Good point Matt! Usually fishing the windy side with active wind. Spots where the wind was blowing are generally good for 2 days in a row after high constant wind
Another factor that has worked for me is the opposite bank. If you have a west wind, then yes the east bank of the lake is wind blown, but, the west bank will have a narrow strip of protected water where fish will be sheltering from wind and current. The width of the protected strip of water will vary according to the steepness of the bank, shoreline features, etc. .
Good stuff Matt. I definitely choose where to fish along the bank based on wind direction. Some lakes/ponds get wind from the same direction most of the time where I live. It's usually in a west to east, or a southwest to northeast direction. That helps me choose where to fish. ✌🏻🎣
Totally correct, lived on the west side of a natural lake in NY. The wind pushes bait, plankton and bass to the east side. It was good on the windy day as well as the two following days. The problem I had was the clean-up. Branches, coon tail, trash littering the property. Boy I miss it!
Agree. Good points. I was out on a spawning flat in the south end of a FL lake Sunday and wind was out of the north. Because of the shallow water it got churned up and muddy. Still caught some with bladed jig. Went to the north end, water was clearer and I caught several bigger ones. BTW, it had been a lot more windy the previous two days.
yes your right, it has all ways has worked for me, it is a good video matt, i have used this for a long time, but never told any one, this will help a fisherman in tour-s to catch bigger fish. good info .to fish by.
I personally look for sheltered creek arms when the wind is blowing hard. If the wind is blowing across the mouth of the creek in the main lake, I find that bass like to set up at the mouth of the creek as that current comes across. There are small eddies and pockets that the bait fish duck off into and they present an easy meal for the bass. We've had windy conditions all spring and this pattern has worked really well for me.
Makes sense. I know in shallower lakes the wind will make a churning effect. I used to fly fish with a sinking line and a chironomid fly size 22. The better bite was not the wind blown side but the opposite side. The churning kicks up the larvae and the trout key on them. Wonder if that would also occur in a deep reservoir?
I was out just motoring a bit (after fixing the motor... arrghh)... And we had a really stiff SE breeze. I was looking at a point that came out and when it goes underwater it is VERY steep (and rocky) like on many TVA lakes and I was watching from the lee side and was thinking about what the heck was going on underneath the surface. Kinda looking at it like a trout stream or river smallies.. "Would the spots be using that like trout/smallies in streams?" I was thinking... I was going to graph it and maybe make a few casts but a boat came flying into fish the windy side.. So I motored off. It kinda makes sense, to me that they may use that as an ambush point, especially where the wind/calm meet... Thoughts? Directly to the point of the video: I know of a spot I ALWAYS hit after a few days of a good SEor SW wind and they are almost always there. The kicker is that I can find NO reason that they should be there (except food I am sure). The bottom is flat as a board, SLOWLY getting deeper. No structure at all. I graph bait on rare occasions. But a Keitech or a 8'-10' deep diving crankbait nails them.. No deep river channel they are following. Only reason I fished it the 1st time was I saw bait being chased and that is the ONLY time I have seen it. While watching the video a light went off "Yeah, it's better days after the wind calms down/shifts.".
Got an unrelated question for you. Watching your videos I notice the wall of baits behind you. Thats quite a collection. Here is my question. When do you say I have to much stuff? You can't possibly be using all those lures. I look at all the crap I have in my bag and say to myself I am never really going to use all these damn things. Maybe you can do a video on this topic and give us your take?????
thanks for the topic! Im an addict and dont know if Ill ever have to much haha. but in all seriousness it is my job and I view them as tools. so I make sure I have what I need. I honestly have bought less tackle in the five years than I ever have because I have my own little tackle shop to replenish baits that i need.
What are your thoughts on 15’ and deeper water (like cranking) when it’s really blowing? Throwing into the wind and retrieving back with it or casting with the wind and retrieving against it? I think the current on bottom is opposite the wind direction in deep water. The water has to go somewhere after the waves pile it against the downwind shoreline. Maybe it goes sideways and follows the bank and loops back around to the upwind side of the lake somehow.
just depends on the current flow. in some situations i bet your right and in other i would think the current flow would be the same direction. definitely something to think about!
That exact situation happened with my son and I. Fishing Pelican Lake WI. There is a flat nobody fishes because well its flat. But after a windy day where we could not fish we went to in the next day in the afternoon and it was no wind. There is two trees on the bottom most don't know about. We went to them and my son caught a 23 inch 6.5 lb smallie! Many 2 and 3 lb also. At the time it was a 18inch size limit. Now it's a 14 inch size limit. That lake was turning into a trophy bass lake. But up Nort ya know der...it's da Musky fishin Dat matters😉 Bass are over looked
Bass no like wind. Stripers do. Different bass. Wind fishing tends to focus on key structures and perhaps depths can't be reached by rods as far as deep CA lakes. Point is just don't fish windy days on lakes as far as bass. Wind plus quick rising water is terrible...that was last trip out.
