Whither Wind Blows Part II

"Wind from the West, fish bite the best.
Wind from the East, fish bite the least.
Wind from the North, do not go forth.
Wind from the South, blows bait in their mouth."

Let's face it. Most fishermen don't plan their trips around the weather. Anglers go when we get the chance and come hell or high water, that's when we're fishing. There's nothing wrong with that approach, but paying attention the the forecasts and knowing where your fishing spot is in relation to the weather patterns can really help put fish fillets on the plate! I've put my daily Fishing Weather Index on a few weather maps. There are 4 common stages of storm development with approaching storm systems and I labeled the fishing weather you might expect for each type of storm. This way the next time you're watching the forecast, you can know the general fishing activity just by how the storm looks on our tv weather maps. If you can't read the pictures, click on them to make them larger. In the next few paragraphs I'll break down what the winds mean and I'll also poke a few holes in the old saying above.

The key with the first scenario is the systems are weak. This represents most of the features that roll across Iowa. Here an east wind close to the boundary might actually coincide with good fishing activity. Sometimes the warm side of the boundary will have an east/southeast wind as well, and once again you could expect good fishing weather.

A small storm system moving in can stir up the fishing activity. Since the barometric pressure tendency is changing -a variety of fishing weather can be found depending upon where you are in the storm. Generally cold air spills in from the north, and my Fishing Weather Index fits the saying quite well. High pressure, post-frontal, cold and breezy conditions all spell slow fishing weather. Meanwhile a southerly wind near the center of the storm would combine with warm temps and lowering pressure. This is the side of the storm to fish on as fish begin to feed aggressively before the worst hits.

Classic storms result from large shifts in air masses. Deepening low pressure creates stronger winds drawing a surge of warm air northward, cold air slams southward and wild swings in weather can be expected as the storm passes. Clouds and precip. muddy the water with multiple weather factors impacting the fishing. In this case, northwesterly winds bring cool changes and higher pressure, so west wind isn't best here. Also, easterly winds close to the center of the storm and north of the warm front aren't necessarily bad. Clouds, rain and wind creates an opportunity for large fish to ambush their prey as light levels remain low but vary widely. The key to success here is to fish as the storm approaches. Activity typically wanes as the storm departs and the colder, high pressure pushes in.

A fully mature storm system has the power to make most anglers nervous on the water. Strong winds are typical as deep low barometric pressure draws air to it's core like a vacuum. Intense wave action and a wide variety of weather swirl around these storms that can affect several states at one time. In the warm, pre-frontal air mass fishing slowly heats up to feverish levels right before the front. Even north of the warm front, extreme low pressure has game fish feeding aggressively underneath the wind and rain. Behind the storm, post-frontal high pressure builds in and the action comes to a screeching halt. Those are the days I dread, and they're usually the ones I have off ;-)

The biggest gripe I have with the saying is the first two lines. If you throw light rain, thick clouds and cool (not cold) weather with a light to moderate East breeze I can be found on the water. Low barometric pressure is the dominant weather factor and fishing can be quite good. If instead there is bright sunshine and dry/cold air I will not be fishing an easterly wind because high pressure is king of the weather map.

"Wind from the West, fish bite the best" doesn't add up with my experience unless there is no major storm system nearby. Even then barometric pressure is pretty stable and the fishing is typically pretty average. Usually in Iowa a west or northwest wind comes behind a cold front and fishing activity is slowing down. Sometimes a southwest wind can kick up good angling action, but often that's only true mere hours before a cold front and storms.

Fishing before a storm front is my favorite type of fishing. Something in the school of fish sparks a feeding frenzy and the fishing revs from 0-60 quite quickly. Those are the days I relish... just be sure you've got a clear shot to the boat ramp because riding out a thunderstorm on a boat is not a pleasant experience. Using the wind and following the weather can really up the odds of a successful trip. I'd be happy to hear your fishing reports and the weather you were catching them in. Feel free to send pics or a comment and good luck on the water!