The wind....

peter crabtree · Oct 5, 2016

Just as we get to (IMO) the best couple of months for river fishing the weather gods have inflicted us with the dreaded East wind. I notice Skippy's pal Big Phil struggled at Windsor after some spectacular roach and dace fishing whilst the SW winds prevailed through until last week.
Now we are stuck with these conditions until at least the middle of next week according to Met office. A match at Windsor in my diary for next Wednesday suddenly looks foreboding and yesterday the Colne fished direly, even the minnows were hard to catch on maggots as Neil 1970 will testify.
As I get older I seem to spend a lot of time looking at venues on maps to see where and how the wind is likely to affect sport, rivers tend to wind and bend and I like to get an idea how the wind may help or hinder my approach in advance on different sections.
Do you factor in the wind direction when making plans for a day out on the riverbank?

sam vimes · Oct 5, 2016

I spend the bulk of my time trotting with a pin. The wind plays a huge part in where I fish and whether I fish at all. I invariably pick stretches of river depending on the wind direction. It's that bad that I often wish that I lived on the other side of the Pennines where there's a bit more chance of a river flowing in a direction with a bit of west in there. Unless you can find a big meander, there's not a great deal of west flowing going on on the Yorkshire Dales rivers.

tigger · Oct 5, 2016

peter crabtree said:
Do you factor in the wind direction when making plans for a day out on the riverbank?

I do grimace if the wind is a downstream one but if I have my mind set on a spot and know it's been fishing well I fish it regardless.....usually !

robtherake · Oct 5, 2016

Most of my winter fishing will be on a lake surrounded by trees, so whatever the wind direction there's usually a comfortable spot. Just as well - I hate being cold.

The wind decides the tactics as it always fishes best for roach when there's a fair ripple on, but there are good perch to go for when it's calmer. Win/win.

Mark Wintle · Oct 6, 2016

Just fetched the paper before sorting out to meet Swizzle; coldest morning so far and the wind yet to get up. Usually a NW wind is the worst on the Stour - that's what we've had the last couple of times but an easterly is just as bad. I fished the upper river earlier in the week and lack of flow meant the float barely moved against the wind and the fish were distinctly finicky. It was only when I moved to somewhere with some flow that I caught some roach (on tares) despite a facing and blustery wind. The only fish really active were jack pike, swim-killers if ever there was one.
So, yes, I do factor in the wind. Off to another stretch today with hopefully some flow and a favourable wind and some bites and fish.

theartist · Oct 6, 2016

I always look for a venue with the wind on my back especially if it's a biting northerly and the more sheltered the better. Every river I'm on i'm facing the wind though, well at least it seems that way most the time.

When I do find a sheltered spot It usually fishes bad and that bit round the corner with the wind whipping across the open countryside, that's going to be a bite a cast and that's sod's law for you.

no-one in particular · Oct 6, 2016

Definitely something about an east wind, taken from my records for no particular species and lake and rivers.

Good fish are still caught but as a general trend it would seem anything with an E in it does curtail the results.

Not too clear that picture, sorry (excel graphs don't translate into a picture very well); but you can define the trend. NE, E and SE being the three but one from the end.
It wouldn't stop me fishing, too many other variables to take into account and fish are still caught but it would seem to have some sort of affect on fish, its the same in the sea as well although I don't have records but many times I have sat in a boat and a good easterly has meant fewer fish than expected.

theartist · Oct 6, 2016

Nice bar chart Mark it would be interesting to see what difference the seasons make as I could imagine a north wind whilst troublesome in winter could actually bring some good fishing in the heat of summer

Keith M · Oct 6, 2016

At this time of year onwards the wind has a large influence as to when, where and even 'if' I decide to fish (I'm not getting any younger Lol)

When I was a lot younger I used to go out in all weathers; and I remember when a mate and I were awoken in the early hours by my fishing alarm going off because ice had built up around my line and the ice had started to drift. Nowerdays I have a little more sense Lol.

There is a small lake nearbye (which was once cress beds before the club dug it out) which has warm springs erupting from its bed which is my last resort venue once the temperatures really start to drop and it is also fairly sheltered from the wind by trees.

But at this time of year it takes a lot to dissuade me from fishing my local streams, and there are always some parts where I can fish without having to put up with strong downstream winds.

Keith

S-Kippy · Oct 6, 2016

Most definitely....though I am more interested in the barometer than wind strength/direction. Nothing I like better than a low barometer and a big SW wind....though you probably wont find me running a stick through on the river. I think high pressure, sun and a change of wind direction/strength did for Phil at Windsor. TBH in such conditions I think I'd have abandoned seed for the maggot .

Last year's LIF Fish In was fished in a howling gale and though it made trotting difficult we caught a shedload of fish...but it was from the right quarter and the temps held up.

You'll not find me out in low temps and a big wind from the North or East. I'm far too fragile now for that sort of caper.

greenie62 · Oct 6, 2016

S-Kippy said:
.... Last year's LIF Fish In was fished in a howling gale and though it made trotting difficult we caught a shedload of fish...but it was from the right quarter and the temps held up...

