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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | When you have a average wind on the lake: Do you run you boat into the wind casting your spots or drift down wind using you electric to keep you positioned where you want to be.
The reason I ask is most fishermen I know that put in lots of hours fishing seem to run the boat into the wind, boat control is better because you don't have the wind pushing you around. I try to use the wind, I drift and use the motor when I have to. I run across lots of other fishermen who are working up wind when I fish with the wind. Just wondering if I am one of the unusual ones to use the wind. I try not to use my motor whenever I can get away with it.
What are some of your views on this subject?
Up wind or down wind? |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Most of the structure I fish I select due to the fact that the wind is blowing into it. Because of this I spend most of my time fishing with a cross wind. If I have to fish with or against the wind I probably split it up 50/50 as I prefer to fish off the left side of my boat. |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | My answer is not exactly simple. I fish into the wind 1st of all because of boat control. Secondly, if you have ever fished in current, either from the wind or from running water, you know that the fish tend to face into any current. I want my bait to come into the fishes line of vision, not from behind them. Seems pretty simple to me, I like to put the odds in my favor. One other thing, if everyone is fishing with the wind, I fish against the wind. If everyone else is fishing into the wind, I will fish a pass or two with the wind. Just to be different and give those fish another look. If there is little wind, I fish my best spots from both directions to cover all the angles I can. |
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Posts: 1046
| I like to drift with the wind and adjust with the electric, but off to the side of the actual area to be fished and cast cross and/or perpendicular so`s that the boat does not drift over the actual structure and I can return to a new angle of attack without giving the fish any boat-shock! It sounds kinda goofy but it has worked extremely well the past couple seasons especially on mid-lake humps or long points.I see very many anglers make their first cast/first drift right smack dab over where the fish are, big mistake as they are putting their own pressure on their own fish they located, completely and only fishing downwind directly into the fish.Really leaves nothing for the second attack plan! Very interesting to see the way others attack!Great question for the up and coming opener and if anyone has any pointers to help the way I am doing things, bring them on as I am always up to perfect my system alittle better! Handy |
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Location: Illinois-Indiana | I tend to work against the wind or up wind, this is the best way to control the boat especially when the wind is blowing hard. A lot of the structure that I fish I will go up wind and if I'm seeing fish then I will turn around and work my way back down wind to cover the structure again from a different angle. I agree with Mike about the fish setting up facing the current, therefore I try to always cast into the wind. |
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| Depending on the structure, I will do either. I do use a drift sock and will use both my bow mount and transom mount to more effectively control the boat. I do agree that it is easier to control the boat going into the wind, but then the boat is generally positioned best for the person in the front of the boat. I really like using a drift sock and then using both trolling motors to position the boat for both. The person in the back will use the motor to position the rear of the boat and slow it down, the front is controlling direction. It takes a bit of teamwork and good communication, but it does make fishing the wind easier for both.
I have tried it alone, but it is tough. I hate fishing aluminum boats in the wind, seems like you're always fighting the back end spinning around, that really wrecks a drift. I do find that when I use both motors when I am fishing alone that I will keep different rods rigged at different ends of the boat.
Oh ya, I use hand-control trolling motors, so it is easy to point them in whatever direction and go to the other end of the boat.
Annnnnd, I don't do the "2 trolling motor thing" with all my boat partners. When it doesn't work, it is really irritating for both of us, but when it works....
Tom B |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | definitely into the wind unless I do a motorless drift. |
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Posts: 389
Location: Presque Isle Wisconsin | Great question and some very good answers: In general its easier for me to work into the wind. Another factor is the type of lure being used as sometimes a better action is acheived going one way or the other; for instance I like to work a jerkbait against the wind. Throwing crosswind can produce a nice arcing pattern on a bucktail. One thing is for sure; You havnt fished it until several angles of attack have been tried.Some surface baits really excell when they are used at a correct angle over a light chop and boat control becomes critical.I fish very deep most of the time but its till critical most of the time to have the lure coming into the structural spot on the spot at a correct angle. I also try to remember exactly how the wind was hitting a peice of structure ,my retrieve angle etc etc if I take a nice fish off a certain spot,because if those conditions are present on another day you can bet that another fish will be around and catchable in that same spot. Same thing applies if you never see a fish on a certain body of water under a certain wind condition; you learn to choose other spots or lakes if that wind direction is present. |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I prefer to drift with the wind if the structure can be fished effectivly in such a manner. Our Pewaukee Lake Study which you all have read about has shown examples, noted by the radio trackers doing the studies, that the fish definitely react negatively to the close proximity of operating boat motors, and to a lesser degree operating trolling motors.
However having said that, in very high winds, I will run my trolling motor into the wind downwind from structure to slip sideways to the wind direction, because there are few other options which allow me to efficiently fish the same structure.
Which brings me back to my two long standing rules of muskie fishing, "The only rule is there are no rules, and the best time to go is when you can!!"
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 4/19/2003 8:32 AM
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I like to control drift, and spin the nose into the wind to cover a spot really well. Then, let her go, and control drift down the edge. The only exception to this is when I am casting a creature. Most of the time I will be pulling into the wind with that presentation if it is over 10 MPH, just so I can control the jig well. |
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Which method do you use and prefer