Windy conditions.

[baseball_guy_99]

How do you guys combat the windy conditions. Hypothetically let's say that there are no good fishing spots out of the wind. What do you guys do to catch fish?

We normally cast 1/32-1/16 oz jigs...but in windy conditions that is next to impossible.

[gabowman]

I just stay at home and wait for a better day to fish.

[chaunc]

Some days you just can't fish. If it's your only day off and you're going no matter what, find some spots out of the wind and do some scouting. I've found fish hanging right on the inside edge of the wind. Try using heavier jigs or adding some splitshots above your jigs to get it deeper. Me being retired now, i just stay home and wait for a better day.

[CrappiePappy]

BG99 .... I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've fished in calm conditions. Even when I GO to a spot where the wind isn't blowing (when I get there) ... the wind seems to come looking for me, wherever I go Rofl

If I have to fish deep, due to the circumstances .... I don't make as long a cast, make a sidearm cast or dock shooting "cast" (rather than an overhand cast), and keep my rod tip low to the water until the jig has reached the depth I want. (just to keep the wind from blowing my line away, not allowing my jig to sink much below the first few feet of water)

I could also see myself adding a splitshot to the line. Or, I may do more vertical jigging or "Vertical Casting", than my usual cast & slow retrieve method.

All in all, though ... I'd probably only be doing that if I had to fish deep, under windy conditions. If I was only fishing the first 10-15ft of the water column, I'd probably still be throwing a 1/16oz jig. I may try and position myself where I was casting into the wind, so that the wind would be blowing my line back towards me ... and I'd probably slow my retrieve down even more than normal. Sometimes the wind can be your friend ... like when it draws the fish closer to the surface. I know it's frustrating when you can't fish like you "want to" ... but, that may not always be how the fish want the bait presented.

If all else fails, and you're sure there's fish there ... but you can't present your bait to them (wrong depth or speed caused by the wind), you might have to resort to other methods, techniques, jig weight, or live bait.

... cp

[ARSlabber]

Tight lining. Pull up to whatever structure you want to fish, pull out as much line as you want, and hold your rod tip close to the water so the wind dont blow the line around. Seems to work for me.

[baseball_guy_99]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Ya I only get certain days off so I would like to go any time I can.

[Powertroll]

Longline the wind won't matter, if it's to windy to longline it ain't safe to be on the water anyway.

[T.C.]

2 ways. When longlining i use a drift sock, it slows me way down and doesnt spook fish too bad. When spiderrigging i have a 15lb logging chain tied to rope that i tie to my transom and it drags the bottom. The windier it is the more rope you let out. My chain will bring my boat to a dead stop in 20mph winds if i let out enough line. The reason for using a drift sock when longlining instead of a chain is b/c the chain stirs up the bottom when it drags and spooks fish behind the boat where your jigs are running. If your spiderrigging it doesnt matter if fish get spooked behind the boat b/c your fishing in the front. This works for me.

[dkb23]

Heavier jigs and good batteries!

[fishintechnician]

I like to find the areas with the type of cover that I want to fish (or were the fish want to be) preferable in bays or coves, I will position my back to the wind and let the wind carry my jig/bait. I have also found that wind blow bays or cuts will hold good fish, I belive the wind carries the bait fish to these areas, which in turn brings the slabs. If I have trouble with the jig staying at a certain depth I will add a split shot or maybe go double jigs.I have found a slip bobber can be effective in the wind also.