How do you fish in a windy day?

There are more windy days than calm days here in Texas, how do you all fish in a windy day? Can you guys share how you rig and what method you use? Is it more of cast and retrieve rather than vertical jigging on windy days?

#4 split shot a foot above a 1/8oz jig.

Most of us will find a cove, or nonwindy area to fish, if possible, or at least I will. On really windy days, I will walk a creek, or pull my two man out on a creek.

There are times you can’t avoid the wind, though. The biggest thing is to keep enough weight on your jighead to keep the line tight enough to feel a strike. It may be a split shot, double Jigs, or just one heavier jig. You will invariably miss a few hits, because you can’t always trust the line watching abilities, but with enough weight, and your finger on the line, you can still feel most of the bites...another way, is to use a bottom bounce setup. Weight on the bottom and jigs up above on dropper lines. You can get waggle floats to minimize wave action, if you are using corks. Anyway, there are plenty of options depending on where you are fishing, what type of fishing, just remember, keeping your line tight and being able to feel your line is important...Using braid helps detect bites, as does a sensitive rod. Hope this information helps!

I will fish in the open until about 15 mph wind. Then it’s time to go home. I just don’t like the rocking motion all day.

If I have places that are protected, I fish them with a 1/4 oz jig.

I usually try to fish the 2 best weather days during the week. A challenge this Spring for sure. Not to mention the high & muddy water from all the different rains.

I use a #3 split shot above a 1/16th oz jig but very similar setup. I think the jig pendulums under the additional weight on the line and draws more bites.

1/8 oz. jig and add a split shot. You can even tie a drop shot rig if its windy enough.

If it is a heavy north wind, then I look for protected north banks...exact opposite if it is a heavy south wind. You may or may not have to go to heavier jigs/weights...just depends on how much wind is being blocked by the bank.

Lakes with east/west arms are always a favorite of mine...vs a big open lake with no protection from the wind.

There are many lakes around here you can fish in 20-30 mph winds simply because there are places to get out of it.

This^^

I try to have a spots to fish for every direction the wind can blow but sometimes that doesnt work out, Im running a ultrex so I can position what I want to fish behind the boat and fish off the back of boat with spotlock that way Im not bouncing up and down as much.

That is always the hardest part of spring fishing here in Texas. I like to fish sparse cattails during the spawn and typically keep at least an 1/8 ounce jig tied on to help with wind but am now prepared to use an 1/4 ounce jig head on the windier days cuz I learned the 1/8 ounce just wasn't heavier enough last year. Best advice is to find spots out of the wind and be prepared to use heavier jig heads. Lots of areas are likely to be too windy to fish.

Good info!

Ultrex/Spot-Lock. I will put the structure I am fishing at the back of the boat and fish out of the back of the boat in calmer more comfortable conditions than from the bow. Wind is to my back and I can manage my jig/bait a lot better.

h.e.b

lob the jig out and let it swing to the left, right or just over the brush. the fish move tight to the brush and wait for something to come swimming by when the waves are churning. Dont even waste time trying to vertical jig. the jig swimming thru the water column on a freefall is the most natural presentation you can offer in a windy situation. also using jigs with tails that move like a lil fishie or any swim bait type jig can help. its just a tough old bird to chew any way you slice it.

Have you ever done that with roadrunners? Surprisingly, at times that is a very effective method of dragging them out of the piles...when they otherwise won’t bite.

yes, one spawn I slayed the crappie on waco casting road runners with a curl tail body near 3 brushpiles near the bridge, right on the backside of the point. it was crazy, like every cast a fish, there musty have been thousands there.

Used to fish with Piscatur, he only fished roadrunners, and liked drifting for crappie, as well. One of the things Ilearned from fishing with him...if I couldn’t catch fish using regular ball Jigs with traditional presentations, I could switch to roadrunners and catch fish...Essentially, every trip one or the other of us would be hammering crappie...if it was him, I would switch to roadrunners...if it was me, he would just keep fishing the roadrunners, and watch me catch fish...bottom line, if your typical presentation isn’t working, the fish want another presentation...

I have a question to all the guys that put split shots above their jigs...
I've heard of an seen several folks that do this, my question is don't that kill you being able to feel a thump from a crappie?
Seems they would almost have to hook themselves using this technique or hit the jig hard enough top go from jig to the split shot too your rod....
As for me in windy conditions I'll find a protected shoreline or run into a creek....
1/8 is the heaviest jig I use and will find the conditions that the 1/8 or lighter jigs will work...

SK i personally don’t have a problem feeling the bump when i use a split shot above the jig, not saying that i don’t miss some fish but i feel like im still getting most bites

You find protective coves and channels. Don't try open water piles. Yes, it's that simple..

I seldom use a split shot anymore, but used to...now I just rig a tandem jig setup. However, the reason folks put a split shot on is to feel the bite better in windy conditions, so you don’t miss “as many” bites...yes, in windy conditions, the objective is to reduce the number of missed bites, not necessarily eliminate them. And toward this end, in windy weather, I always fish braid...

I fish tandems when possible but that just leads to more break offs if the brush is thick. They work great on PVC piles. In really thick brush I just add a split shot. More often than not I just use really windy days to get caught up on things around the house and wait on a nicer day for the lake.

Good answer crappie express! This past year, I have been trying out weedless Jigs in the heavy brush versus my normal offering of sizes...it seems I can effectively fish larger/heavier Jigs than I have ever used before (to negate the wind) by using the weedless Jigs...this option has cancelled my need to resort to a split shot, in heavy brush.

So, I am wondering if ANYONE uses EXTRA crappie nibbles to add some weight to their jig?

#1 Always try to have options that are out of every possible wind.
#2 Simply go up with the jig size (1/8-1/4oz)
#3 If the structure allows, fish a double jig rig. I like a 1/8 below and 1/16 above. You could go up to 1/4 below and 1/8 above.
#4 Stay home and do boat and tackle maintenance.

Yesterday, I decided to hop in the boat and brave the wind, so I

1: fished non windy coves, first
2: upped my jigsize to 1/16, once in the wind (went to 1/8 for a bit)
3: tied up to docks instead to fighting the troller or spotlock.
4: left the lake earlier than dark, to go perform some electrical maintenance on one of my other boats.

Didn’t realize just how accurate this list was till I read it this morning...