You bet I like to fish, but I’ll be honest: it’s not just the act of fishing I enjoy; it’s the catching that I really like. It’s seeing and feeling that strike, then fighting that fish successfully to the net, that really makes fishing fun and exciting.
The problem with fishing, however, is that there can be several impediments to the hookup and landing of a fish.
Not coming up with the right lure or bait can be a problem, and fishing gear that fails to perform properly can add to the problem.
Other factors that can hinder the catch rate are things we can’t control, like the weather. Things like temperature changes and varying amounts of rain can have a large effect on the success of a day of fishing, but one of the biggest weather factors is the wind. I’ve probably voiced it more than once, but wind is probably my biggest enemy when it comes to fishing.
I just recently returned from three days of fishing with some of my buddies at our yearly “fish camp,” where we hit several different lakes, mostly for panfish.
The first day it rained all day, but the real problem was the steady wind as well.
I’ve often caught fish in the rain, but wind creates problems. Trying to control the boat and keep it in the desired spot while also trying to cast and retrieve a small, delicate lure was a challenge. Casting and working a presentation are extremely critical to successful fishing, and the wind makes that difficult.
One of the biggest factors in my mind for successful hookups is having constant control of that fishing line; in other words, I want to be able to see and, more importantly, feel everything that is taking place at the business end of my line.
Feel is especially important in a lot of my fishing, particularly when I’m in pursuit of panfish like crappies, bluegill, and perch. When I’m working a jig or any artificial, or even some kind of bait, as soon as I make that cast, I raise the rod tip and try to have a tight line with no slack so that I can feel everything that is going on with that presentation.
If you have ever been fishing on a windy day, you know how difficult it is to have a tight line after the wind has put a large bow in the line, even before it hits the water, and what’s worse is that it keeps putting that bow in the line.
The wind can also be a detriment when casting larger lures for bigger fish like bass or pike, and this is especially true if you plan to work surface lures. I love to work a surface presentation for bass along weed edges, and a flat, calm surface is best for working a lure that creates a surface disturbance that attracts the fish. Obviously, the wind detracts from the lure’s intended purpose.
Of course, we cannot control those natural forces that hinder our casting and retrieving, so, like we recently did at fishing camp, we headed for all those coves and shorelines where the wind was a little less fierce. The problem with that is those locations may not be the best places to fish, but at least they were a little “more fishable.”
Another move that we chose at fishing camp to fight the wind was to quit fishing early and go back to camp and prepare a nice meal with the fish that we did have — it worked.