True - but we had to rope ourselves onto the rod and bank to save being blown-in and/or losing the 15' Acolyte- or being pulled-in by the Sea Trout!

mg:

john step · Oct 6, 2016

Keith M said:
There is a small lake nearbye (which was once cress beds before the club dug it out) which has warm springs erupting from its bed which is my last resort venue once the temperatures really start to drop and it is also fairly sheltered from the wind by trees.

Keith

I used to live in St Albans and I reckon I know that club lake. In the harshest of cold and when the stream that flows in and out chocolates up the water I could catch tench on a pole in the centre channel on worm bits.( on the narrow bit before the outflow)

barbelboi · Oct 6, 2016

greenie62 said:
True - but we had to rope ourselves onto the rod and bank to save being blown-in and/or losing the 15' Acolyte- or being pulled-in by the Sea Trout!mg:

Any stronger and I'd have considered using a line guard....................

S-Kippy · Oct 6, 2016

greenie62 said:
True - but we had to rope ourselves onto the rod and bank to save being blown-in and/or losing the 15' Acolyte- or being pulled-in by the Sea Trout!mg:

It was a bit breezy was it not ? I believe I had a nice chat with Rog but honestly never heard a word he said !

---------- Post added at 11:34 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

barbelboi said:
Any stronger and I'd have considered using a line guard....................

It wasn't that bad, Jezza !

flightliner · Oct 6, 2016

It's an ill wind? I agree that northerlies and easterlies can spoil fishing on many venues but on the Trent both can be a godsend at times. Autumn is still a good time to target most fish with float gear and with the river flowing mainly north in the main its a perfect wind to use for good float presentation, a nor easterly will find me with Lincoln on my back, a nor westerly I will be opposite.
Come wintertime both winds can be a hindrance but thats when the tidal sections become my trump card.
look for the biggest tides that colour up the water and choose a venue as low down as possible near gainboro and it seems have nothing but a positive effect.

Tee-Cee · Oct 6, 2016

Yes, definitely. Only last night, once I heard the dreaded 'East' word in the forecast I had to, in my minds eye, change swims for today. I was to be fishing a small lake so it was only a case of walking 20 mins around the other side to have the wind in my back. Having said that it did seem to change directions from time to time....
The other factor at this time of year is patches of surface scum and general detritus which seemingly has I mind of its own. Nothing worse than trying to fish through muck with fine tackle. Fortunately, in the main it was on the opposite bank today, but it did move about for no good reason....

Anyway, wind direction and the amount of sun on the water are always major factors for most anglers, and I'm no exception.

mikench · Oct 6, 2016

It was very windy today even in the sunshine. My unhooking mat with landing net and pole attached on top of it, was picked up by the wind and sent into the water at the side of the peg. Having spent a fruitless few hours, and enduring cold and wind, I was on the verge of packing up! I stayed and finally started to catch, the best being a 2.5lb tench and a 6lb common!

I was using a new Darent Valley 11ft 0.75 tc rod. What a lovely light rod and a lovely action! I really like it! It doesn't have a quiver tip but on the method the bites were clearly indicated and the tip moved as though it was.

I intend to use this rod for some trotting and I tried to avoid a stronger rod for one that has some feel! A big thanks to those who pointed me in the right direction and recommended it!

S-Kippy · Oct 7, 2016

mikench said:
I was using a new Darent Valley 11ft 0.75 tc rod. What a lovely light rod and a lovely action! I really like it! It doesn't have a quiver tip but on the method the bites were clearly indicated and the tip moved as though it was.

I intend to use this rod for some trotting and I tried to avoid a stronger rod for one that has some feel! A big thanks to those who pointed me in the right direction and recommended it!

Smashing little rods aren't they ? And no money at all.

bracket · Oct 7, 2016

During my River Trent match fishing days in the 60,70, & 80's the River water temperature was fairly stable, thanks to the abundance of Power Stations along the bank. The wind had less effect on the fish feeding habits than on still waters. It had a marked effect on your tackle and control, as we all know. I therefore became very conscious of wind direction. So much so, that on leaving the house I would check the wind quarter and recite a mantra in my head, something like this: For Burton Joyce " Right, that's over your head on the Road Stretch, in your face on the Nelson Field and down gate on the Rack. I had similar memory aides for the other venues on the River in the Nottingham area that I would regularly match fish. It did not make me alter my choice of venue, as you went where the match was. It did gave me forewarning of what to expect and whether it was likely to be, the Stick, the Waggler or a day on the pig. Since moving to Dorset I don't have the intimate geographical knowledge that I had of a river I fished for over 50 years, but I still automatically check on the wind direction every time on leaving the house. Pete.

Hugh Bailey · Oct 7, 2016

S-Kippy said:
Smashing little rods aren't they ? And no money at all.

Would such a rod be a useful compromise on the Wey for a roving approach targeting the chub / roach - either with a light feeder or bomb or maybe with a float at a push (to save taking multiple rods)?

The wind....

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