I have heard to fish with the wind in your face, because a hard wind blows the bait fish to the shore ....

Does this really matter ?

Does the wind really make enough current that fish under the surface would get blown downwind ?...

I honestly find it so hard to cast into a stiff wind, that it makes it no fun. The few times have I done it, I can't say my luck was much better.

So what is your experience ?

Main reason is planning Sat eve to bank fish Benbrook, and either fish mustang park with wind at my bank, or at the dam with wind in my face. If the theory holds out then 2 hard days of south wind should have the bait fish pushed upto the Dam and my odds are better there.

For Bass & Cats, a 5-15mph wind coming right at you is pretty much as good as it gets. Fish a cove off the main lake/river and it's even better as the bait fish get somewhat trapped in a huge bait bucket. lol...

As a rule . . . cloudy days are better than clear days, & warm days are better than cool days. Windy days are also better than calm days! Also remember . . . "When the wind's from the west . . . the fish bit the best. When the wind's from the east . . . the fish bite the least! When the wind's from the south . . . the hook goes right into the fish's mouth!"

Just returned home from my BB spot , wind was so hard at times that would blow off your rods off the holders . Don't know how much wind it's too much , but it was hard to cast your need needless to say cast your rods out .
From the 6 or 7 drops I made all came back on clean hooks , I couldnt tell when the bite was on with all this wind gust.

You have to remember that significant wind creates some current and moves water. As a rule, the fish will generally be more concentrated on the downwind side of the body of water, as the wind will push insects, baitfish, etc to that side of the water. Consequently, the predator fish (ie bass) will generally follow. Doesn't mean you can't catch fish on the upwind side of the lake, if that area has good cover, structure, etc. Just have to keep in mind that the wind is pushing water, creating some current, and that predator fish will usually face INTO any current and wait for food to come to them. They will also generally follow the baitfish, which are easily pushed around by current/wind.

Just my 2 cents.

Medicine man , it totally makes sense what you say . However I find it hard to bank fish when the winds are ripping . When is it too much wind ?

Some old fishermen will tell you(The wind is your friend)yes it is!Fish the points of the lake that have sharp drop offs.as the point tapers off on both sides..rather than a flat point.The fish.that eat shad will herd the shad onto the point using the wind to keep the shad on the point and feed on them at will...I wade the points staying center to the point tip till waist high and cast shad baits in a clock area..ie...12,1,2,3,4,5 then back to 12,11,10,9,8,and so on and repeat...or cast live, or fresh shad on a carolina rig at clock area until you find fish and continue on.. normal fish caught--sandbass,hybrids,stripers,blues and channel catfish,,blackbass,,normal all large keeper fish some small ones-early in morning or late evening is good...but can continue into the day with a slower bite.This works on many ,many lakes..

Anthony, when the wind is up, you usually have to go with a bait that has some weight to it. Crankbaits, jigs, chatterbaits, c rig, t rig. It's hard to go weightless in the wind. Swimbaits also work well in the wind. Usually, a moving bait is easier to fish in the wind because you basically never lose touch with the bait. T rig, c rig and weightless baits require you to pick up line, which in the wind will generally mean you lose contact with the bait and take longer to get back in contact, which can cause you to miss strikes. When you're on the bank, try casting with a crosswind as opposed to directly into the wind. Or at an angle upwind. Good luck and send some reports.

when is it too much wind...hummm?
when you are in the water wading or on a boat and you feel unsafe and not sure of yourself then get out..
fish how you feel comfortable that meets your own limits..
you can always go later when the condition are better for you and your own limits...everyone has their own comfort level in the wind fishing...
if you choose to fish the wind and wade..hmmm? I fish the wind like I fish the gulf wading in the surf...wind in face.heavier lure you feel on the line ...or live bait little heavier weight on line..wind will give a current effect in the water with larger waves..always safe when wading waist deep or deeper wear a life vest in case you step or slip in a hole/dropoff if you do not know the area.

I do agree with (Medicine Man)in what he advises as well..Read all the post and previous ones...they will help you as we all are here to help you and each other...be safe and have fun..

I was always told that you should fish making your retrieve against the current. I was told the same as mentioned above, fish face into the current. My grandpa always told me to find a point where you could cast with wind, but retrieve against the current. doesn't always work, but there are no garauntees in fishing!

Went to the Benbrook Dam, fished by the pumping station on the north east side of the Dam. After 2 days of strong south winds, the bait fish where stacked up in there. Tons of small minnows all along the shore. Unfortunately, we didn't get out until late in the morning 10am. According to a fisherman that was leaving, he caught tons of sand bass and a few under sized hybrids. Best action was at dawn 5-6am he said.

I had a few small sandies take a small spinner, and I could see them chase it many times to the bank.

I did manage 1 LMB, 24" and 5.8Lbs very fat. he inhaled a minnow crankbait. I also got 2 small mouths on a texas rigged twin tail mister twister black/silver. All fish returned for others to catch. I was fishing under the bridge that goes south out from the Dam.

We tried fishing bait off the bottom but the bottom is so rocky we always got our weights hung up, or the bait got the line wrapped around something. It seems like a tough spot to fish. The bridge from the east to the building, as tons of floating black cables and such, so almost impossible to fish under there.

-later

when fishing heavy rock bottoms...I like to use a 3 way swivel.
main line to swivel--heavy line from swivel to hook--bottom swivel very lite line to weight.weight hangs up in rocks ...line and bait are above rocks...fish hits bait line/hook...when you set the hook the weight/lite line break off then you have main line to leader hook with fish to reel in.
works like good..

The wind isn't strong enough to push bait fish around. What happens is, the wind pushes the plankton to the shore, and the baitfish follow to eat. Then the cats, bass, etc go there to eat the baitfish. I bank fish and always cast into the wind when possible. Windblown points are the best opportunities, better than windward coves.

Exceptions to the rule include spawning crappie and winter time stocked trout.