Just caught a lake pb last week, wind conditions 3 mph, exactly one day after an 18 mph day, right in 3 to 4 ft stained water around the main lake point.
Nice vid topic. You just defined seiche, yes you and others know this but not everyone. Love wind generated current especially when its blowing on man made anything. Some would say wind generated current is a often missed anomaly. Plus if the wind is blowing the last thing I'm throwing is a drop shot.... lol. Fish fast, love it. Thanks for the vid.
You didn't need 8 minutes to say what you just said. This has been known for centuries. You fish the windy side the day of and the 2 days after. Nothing new. Everyone's doing it unless you just started fishing yesterday.
Dang - this is why I watch your videos!! The day or two after - who knew, great point!!!
you bet!
Thanks Matt never considered the water volume shift. Always thought it was a baitfish thing. Thanks again for your excellent observation!
you bet!
Definitely something that I will pay attention to this year.
give it a try!
Thanks Matt. 🍺
Any time!
Good point Matt! Usually fishing the windy side with active wind. Spots where the wind was blowing are generally good for 2 days in a row after high constant wind
Good stuff!
Valuable informations…… thank you 🙏🏻 Matt !
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'd place this in the top ten tips you've provided. Great info! Thanks Matt..
Awesome, thank you!
Great tip! Definitely going to give that a try.
You should!
Another factor that has worked for me is the opposite bank. If you have a west wind, then yes the east bank of the lake is wind blown, but, the west bank will have a narrow strip of protected water where fish will be sheltering from wind and current. The width of the protected strip of water will vary according to the steepness of the bank, shoreline features, etc. .
good tip
Good stuff Matt. I definitely choose where to fish along the bank based on wind direction. Some lakes/ponds get wind from the same direction most of the time where I live. It's usually in a west to east, or a southwest to northeast direction. That helps me choose where to fish. ✌🏻🎣
Good stuff!
Totally correct, lived on the west side of a natural lake in NY. The wind pushes bait, plankton and bass to the east side. It was good on the windy day as well as the two following days. The problem I had was the clean-up. Branches, coon tail, trash littering the property. Boy I miss it!
yep it can be a mess
all I can say is you have enlightened some or many of your subscribers for sure ! good job Matt !
Glad you think so!
This is a really good topic. I myself agree with you that the day or even two days after can be awesome! Dont overlook those windy banks folks!
No sir!
Great video! Did you decide on the date and time for the live stream?
Not yet, but it will be the last week of april after I get back from Pickwick.
I’m in Oklahoma, we don’t have days after the wind is blowing…..it’s always blowing.
haha!
What would be some good baits to throw on the windy day compared to the following days? Would you still be throwing the same stuff?
in the wind its more power fishing. the following days may need to be more finesse if the conditions are calm
Thanks for the info, Matt. Good one
You bet!
Agree. Good points. I was out on a spawning flat in the south end of a FL lake Sunday and wind was out of the north. Because of the shallow water it got churned up and muddy. Still caught some with bladed jig. Went to the north end, water was clearer and I caught several bigger ones. BTW, it had been a lot more windy the previous two days.
thanks for sharing!
yes your right, it has all ways has worked for me, it is a good video matt, i have used this for a long time, but never told any one, this will help a fisherman in tour-s to catch bigger fish. good info .to fish by.
Glad to hear it
I hate fishing in the wind, so this is great news for me! Another great video.
thanks!
I personally look for sheltered creek arms when the wind is blowing hard. If the wind is blowing across the mouth of the creek in the main lake, I find that bass like to set up at the mouth of the creek as that current comes across. There are small eddies and pockets that the bait fish duck off into and they present an easy meal for the bass. We've had windy conditions all spring and this pattern has worked really well for me.
great tip!
Makes sense. I know in shallower lakes the wind will make a churning effect. I used to fly fish with a sinking line and a chironomid fly size 22. The better bite was not the wind blown side but the opposite side. The churning kicks up the larvae and the trout key on them. Wonder if that would also occur in a deep reservoir?
im sure you can find it going on somehwere in a big reservoir
Thank you for the video
You're welcome
I was out just motoring a bit (after fixing the motor... arrghh)... And we had a really stiff SE breeze. I was looking at a point that came out and when it goes underwater it is VERY steep (and rocky) like on many TVA lakes and I was watching from the lee side and was thinking about what the heck was going on underneath the surface. Kinda looking at it like a trout stream or river smallies.. "Would the spots be using that like trout/smallies in streams?" I was thinking... I was going to graph it and maybe make a few casts but a boat came flying into fish the windy side.. So I motored off.
