AS SEEN ON:
MAKING THE MOST
OF HEAVY WINDS
Strong winds from any direction can spell
doom for a fishing trip, but there are some things we
can do to make the most of it. Read on and learn how to battle
tough winds.
High winds are difficult to fish in. They deny access to larger
bodies of water, make casting difficult, and can beat the hell
out of you, your boat, and your equipment. To be clear, this article is not about fishing a wind from a specific direction, this
article’s focus is on dealing with the effects of a strong wind
from any direction.
<<< Devin Denman
LA Fishing Blog
WHAT EXACTLY IS A STRONG
WIND FOR INSHORE FISHING?
In the realm of inshore fishing here in
Louisiana, a 15-20 knot wind or higher is generally considered to be a tough wind in which
to fish. This is not a textbook “gale force”
wind, but is usually strong enough for NOAA
to issue a small craft advisory.
WHAT MAKES A STRONG
WIND SO BAD?
A strong wind makes fishing difficult for a
variety of reasons. For starters, it is difficult to
fan cast. Remember that when scouting for
fish using the Louisiana Hustle, you want to
fan cast around the spot you are fishing to
see if any hungry trout or reds are there.
When a 25 knot wind is blowing, you are
limited to where you can cast. It’s easy to cast
with the wind to your back, more difficult with
it blowing on your side, and downright frustrating when casting straight into it.
Casting into a heavy wind creates wind
knots, backlashes, and more that are
supremely annoying and slow down your roll.
glers at home, meaning more real estate for
you. So keep this in mind:
If you are truly Fishing Smarter, those high
winds will not keep you from catching fish.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR
TACKLE FOR A STRONG WIND.
The conventional, general-purpose fishing tackle of the saltwater marsh is, without a
IS THERE ANYTHING GOOD
doubt, the Inshore Rig. You may already be
ABOUT A STRONG WIND?
familiar with this
setup, but if you
Of course, strong
are not, then be
winds are a doublesure to read more
edged sword and there
information about
are some good aspects
this great inshore
about them. For starters,
fishing rig. It is esthere definitely will not
sentially a Carolina
be any mosquitoes or
Rig with a clip-on
gnats biting! Of course,
cork attached
high winds will move
above the egg
water during a neap
sinker.
tide. You can learn more
It’s easy to
about how that works in This egg cork has a lead weight molded into the bottom.
There are a variety of weighted corks you can use to cut
outfit an In