots and smoke then bad boys. Did I mention those clits so you can adjust your rope quick and easy.

If you really want to no what you can do with anchors get a good walleye book.

Also the trim on your motor is your best tempory anchor. In shallow muddy bays just trim that motor into the mud and fish that pad field raise your trim go to the next spot and repeat.

I love wind.

Garnet

if im fishing in the wind im going to try to get something going with traps and spinnerbaits first.  if the fish will not hit a faster moving bait then i slow down with a heavy jig.  last resort is any kind of finesse tactic, which i also think is tough in the wind.

traps are great becasue you can cast them about a mile so it is not as crucial to be  in the absolute perfect spot.  they also are  are a relatively easy bait to learn to fish if you generally finesse fish, and have been my number one producer here in va so far this year.

OH OH!!! Join the club! Hate fishing in the wind! HATE IT! and considering I live near the WINDY City...

my biggest problem with the wind is not what I am throwing..it is my boat. I have a aluminum bass boat and it gets blown around. There are ALOT of days around here where I am left running the trolling motor to keep control and the wife fishes.

I am a proponent of fishing in the wind, or rather, finding the spot that isn't in the wind on windy days.  I find that fishing the leeward side of the wind (leeward->you->windward) procduces much better for me, especially using soft plastics.  Other people will tell you the opposite, but from watching baitfish all my life (exciting life I lead, eh?), I know they don't want to be any kind of current, so they'll get under the wind, therefore, any hungry bass will be close by.  Or at least, that's the theory...

Get a drift socks and learn how to use it.  The chain idea also works for me.  If you will cut  the chain into smaller pices you can add weight as you need it.

Get a drift socks and learn how to use it.

The wind is your friend!!  Drift socks are awesome , they work exceptionally well on tin boats.    I used mine for a good part of the morning today.

Ditto on hating the wind too. Just as much or more so in a boat, lots of work.

Russ I've been watching your posts on wind socks for some time. Eventualy I will get around to trying some.

Please just keep hating the wind. And would you enter every tourney I fish. Pretty Please.

Garnet

I love the wind, as well as heavy boating activity when I am fishing from the bank. However, I have yet to figure out boat fishing in these conditions. I will usually drop anchor and fish points that the wind is blowing into, or try to troll along windy banks with a crank or other reaction bait. But as a finesse angler, it usually ruins a good day. The key is to use heavier weights in the wind, while still fishing slow.

in wind i throw spinnerbaits, cranks, lipless cranks, and jerkbaits. the only way i got them to hit today was fishing a Lucky Craft Pointer 100SP in Nishiki er whatever on the flats worked fast.

aaron

I went today and it was blowing like hell...my Xpress was like a sail.

I found a nice semi-cove on the opposite side of the wind and we were able to catch a couple.  I promised my daughter we'd go to day so in the wind we fished!

How does a drift sock work?  I will make sure to pick one up.  Thx for the tips folks, I truly do appreciate it.

-JC

I don't hate fishing in the wind, I hate casting in the wind! I've pulled off some pretty nice fish in heavy wind and pulled out many bird nests also.  >

Most of the time the wind actually will concentrate the forage and the big fish except in cases where water is really fouled. If you see signs of the bait fish, use the wind. If you don't see them and the water looks really fouled, find a downwind area of cleaner water. Early season fishing on the windward shore can be even better since lake water will warm there first.

I really hate wind as well. I hate to drive in it, so I'm usually sick of it before I even get to where I'm going. Also, I have no patience when it comes to tieing on lures, and wind makes that worse as well. Here in Kansas its always windy it seems. Lately I've been using some senko knock off worm called a tiki stick. A brown pumpkin seend, and fishing it weightless. It has been catching lots of fish in the big pond I've been fishing. Should a person use and one color lure or worm when it's windy? Or just see what works?

How does a drift sock work? I will make sure to pick one up. Thx for the tips folks, I truly do appreciate it.

-JC

Ever picked up a bucket that was under water?  You really have to lift hard until you get the water out of it.  Same principal with a drift sock.  It trails behind the boat and uses the resistance of the water to slow you way down.  I've got one and on windy days it can really make a difference.  Be sure to get one rated for your boat, though.  The size you use is determined by your boat length, but I'm of the opinion the bigger the drift sock the better.

If you fish shallow water learn how to use the chain it spooks less fish.

If you fish deeper water get 2 drift socks. I would need to no your boat size but 1 size bigger than the manufacture reommends is good. I fish the great lakes and other very large water bodys so maybe a little smaller.

Naw go big or stay home.

Garnet

jeepcrazy,

imho the wind will not make any difference as far as colors go.  if the wind has made the water stained or muddy then you generally want t use darker colors but this is because of what the wind has done to the water not the wind itself.

senkos are a tough choice for the wind though.  ive caught a lot of fish using a senko in the wind but it is definitely not a first choice.  its just hard to watch the line and also hard to feel anything on a weightless bait. the wind also can affect the fall negatively.   ive guthooked a lot of fish in the wind with a senko which is another reason i try to avoid it.  fat ikas are a little better but still not very good.  

I'm with you jeepcrazy, I hate the wind too. standing in a bassboat creates a great sailboat effect. Sometimes I get blown around with the anchor down and the trolling motor on high. Sometimes you are pushed up on shore before you can even fire up the big motor. Casting is more difficult and much harder to detect strikes. A dangerous, rough ride to move around and the sheltered areas are full of other boats or void of fish. A breeze is fine, but wind takes the fun away real quick. Maybe I should try a drift sock also. I don't know. If its blowing strong I usually stay home.

I fish from a kayak with a fly rod. most of the time I have to paddle to the opposite end of the lake so the wind is behind me. i also use a drift anchor. I use a bass popper and find the fish hit better with a 10-15 mph

wind then completly calm.   lori   from  Fl

Geez I usually catch most of my fish in the water,, WHAT?>>>>>>>OH OH I misunderstood the Question>>>>my mistake!!!>>>>>

Very funny Muddy ;D.

I found fishing in the wind like that is kinda like pee'n in the wind...you wont catch any fish but you can get your lure wet ;D!