This is one of my favorite times of the year to fish. Not only is the fishing on fire, but the wind never seems to lay down and I love that added challenge. I find myself hearing more folks complain about the wind instead of embracing the wind. It’s easy to find the negatives for fishing in the wind, so try and leave that behind this season to extend your appreciation for it. I’m not saying that it’s going to be easy and at times it’s may not be the most fun. Just don’t be afraid of it anymore.
You might find yourself defaulting to heavier jigs or larger baits to try, but have you ever thought of switching your rods? Rods are my favorite part of fishing when it comes to the tools. They’re all different, they all have a purpose, and they’re the reason we present baits properly. Most of my advice will always be geared to fishing artificial baits, which is half the reason I’m so passionate about rods. Most of my bass fishing, inshore/near shore rods will be geared for a certain style of bait and that bait only.
Like I said, taking on the wind doesn’t always mean you must throw heavy. Now if you’re working with a heavy current, plus wind, plus bait sitting on the bottom then yes you need that bait on the bottom. When you’re dealing with the wind and you don’t need baits sitting deep you can use light rods that will assist you in whipping a light bait versus a heavy rod that will require more effort from you. You’ll also want to step into longer rods when dealing with something lighter. Finding these right rods aren’t always the easiest either. They require a very specific balance of length, strength with a light tip. Make the rod do all the work. You don’t need to sit inside because the conditions are challenging. I promise if you make small rod adjustments you’ll love fishing in the wind. Unfortunately, each adjustment is going to be different because the rod would is so vast.
Position yourself with the wind that it works with you. The wind likes to change directions, which is helpful when working different locations. You’ll probably always have a spot you can fish with the wind or hide from the wind. If you don’t find one learn a new spot, find a new spot. You are not a tree you can angle your boat, kayak or legs to work with you not against you.
Fishing in the wind will work hand-in-hand with my article on Hunting the Difference because there’s nothing more amazing than watching the wind and water create something different. One more piece of advice would be to just take your time. There’s no reason for you to try and fish as fast as you can. You have more factors working against you and you’ll need to be focused or you’ll miss something. Capitalize on the wind, go out there and dominate it.
Christina Weber is a born and raised South Florida fisherman utilizing the fishing capital to the full extent by fishing 50/50 saltwater and freshwater. For her, kayak fishing happened by accident when she wanted to venture into uncharted waters that she couldn’t reach by motor boat. Over time, she realized that a kayak could take her anywhere, and fish freshwater, saltwater, inshore and offshore all from her Hobie Outback. Christina has been competing in tournaments for over 10 years, worked in tackle sales for 5, and worked at a non-profit to ensure Florida’s fisheries. For more on Christina, visit www.christinaweberfishing.com.
