Picture a sleek walleye boat skimming the smooth surface of a lake. Imagine a topwater plug being twitched between the lily pads, a big largemouth lurking just below the unruffled calm of a peaceful bay. Or a walleye boat trolling on sky-blue water that sparkles like diamonds.
Such are the images portrayed by magazine covers, calendars and advertising photos. While mile-high skies and mirror-smooth lakes make for attractive photos, they usually add up to less-than-attractive fishing. Anglers looking for a sure-fire way to increase their success are better off thinking of dense clouds, roller-coaster waves and murky water.
Most fishermen avoid the wind, especially on big waters. While I’m not encouraging anyone to take unnecessary risks, working the windy side of the lake is perhaps the best way to catch more of any species of fish. That’s because a strong wind does more to activate the food chain and stimulate a
feeding frenzy that any other factor.
As waves push across a lake, they carry warm surface water from one side of the fishery to the other. They also concentrate plankton, the primary food source for smaller forage species, on the windward side of the lake. Big waves crashing against the shore rile up the water, breaking up light penetration. Waves also oxygenate the windy side of a lake.
Consider all those factorsâa smorgasbord of forage along with warm, stained, oxygenated waterâand it’s easy to understand why gamefish find the windy side of the lake irresistible.
There’s something else about a big wind, something most anglers never consider. Crashing waves break up the outline of the boat and mask boat and motor noise. In calm water fish tend to shy away from boats; in a big wind they may not even know a boat is around. Instead of backing off and making
long casts to a spot, anglers can get up-close and personal with fish on the windy side of the lake. Being able to make long casts with the wind, when the direction is favorable, is another plus.
Here are some tips for fishing the wind, regardless of species: Fish might not move up to feed immediately after the wind begins to blow. It may be necessary to wait them out or to move from one spot to another until you locate a school of feeding fish.
As the water becomes stained, lure selection and presentation may become critical. It’s usually best to fish brightly colored baits that give off a lot of vibrations that help fish locate the lure. Crankbaits and blade baits work well under windy conditions, but jigs can also be effective if they’re fished aggressively.
Boat control can be critical. My high-thrust Minn Kota is usually enough to keep the boat in position. If not, using a Drift Control wind sock helps get the job done. It’s a big parachute-like bag that can be attached to the bow eye of the boat. When it fills with water, the drift sock slows the rate of drift. Especially if you’re a walleye fisherman, a wind sock is critical equipment.
Windy-side fish can move extremely shallow. Fish that previously were suspended far from shore or hugging the bottom in 25 feet may move up to 10 feet or less when they get active. Don’t be afraid to go shallow.
Look for the area where the wind is making the most direct contact with the structure. After the wind has been blowing for a while, fish may scatter across a reef, island, point or flat, but initially they’ll probably be concentrated at the point where the wind meets the structure. More wind-blown current occurs here, which means more plankton and oxygen concentrations.
Look for stained waterâwhat we call a mud-lineâto form. Often, active fish will relate to the edge of the mud-line. After a while they may even move into the mud-line, water that looks like a cup of coffee with too much cream. Try to figure out how the fish are relating to the stained water.
Current can actually be a consideration when fishing a big body of water. The windy side of a big lake or reservoir can be several feet higher than the calm side. All that water crashing into the shore doesn’t just stay there, it washes back creating an underwater current called a seiche. The water pushing towards the shore also creates a current.
Fish feeding on incoming forage may be facing current from the main lake. Shallower fish may actually be facing the seiche, feeding on whatever is being washed back into the lake. For that reason, direction of presentation may be critical. If you seem to be picking up more fish moving one direction
than the other, concentrate on the most productive direction.
NeverâI repeatânever stay out in waves bigger than your boat can safely handle. My new Polar Kraft is nearly 20 feet long, very deep, and can handle virtually any water an inland lake can throw at it. If it gets too rough, head for a protected area. But as long as it’s safe, and you feel comfortable fishing in rough water, you’ll find the hottest bites this summer on the windy side.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for more than 25 years. Watch the award-winning “Good Fishing” and “Outdoor Secrets” television shows on Versus (formerly OLN), Fox Sports Net, Comcast Southeast, WILD TV and many local networks.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