It kinda makes sense, to me that they may use that as an ambush point, especially where the wind/calm meet... Thoughts?
Directly to the point of the video: I know of a spot I ALWAYS hit after a few days of a good SEor SW wind and they are almost always there. The kicker is that I can find NO reason that they should be there (except food I am sure). The bottom is flat as a board, SLOWLY getting deeper. No structure at all. I graph bait on rare occasions. But a Keitech or a 8'-10' deep diving crankbait nails them.. No deep river channel they are following. Only reason I fished it the 1st time was I saw bait being chased and that is the ONLY time I have seen it. While watching the video a light went off "Yeah, it's better days after the wind calms down/shifts.".
thanks for sharing and i absolutely think you should fish the spot you described.
I have noticed that the bass are more active the day and the day after a windy day as well. Great video thank you for all the help.
thanks for sharing!
What water temp do you start tossing a buzz bait?
ive caught them as cold as upper 40's on a buzzbait but generally in the mid 50's or warmer
The micro food is the key, The start of the food chain. Great stuff Matt .
Absolutely
Isn't wind pushing plankton & small stuff like that then small bait fish follow that to feed & bigger ones follow to do same.
yep!
Got an unrelated question for you. Watching your videos I notice the wall of baits behind you. Thats quite a collection. Here is my question. When do you say I have to much stuff? You can't possibly be using all those lures. I look at all the crap I have in my bag and say to myself I am never really going to use all these damn things. Maybe you can do a video on this topic and give us your take?????
thanks for the topic! Im an addict and dont know if Ill ever have to much haha. but in all seriousness it is my job and I view them as tools. so I make sure I have what I need. I honestly have bought less tackle in the five years than I ever have because I have my own little tackle shop to replenish baits that i need.
Love the videos bro , I agree with you the bait hangs there also
Awesome!
What are your thoughts on 15’ and deeper water (like cranking) when it’s really blowing? Throwing into the wind and retrieving back with it or casting with the wind and retrieving against it? I think the current on bottom is opposite the wind direction in deep water. The water has to go somewhere after the waves pile it against the downwind shoreline. Maybe it goes sideways and follows the bank and loops back around to the upwind side of the lake somehow.
just depends on the current flow. in some situations i bet your right and in other i would think the current flow would be the same direction. definitely something to think about!
I have found this to be accurate.
awesome!
That exact situation happened with my son and I. Fishing Pelican Lake WI. There is a flat nobody fishes because well its flat. But after a windy day where we could not fish we went to in the next day in the afternoon and it was no wind. There is two trees on the bottom most don't know about. We went to them and my son caught a 23 inch 6.5 lb smallie! Many 2 and 3 lb also. At the time it was a 18inch size limit. Now it's a 14 inch size limit. That lake was turning into a trophy bass lake. But up Nort ya know der...it's da Musky fishin Dat matters😉 Bass are over looked
great story!
23 inch smallmouth... beauty !
Bass no like wind. Stripers do. Different bass. Wind fishing tends to focus on key structures and perhaps depths can't be reached by rods as far as deep CA lakes. Point is just don't fish windy days on lakes as far as bass. Wind plus quick rising water is terrible...that was last trip out.
thanks for sharing
So wind on tidal rivers same concept ? I'm assuming as well as incoming tide.
yes to a point, but the wind more affects the tide as a whole. and with each tide cycle things get kinda reset
Just caught a lake pb last week, wind conditions 3 mph, exactly one day after an 18 mph day, right in 3 to 4 ft stained water around the main lake point.
Thats awesome! Congrats!
Thanks!
Nice vid topic. You just defined seiche, yes you and others know this but not everyone. Love wind generated current especially when its blowing on man made anything. Some would say wind generated current is a often missed anomaly. Plus if the wind is blowing the last thing I'm throwing is a drop shot.... lol. Fish fast, love it. Thanks for the vid.
Absolutely right! thanks for sharing!
👍👌
thanks for watching!
You didn't need 8 minutes to say what you just said. This has been known for centuries. You fish the windy side the day of and the 2 days after. Nothing new. Everyone's doing it unless you just started fishing yesterday.
thanks for sharing