# Effect of Wind On Surf Fishing



## Manlystanley

I have been fascinated by the effect of wind on surf fishing. In OBX, as far as I understand the following rules apply:

-- Anything with West wind is a deal killer.​-- Fall time: NE wind is best​-- Spring / Summer time: SE wind is best.​
[Did I get this right?]

I've been told all kinds of possibilities of why this is the case. For example:

-- In the fall migratory fish are delayed by a South wind. So, a North wind will cause bunches of fish to show up.​-- or In the fall, north wind brings cooler air and water. this causes the fish to come in closer to the shore.​
-- West wind blows the plankton out to sea, so the bait fish follow, and the bigger fish follow them.​-- Or West wind calms the waves and so limits the food falling back into the ocean, so the smaller fish look elsewhere and the bigger fish follow.​-- Etc, etc.​
The reason why I'd like to know the 'reason' why certain wind affects fish, is so that I can apply the same rules to the Chesapeake Bay and freshwater fishing.

Thanks!

Best Regards,
Stan


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## 1BadF350

As I think Yogi Berra said, "You win some, you lose some, but you have to get dressed for all of them". 
I apply that logic to fishing. For me its hard to predict. Wind, tide, day, night, I get dressed for them all. 

Although, I like what you wrote. Makes sense.


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## Eattheflounder

I do not think that these rules apply to fresh water and enclosed fishing areas . usually a west wind can make for great freshwater fishing because the west wind is stable weather . In my experience , barometric pressure has more of an effect on fishing in freshwater than it does in the salt water . freshwater fishing usually slows down under a high pressure system . freshwater fishing needs more stable barometric pressure usually , not always but usually . I think that the wind situation in the ocean has to do with cooling or warming the water near the beach , how the wind turns it over or pushes it in 
I catch saltwater fish in the ocean on high pressure systems and low pressure systems. It doesn't seem to take as long for fishing to get back to normal after a front in the ocean . That is very different than my experience in freshwater. the professional bass fisherman that fish the tournament circuits hate high pressure systems moving in. the Cold blast that we have experienced in the last few days seems to have helped the saltwater fishing . I can not use the above information to predict my fishing . I agree with 1 bad f350, you get dressed and you go fishing . the tide is not always right ,the wind is not always right , the moon is not always right . with that reasoning you never go fishing . The fish do not understand all of the fishing rules that we make up . Just my $.02.

ETF


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## fishinfanatic

For the most part, you are correct.

Speaking for the Northern beaches:

-West is bad(creates dirty, cold water), but not always. You can have a day or 2 of light west wind(5 mph or less) and keep clean warm water.​-E, SE, or even light NE during Spring and summer helps to warm up the water and keep it clean. Even in the sound, the onshore wind determines the clarity of the water. A hard wind out of any westerly direction will make it dirty and grassy.​-During the Fall a good NE wind gets the fish moving south. Temperatures begin to fall and this makes the fish move. Hard NE usually gets the drum and spot-biting. Fall with a NE wind in the sound is my favorite time of year to kayak. A light NE wind on the beach is great for trout.​
If you're further south, starting at the point, a Westerly wind will actually be onshore because of the curve in the island. So the west wind is going to clean up and warm the water, whereas it would do the opposite at the northern beaches.

I don't know what winds do in VA because I don't fish it enough. The wind is going to affect the water anywhere you fish depending on where you're at, probably not a pond though. I'm up in CT right now and a west or SW wind is best up here, I would have thought some kind of east because I'm so used to fishing down south.
-


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## Manlystanley

fishinfanatic, Eattheflounder, 1BadF350: Great perspectives, Thanks! You guys are right. It's nice to know for sure, but what the heck. It's the getting our there that is fun......

Best Regards,
Stan


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## solid7

What particular species are we talking about?

Why is a west wind a deal killer? (Are you fishing facing East?)

If much of what was written in the posts above is true, the "rules" are very different from where I fish. It could be very different for other places, too. I am not on the OBX, and I don't just target drum. 

Here: 

Onshore wind = choppier (but not always messy) surf, and less clarity and colder water. (especially with a northerly component) Water easy to read.

Offshore wind = cleaner breaking waves, best water clarity. Water harder to read, but easy to sight fish. 

