Wind weather app

[summersoff]

This is my first year fishing this side of the bay and I'm really liking it, but I can't get this weather/wind down. Granted I don't know all the nooks and crannies to avoid the wind, which will come with time. The Eastern Shore is loaded with plan B's. Unfortunately, I have showed up a few times on this side, mostly Smallwood, and have been shutdown due to wind. What app are you guys using for weather /wind? Also, could you guys throw me one bone for a more protected nock for those windy days.
Any help appreciated

[J. Rentch]

Have you tried Windfinder, lots of us use this one.

[Big Mike]

I use Windfinder as well. I'd say it's accurate about 80% of the time on speed and a touch better on direction. I find direction is more important to me than speed as it helps me select where to fish (and frequently wind on the water is stronger than forecast). It looks like you're in Arlington. It's not a lot further to come to St Mary's where you can almost always find a place out of the wind by fishing the Pax or Potomac depending on direction. Clarks Landing (Cuckold Creek of the Pax) is almost always fishable no matter the wind direction because there isn't a lot of fetch.

[bignose]

Ditto to the Windfinder App.

Fort Smallwood is one of those area that is exposed to just about any wind because of it's location.

[DonV]

The best I have found so far is Windty. Very clean, easy to use and concise forecast.

[EMSer]

I use both of the Apps mentioned here. One important aspect in working on a plan B is to have looked at the charts for the area the night before while you have the wind forecast up. That way, you can see where you can run for shelter if needed, or assess the viability of a launch before you ever leave your couch.

The NOAA charts are excellent for this. Here is the link to an excellent one

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12273.shtml

[AbuMasgouf]

I use both windfinder and fish weather. They have different interfaces and 90% of the time have the same info. I prefer fish weather's interface though.
+1 on Bruce's comment above.

With respect to a protected area, bear Creek offers good shelter and good fishing and so does the magothy and Severn Rivers.

[DonV]

With respect to a protected area, bear Creek offers good shelter and good fishing and so does the magothy and Severn Rivers.

The Magothy and the Severn have both scared the crap out of me on certain windy days. When I say windy nothing overly ridiculous maybe 15-25 mph. They may be protected versus the bay but if the wind is wrong and working against the water they can get pretty nasty and change quickly. The Severn seems to have a bad pattern of the wind just howling up from the mouth even on days that the forecast is for low wind. Haven't had as much experience with Magothy but hit a wind opposite the tide situation last year and it got dicey quick, with constant waves coming at angle over the bow trying to get back to the launch. Winds that day were really not that bad maybe 15 mph tops but the river just reacted very badly with the wind being opposite the tide and made for a treacherous paddle.

[AbuMasgouf]

The Magothy and the Severn have both scared the crap out of me on certain windy days. When I say windy nothing overly ridiculous maybe 15-25 mph. They may be protected versus the bay but if the wind is wrong and working against the water they can get pretty nasty and change quickly. The Severn seems to have a bad pattern of the wind just howling up from the mouth even on days that the forecast is for low wind. Haven't had as much experience with Magothy but hit a wind opposite the tide situation last year and it got dicey quick, with constant waves coming at angle over the bow trying to get back to the launch. Winds that day were really not that bad maybe 15 mph tops but the river just reacted very badly with the wind being opposite the tide and made for a treacherous paddle.

Thanks Don. That's good information to know.

[summersoff]

Thanks for the great responses.
I downloaded the Windfinder app and it looks great. I also downloaded the PredictWind app, I guess I will keep them both for a while and I will keep you posted. Charts are always a good idea, and I will keep searching. At this point I need to learn more local launches and the differences in the water/wind that go with them. Thanks for a couple more places to hit. I am a surf fisherman at heart who didn't mind traveling eight hours for blitzes, but this great local kayak scene has slowed my need to travel down considerably, and I appreciate all the help you have been giving.
Now, about tomorrow???????

[Mark]

If you look at a map, three of the rivers commonly discussed on this forum, the Patapsco, the Magothy and the Severn each flow southeast into the Bay. Our prevailing winds are often from the west or north or a combination thereof. Double digit winds from the northwest can quickly build fetch in those rivers, especially on an incoming tide as Don pointed out above.

The good news is that the Severn in particular has creeks and other inlets that can offer protection on severely windy days providing you can get to them safely by traversing the river or launching directly into them. Weems creek is one of those locations that offers direct access. But I've been there when the wind is coming directly down the creek and even Weems can get dicey.

The wind programs mentioned above are good for initial planning purposes (go or no go) but in my experience wind predictions in terms of direction and velocity are far less accurate than other weather forecasts such as temperature and precipitation. I cannot tell you how many times I have been out with others and our chatter on the radio is, "I thought this wind was supposed to drop at 10:00 a.m.," for example.

The best thing to do is to learn your personal tolerance and safety limits and to make a proper decision when you get to the water and see the waves beating on the beach. Or to leave when the wind arises and blows harder than predicted.

Here's a little fetch building at Jonas from a moderate northwest wind.

C.jpg

It chased us in earlier than we had planned.