Question...

[ALL_IN]

So last night we had league and we all know the weather last night, it was windy there 20mph, raining, low pressure front.

So here is my question, I have always been told to fish towards the windy side of the lake due to the bait fish being blown there all day.

I also sized down on my lures, 4 inch worms, smaller spinners, and darker colors.

I slowed my retrieves and pausing lengths on the worms.

So I guess the question is please offer advice on what you would do in these situations. We did not catch fish like I would have hoped for, so I was wondering what other people would do.

ALL-IN

[Bass Whacker]

i had conditions like this on the river for a tournament this spring and we tryed the same as you we ended up fishing the same area but switched to crank baits and spinner baits and burned them over the top of cover makeing sure we made contact with said caover the whole time basically just looking for reaction strikes worked out quite well

[SledNeck]

I always always always always fish the windswept sides of the lake...especially early in the season.

[Tim_Anderson]

More than anything right now, I would just keep moving until you find them. Spend maybe 20-30 minutes per spot with a few different baits. Even in tough conditions lately, the bass have been pretty active. They are either random here and there, or when you find them, you find a whole bunch.

[JP Z]

Main thing.....wind doesn't blow the baitfish around. They can very easily swim out of it. What it does do is blow the algae and other small particles over there and then the baitfish follow.....and the carnage begins.

That weather really was part of this wonderful coldfront we have going so I guess instead of fishing slow I'd burn a rattletrap or the like.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

If downsizing and slowing down doesnt work, like jpz mentioned, try the opposite. Use larger baits, work them faster.

If the wind swept shoreline isnt working for you go somewhere else.

Down sizing, fishing the wind, etc. are all good tips but they are not going to be the answer evertime. How did the winner catch their fish?

[EBass]

When it's windy two words stick out. Power Fishn'

[joeyquicksand*]

When it's windy two words stick out. Power Fishn'

what is this "power fishin'" you speak of?

how do i do this "power fishin'"???

[Central Bassman]

Power fishing to me is big baits and fast moving baits, Crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, 10" worms, swimbaits and covering some water to me is power fishing.

[matthothand]

Depending on the make-up of the lake and the amount of wind the windy side might also gain a slightly higher oxygen level. That hadn't been mentioned but is another to add to the list of "why the windy side". Depending on temps I throw a variety. Earlier in the wind like from opener til a week ago I would work bright 'fluke' type baits. After the water warms to the area it's at right now and for another few weeks I throw spinnerbaits. I prefer heavier single bladed and bright. For the remainder of the summer and into the fall I like to fish a little deeper but still on the windy side but with cranks. I'll throw a spinnerbait here and there but I really hate spinnerbaits...for me they just seem too generic and impersonal. They do have their time and place though. Sometimes there can be a great bite happening on the windy side but sometimes the windy side just happens to be a poor fish holding location. Maybe it has poor depth, vegetation, make-up, etc. and the fish opt not to be there. Typically of the fish that are there some should be there feeding. If you are really struggling to get bit bail out and get out of the wind and fish those old trusty spots. I'm heading out in a couple hours...hope it's windy.

[ocf1]

Baitfish can swim out of the wind but the baitfish follow their food which is plankton like creatures that can be blown in the wind. So fish windy sides and move till you find them.