E/NE - best winds for foragers, (churning up the shore break) and brings fish in from colder waters

N/S - bad winds to fish if over 5-10 MPH. (hard or impossible to hold bottom)

SW - No good for fishing, go catch shrimp in the ICW

W - 50/50 (but my favorite days to be on the beach - wind at my back)

SE - 50/50

Dead calm days - unless you see bait, stay at home. Most surf fish want water movement.


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## solid7

Eattheflounder said:


> In my experience , barometric pressure has more of an effect on fishing in freshwater than it does in the salt water . freshwater fishing usually slows down under a high pressure system


Here on the East Coast, west winds typify a cold front. They are some of the most volatile periods for fishing, in both a good and bad way...


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## greg12345

The wrong wind can blow the fun out of a fishing trip real quick. Whether it's a wind blowing bugs from the ICW or causing surf/currents so strong that your 8oz is rolling down the beach like it's on wheels...I'd rather fish calm days with glass seas and clear water even if the fishing would be suboptimal. Not to mention if you are a flycaster...


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## greg12345

The key point to mention is that the effect of wind will depend on the particular orientation of the beach/barrier island you are fishing.


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## solid7

greg12345 said:


> The key point to mention is that the effect of wind will depend on the particular orientation of the beach/barrier island you are fishing.


Yes, that was one of my points, too. It's no small consideration....

What works in one situation can be completely the wrong advice in another.


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## WNYBob

I agree with onebadf350 aned ETF and some others. I go fishing when it's convenient for me was planning on it and the day looks good. The the only really bad wind that might ace the day is the one blowing into your face harder than you can toss lead against it. lol


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## caniac23

The age-old rule of thumb for Hatteras is try to fish with the wind in your face. As fishinfanatic said, this generally means a NE wind is best on the northern beaches and a SW best from the point south. I can't tell you how many old codgers I've heard that from.


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## solid7

How is it that a west wind on the OBX creates dirty, cold water? I don't really have a point of reference for that statement. Normally, (no matter where you are at) a wind at your back will temper the swell. This creates the "barrels" and "breakers" that surfers look for. Cleaner breaking waves usually mean cleaner water, unless they are absolutely monstrous...

In my neighborhood, a west wind makes gin clear water. West for me = true offshore wind.


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## fishinfanatic

solid7 said:


> How is it that a west wind on the OBX creates dirty, cold water? I don't really have a point of reference for that statement. Normally, (no matter where you are at) a wind at your back will temper the swell. This creates the "barrels" and "breakers" that surfers look for. Cleaner breaking waves usually mean cleaner water, unless they are absolutely monstrous...
> 
> In my neighborhood, a west wind makes gin clear water. West for me = true offshore wind.


A west wind on the northern beaches creates dirty, cold water because it creates an upwelling. Typically an offshore wind anywhere does this. An upwelling brings nutrients and colder water from the bottom of the ocean to the surface, this creates the cold, dirty/sandy water. It doesn't always have to do with the size of the waves, but the currents under the surface of the water.


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## Drumdum

Points made about a ne'r are well taken and I agree for the most part... Although later in the fall,sometimes early fall,a light to medium sw wind can be the ticket... It drops out a swell,pulls in bait to the dingier water,walla big drum everywhere.... No doubt wind in the face is a good rule,but it definatly can have it's exceptions.. Also depends on what you are trying to catch.. Fish that like clear water,pompano for example like e se ne or anyother wind that clears the water up.. Both spot and seamullet like it both ways,dingy and clear.. Drum can be in both,but generally like it stirred up,unless there's good feeding grounds with plenty of bait in clear water.. Like said,all can have exceptions,ya just gotta deal with what is brought to ya by mother nature... Oh,and if you are fishing s beach on Hatteras,the island is turned,so wind directions can affect fishing in a different way.

Solid,it does create upwelling when wind is from w or sw for a period of time here on n beaches of obx.. Unlike some have said on here though,I do like a sw wind,sometimes even a nw wind at times,over a ne wind.. That's just me though,plenty of dam# good fishermen will tell ya otherwise....


