Completely Lost In The Wind. Techniques, Baits....where to start?

[EBrink]

Ok, so I fish mostly Lake St. Clair and for any of you that have fished there know it's a great place to fish. However, it does get pretty windy. I find myself doing great on high pressure days, lots of sun, clear sky's and smooth water but once the wind picks up, I couldn't pay for a bite. I have read that wind is great, but I just don't know where to start.

For those of you who don't know much about Lake St.Clair. it's pretty much flat, no structure, rock or much transition at all. Average depth is about 10ft with slight drops and rises +/- 5ft. Some good weed patches, some sandy bottom in spots. I'm on the Canadian side around Mitchel's Bay which is great for bass but I seem to only be able to find them out in the middle of the lake on weed edges and sandy bottoms but once the wind picks up and they start to scatter I can't find them to save my life. Just looking for some idea's about maybe which baits to cycle through that might be good, what kind of structures or contours to look for. Should I stick around the open water, head towards the shore? Not too sure. Any idea's, good or bad would be great.

Thank you,

[Casslaw]

I’m in Florida so take this for what it’s worth but here is MY take on wind.

Wind blows small creatures and weeds to one side of the lake, I fish where the wind is blowing to. Small fish follow the weeds for safety and bass follow the bait! Also, wind helps to hide the noise we make. I always try to find choke points that the wind creates, whether it be against a shoreline or between 2 large pad fields. I fish where the wind can make its way through the weeds, the bass are waiting down there for the bait to blow by.

In a perfect world I want to cast into the wind and bring my lure with the wind as that’s how a baitfish will naturally follow the wind but there are times bass will stack up between large pieces of structure that the wind is blowing between and I cast downwind into these areas.

Too much wind really stinks, especially when fishing from a tin like I do...it’s like a sailboat sometimes! But, a nice ripple on the water really gets the action going to me! Once the morning bite wears thin I look for where the wind is blowing the baitfish immediately!

Best thing to do is observe, investigate, and try different things. While I do hate a strong wind, it can get lethargic fish into a frenzy after the bait starts blowing through the lanes! And, you will be fishing for fish that are actively feeding. All pluses in my book!

[EBrink]

I’m in Florida so take this for what it’s worth but here is MY take on wind.

Wind blows small creatures and weeds to one side of the lake, I fish where the wind is blowing to. Small fish follow the weeds for safety and bass follow the bait! Also, wind helps to hide the noise we make. I always try to find choke points that the wind creates, whether it be against a shoreline or between 2 large pad fields. I fish where the wind can make its way through the weeds, the bass are waiting down there for the bait to blow by.

In a perfect world I want to cast into the wind and bring my lure with the wind as that’s how a baitfish will naturally follow the wind but there are times bass will stack up between large pieces of structure that the wind is blowing between and I cast downwind into these areas.

Too much wind really stinks, especially when fishing from a tin like I do...it’s like a sailboat sometimes! But, a nice ripple on the water really gets the action going to me! Once the morning bite wears thin I look for where the wind is blowing the baitfish immediately!

Best thing to do is observe, investigate, and try different things. While I do hate a strong wind, it can get lethargic fish into a frenzy after the bait starts blowing through the lanes! And, you will be fishing for fish that are actively feeding. All pluses in my book!

Thank you for the description. So what would be your go to baits? I've seen video's where people talk about finesse rigs just with heavier weight to keep in contact with the bottom, some talk about spinnerbaits and crankbaits. What it sounds like is wind doesn't really change how you attack the lake just gets fish more active? Or would you suggest something fast? I always kind of assumed something louder with more vibration but that might not be the case?

[Smalliehunter91]

In the spring, I want wind. Yes it's fun having calm days and seeing fish cruising up shallow but most of the time , especially if they just started to move up, they can be super spooky. Having a good breeze helps the bite tremendously as they are alot more willing to bite. I'll throw lipless baits, jerk baits and spinnerbaits covering water in high percentage areas.

[DrewFlu33]

Generally speaking err towards power fishing in the wind and finesse and other slower techniques when it's calm. Fish will also usually get shallower in the wind than when there is no wind, and are generally a little less related to cover.

I'm guessing you're mostly targeting smallmouth? If so, try jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, cranks, chatterbaits, etc when the wind blows in the same general areas you catch them when it's calm; if that doesn't work, spread out and cover water - smallmouth tend to roam a lot, especially when the wind blows - and check shallower before you check deeper. The jerkbait is probably my first, second, and third choice for smallmouth, especially in clear water like St Clair. They'll come a long way to hit one, especially when that wind is blowing. Watch some videos where Kevin VanDam talks jerkbait technique if you haven't thrown them a lot.

For example, there's a lake I had found some smallmouth relating to cabbage on a sharp break. It was calm and sunny, and I was doing some serious damage with a drop shot. The following weekend I was back on the same lake, things were basically unchanged with conditions except now it was absolutely gassing. Turns out they weren't in the cabbage and weren't on the sharp break anymore, or at least weren't biting there. But they were up on top of the flat that the break came off of, and they were aggressive. One of the best days I've ever had throwing a jerkbait...sure made fighting that wind a lot more palatable.

Largemouth aren't necessarily a whole lot different with regard to those general rules, but one thing I have found in my time in Minnesota is that these northern largemouth (on a lot of our lakes anyhow - definite exceptions!) don't like the wind. If you can find an area for them out of the wind, that's usually better. If that's not possible, the same rules generally apply. It can sometimes be helpful to look at the wind like current (wind creates current after all) and to look for fish positioned on the downwind side of cover (like weedbeds) or structure. This applies in general, but it's especially true for largemouth in open water.

[Chautauquanuy]

I Agee on power fishing when the wind gets up. You should also look into purchasing drift socks for wind days. They really help slowing down the drift and in boat positioning.

[EBrink]

Hey thanks, these tips are gold! Thank you guys so much. I'll look into the drift socks for sure.

DrewFlu33 , those tips are amazing. Gives me so much to work with. Still waiting for the weather to get warm enough to get out on the water here so I'm trying to get mentally prepared for another windy year. Seems like if I wait for nice days I'm never fishing! Thanks a lot.

[Casslaw]

Drew’s tips are always amazing! Since my water temp is getting to that magic 71* mark I’m throwing a jackhammer with a Zako trailer, jerkbait, swimbait, and squarebills into the “lanes” the wind makes between the pad/weed fields in my area.

The bass are facing into the wind, waiting for the baitfish to flow through, so that determines my boat position.

Like i said, these are the “active” fish. There are plenty of bass to be caught out of the wind but from around 10am-1pm I try to find these areas.

[Casslaw]

10’-150’....words that have never come out of my mouth! Regional differences are amazing; 10’ is “deep water” to a Floridian!

[Walkabout7781]

Wind makes me throw a spinnerbait (upwind or up-current). I recall seeing a bass fishing program on St. Claire where they were doing very well throwing spinnerbaits into/around those weed patches. Might have been Hank Parker's show. Looked like a blast.

When it's glassy calm and then there's just a puff of wind, you'll notice that the fish activity picks up very noticeably. Doesn't take a lot of wind to break up the light penetration and make the fish more comfortable and thus more aggressively feeding. When Senko fishing on a calm morning, I nose hook in glassy water and when the wind picks up just slightly I'll change to Wacky rigging. Gives better feel, too. I think I always tend to overwork a wacky rigged Senko for glassy water. Ask Jerry T. how he works 'em.

Same basic principle applies, tho. More wind = less light penetration = fish more active = a horizontal presentation. What bait you throw depends on what's practical. I like to use chit that doesn't get hung up and fouled with weeds, whether it's calm or windy.