Beating the Wind

We are fond of the saying that if you wait for the wind to quit, you won’t do much fishing.  This is especially true along the Rocky Mountain Front or between any of our numerous mountain ranges where trout infested rivers and lakes tend to be found. You can’t beat the wind, so you need to learn to work with it, at least to a point.  It can occasionally blow beyond the margin of safety and reason.

Recently, I joined a couple intrepid anglers on a venture to one of Montana’s large prairie lakes.  The forecast called for high winds.  Usually, it is just windy up there.  When high wind warnings are issued, that’s another level.  I would not have made the drive on my own, but these guys were going and I’m always game to fish under just about any condition.  We left early and when we got to the water, only moderate winds were present.  I’d say it was a steady 15 to 20mph.

At 20mph, it is difficult to cast into the wind.  The best bet is to set yourself up to cast cross wind.  We were on a bank with wind blowing down the lake off our right shoulders.  As right handers, we made the adjustment of casting off shoulder.  That means that the rod path is adjusted about 45 degrees from right to left.  The casting stroke is much the same.

Reaching our target zone was no problem.  Wind and wave action moved our flies effectively at only a slightly slower pace than when nymphing in a river.  About every hour, the wind seemed to tick up a notch or so, about 5mph.

At 30mph, the waves were growing and casting was getting tough, but we stuck with it.

At 40mph, we started to laugh at our insanity, but I was still hooking fish in the tempest.  We were the only ones there.

Bryan said, we made a memory.  If I would have stayed home, I’d have been grumpy at work instead of grinning.

The only way to beat the wind is to go fishing anyway.  Just stay out of wooded areas during high wind warnings.  My friend Kevin recently had a Ponderosa land on his truck while he was driving in the National Forest.  He probably should have stayed home that day.  I almost got hit by a falling cottonwood tree in my drift boat one day. Then we almost got taken out by a drifting cottonwood tree chasing us down river.  If you do find yourself out on the water when things get unsafe, stay vigilant and bail out as soon as possible.

In normal windy conditions, you can usually find fishable waters.  Look for bluffs, 90 degree river bends, or anything that can take the brunt of the wind out of the picture.  Set yourself up so you are fishing cross wind or downwind.  You may not be able to fish a dry fly.  You may even be challenged to dead drift a nymph, but aren’t challenges part of the reason we fish?  Streamers can save the day in even the windiest weather. Fishing flies under an indicator on a windy lake can be very effective when you use the wind to your advantage.

When casting cross wind, make sure to cast off your downwind shoulder.  If you don’t, the results can be ugly.  In high winds, keep false casts to a minimum.   Better yet, don’t false cast.  Just throw a fixed amount of line.  I prefer a 10’ 6" switch rod.  I use both hands on the rod to create the load I need to complete the cast. Windy days are good days to pull out a heavier rod if you have the choice. Use a six instead of a five and so forth. You can also fish your favorite rod and turn it into a wind beater by adjusting the line. Try a 6wt rod with a 7 or even an 8wt line.  You will be amazed at how easy it is to cast 30’ into the wind.  Better yet, grab one of the new Sharkskin Siege Lines.  Even the 5wt Siege will penetrate through our windy conditions and allow you to keep on fishing.  Bryan and I were both fishing 5wt Sharkskin Siege lines the other day.  It was the perfect prescription for catching fish despite extreme wind.  Don’t let the wind stop you.  Get out there and make a memory.