Wind on the water- when to stay off?

[dmills4124]

OK ya'll, All macho aside. Water temp 48 to 56. When does the desire to fish and the weather cancel out the experiance. It's an electric motor only lake, winds start at 9 and increase to 20 over the next 4 hours then rain turning to snow mix. 20 ft max depth 2 miles long  1/2 tp 3/4 at the widest spot. Islands in the middle, no real inlets to hide in. What to do? Yes I can drop two sea anchors off each side in the back and drift with the wind useing the trolling motor to try to control direction, some. How heavy do you go on the cranks and spinners? 1/2 ounce, more? the wind is making an accurate cast almost impossible. I keep yank'in it back before it hits the trees. Don't we all just love wind?
Do I go to a bigger lake that we don't know and use the gas motor with the sea anchors off the front on both sides. Where to try fishing, points, flats shallows. How to position the boat.
Should we go out and get some experience in the wind without fishing? Just try to learn to control the boat?
  It's opinion time fellows. Let me know what you did, or do, or would do.
  Thanks ya'll
don and kim m

[Waterfoul]

The Red Wings game starts at 2:00 today... given the choice that's where I'd be on the day you are describing!!!

[cr]

Some of the best fishing I've ever had was in ten to fifteen mph wind on lake fenton, the wind was blowing baitfish into a cove , and the largemouths were on a feeding frenzy . I was by myself and I'm glad no one was there to witness my poor boat positioning skils , I was bouncing of docks and rafts , but the fish were on .It didn't matter what  I was throwing , they hit it  , and when you brought one to the boat there was others chasing it trying to get the bait from it , just like smallmouths . It was a NBAA event and I went from no fish with a hour left to big bass and fourth place , and should have done better . I broke one big one off and put one in my livewell that turned out to be short , but I put several back that might have went but I didn't stick-em cause I thought it was good .Anyway ......ever since then I've tried to fish with the wind as much as possible , but I must admit I'd rather find the lee side of any shelter but only because of my afore mentioned poor handling skills . Now when the winds about to blow me off a lake ,I stay as long as I can stand it , trying to work on my ability with the T/M  boat positioning , and the inevitable birds nest , all at the same . I read articles saying that the wind is a good thing and to use it to your advantage , fish wind blown points and coves , so I'm trying to develop in that aspect , but its  been slow going . I use that one experience as incentive to keep trying to get better at it .

[Dan]

I have heard people before say that the wind was blowing baitfish in, including myself. I went to a seminar this winter though and the pro there said that there would have to be hellish wind to push fish. According to him even a small fish can swim against that wind.
He said that the predator fish may get active in the wind because the baitfish feed on the algae that may get blown in on the top most surface water. He said that in his opinion fish won't swim from one side of the lake to the other because of wind. There will be fish in all parts of the lake and they will relate to the wind in various ways. He went on to discuss how he catches fish in the wind and how his pattern adjusts. He had GPS plots of fish he caught. He always GPSs every fish he catches and then transfers the data to a data card on his graph at the end of the day. Doing this he can see distinct patterns. He finds that when he's on deeper fish that they will actually move into the wind and consequently he has to keep adjusting his drifts. It was very interesting.

[skeeterman190]

 Wind is your friend. Thats what KVD says. Really though it is. Im not sure on the water clarity? But that wind blows and breaks up the surface especially on these clear lakes its a plus. I have a lake i love to fish but if the wind dont blow good luck!! Like the others said the wind blows and stirs the baitfish up. Right now in the next week or so its going to start hitting those weed beds and rocks and getting those crawdads stirred up also. They love to show there faces around 50 degrees or so. focus on the areas that are getting the wind.Especially the areas that the north wind is blowing that warmer water too right now. As far as controlling your boat in the wind set your self up for a good drift across an area. Dont use anchors they stir up the bottom and disturb the area. Get some drift socks. I cant count the number of time those have come in handy!-skeeterman-

[cr]

Dan ,this is why I love this site . In the future I can speak more intelligently on this subject . I will say "the wind was blowing algae into this cove , which the baitfish were feeding on , and the bass were in a feeding frenzy" .Po-tay-to/Po-tah-to ,  LOL  .  DMills was asking for opinions on what to do under windy conditions , give up or stick it out and work on boat handling skills ? I was trying to convey that I too have issue's with the wind but I'm working on them . Seriously , I love the input that I can get here , ...Charles