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## Macman

A co-worker and I were just discussing this very topic this week. The conversation was all over the map for a moment... an east wind for him was blowing towards the east, while to me, an east wind was blowing from the east. Once we settled on wind direction, our discussion started to make since for both of us. Funny how perception plays in a conversation. Great thread!

Macman


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## solid7

Drumdum said:


> Solid,it does create upwelling when wind is from w or sw for a period of time here on n beaches of obx.. Unlike some have said on here though,I do like a sw wind,sometimes even a nw wind at times,over a ne wind.. That's just me though,plenty of dam# good fishermen will tell ya otherwise....


Yeah, that's why I was asking with my listening cap on. 

Right now, we've had west winds (or offshore, so there's no misunderstanding) for 3 days, and the water is very nice and clear. In fact, I'm about to go fish it...


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## Drumdum

Macman said:


> A co-worker and I were just discussing this very topic this week. The conversation was all over the map for a moment... an east wind for him was blowing towards the east, while to me, an east wind was blowing from the east. Once we settled on wind direction, our discussion started to make since for both of us. Funny how perception plays in a conversation. Great thread!
> 
> Macman


 He's getting wind direction mixed up with current direction....



solid7 said:


> Yeah, that's why I was asking with my listening cap on.
> 
> Right now, we've had west winds (or offshore, so there's no misunderstanding) for 3 days, and the water is very nice and clear. In fact, I'm about to go fish it...


 Yeap,I did too.. nnw wind he fought like crazy too.... Wish I'da wiped that goofy arse look off my face though.......


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## solid7

Drumdum said:


> Yeap,I did too.. nnw wind he fought like crazy too.... Wish I'da wiped that goofy arse look off my face though.......


Not to worry... When you're holding a fish like that, nobody is noticing your face.


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## AJ35

When fishing on Hatteras island, I've always heard it is best to have the wind in your face, however, I am not expert on this subject, so I don't have a clue. But in freshwater, as was stated above, I believe that fronts and pressure changes are the ticket. I can remember several stellar days fishing that were leading up to a cold front. Especially here in the northern parts. In one situation, I went through three dozen minnows in just 4 hours of fishing for Pike, and started using the dead ones with just as much success. Even the warden, who stopped by to check my license, couldn't believe how well the fish were biting. Dead, alive, bitten in half, didn't matter, they hit it withing a minute of it hitting the water. There was a cold front approaching that hit later that night. Same went for one evening in mid November when I was fishing for smallmouth. There was a cold front about to hit, and the temps had been unseasonably high, in the mid 60's for about a week. The last three hours before the cold front hit were stellar fishing. It was one bite right after another. They were hammering our spinnerbaits right up until it started raining. Once the front hit, they shut off completely. It was as if someone had flipped a switch. I've also had this same scenario work in my favor while catfishing. If the weather is unseasonably warm, and there is a front fast approaching, the fishing usually picks up for a day or so ahead of time. I have read that in some larger impoundments that wind will push baitfish into certain parts of the lake, so, it is sometimes best to fish the opposite side of the lake from which the wind is coming.

Many lakes also "turn over", that is, the water at the surface becomes colder than the water at the bottom of the lake at some point in fall/winter, so the water at the bottom of the lake will rise up as the water near the surface sinks. In many cases, this is the time of the year when fishing gets tough. The water at the bottom is oxygen depleted, so, as it rises up, and the oxygen rich water at the top sinks, this will allow fish to sink to greater depths to find food, as the water near the bottom is now more oxygen rich. Wind can affect this cycle of course as wind can cool a body of water down faster. After the turnover period stabilizes, the fish will become easier to find once again.


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## drumrun

Drumdum said:


> He's getting wind direction mixed up with current direction....
> 
> 
> 
> Yeap,I did too.. nnw wind he fought like crazy too.... Wish I'da wiped that goofy arse look off my face though.......


Dern is that sand I see?


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## tjbjornsen

If you add the look on your face to the position of your finger it looks to me like you are answering a question to someone...
What that question might be is up for grabs...


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## Drumdum

tjbjornsen said:


> If you add the look on your face to the position of your finger it looks to me like you are answering a question to someone...
> What that question might be is up for grabs...


 Maybe I'm saying they are number 1???


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