Winds

[Str8 Yakkin]

New to the area and trying to figure out the wind. Which direction causes the water to get really choppy.


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[belairfishing]

You can look at windfinder.com to see the directional views, and just zoom in to your body of water. It totally depends on where you are fishing, but as a rule, the longer the wind has to travel over open water, the worse the conditions will be. For example, if you look at the Susquehanna Flats at the top of the bay, a wind from the south is the worse possible option. If the wind is from the east or west, you can get protection on either shoreline. The same principal holds true for most of the tidal rivers in MD.

[CarsonNash]

Depends on the body of water you are fishing.

Are you familiar with the term “fetch”? Knowing what fetch is and how it effects the water will help you determine when it is too rough out to fish.

For example: a 15kt wind blowing from the north-northwest will create very rough conditions in the bay. This happens because the wind has the entire length of the bay to generate chop.
But a 15kt wind from the east will not generate nearly as much chop because it has a fraction of the time in contact with the water.

Windfinder.com was recommend to me on this forum and it is very useful for predicting wind speeds and direction. I always check that before a trip on the water. Knowing how to determine fetch will save you time and headaches in the future.

[Str8 Yakkin]

Thanks for the tips guys. I’ll jump on that site today


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[ronaultmtd]

The “Reach” of the wind (fetch) and that effect on the water being discussed can be minimized by fishing in creeks and rivers where bends in the stream puts land and trees in the way of the wind creating a wind break...like Mattawoman Creek...like St Jerome’s Creek...like the Potomac around Port Tobacco River and Blue Plains...there is always “somewhere” fishable if you look hard enough...most of us have habits that are hard to break and when our favorite “honey hole” is not fishable due to weather, we throw the towel in and stay home...I am as guilty as anyone...like tomorrow morning I plan to try my hand at Mattawoman creek under less than perfect conditions...is Mattawoman creek where I want to fish-no, I would rather fish down south and try for Speckled Trout and big White Perch but conditions dictate that it is Mattawoman or stay home...as others have stated Windfinder is a good source for the many different locations specific conditions and gives tidal highs and lows, temps, and rain predictions specific to the station locations on the app...and each of us has our own tolerance for what water conditions we will fish in based upon our boat, our experience and common sense (surprisingly uncommon)...rule number one always wear your PFD and when in doubt...don’t...