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Fishing Lure Art Cases, Collectibles
fully and adapt to the water condi- tions. If the water is off-color and chop- py, you will want to use baits with con- siderably more flash, rattle and vibra- tion. I have also found a larger silhou- ette bait seems to attract more atten- tion. If you are a natural bait fisher-
Pick a spot that is accommodative
to the general pattern for the season, and grind it out
Hook Up
Watercolor print 12”x9” $60
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man, a wind shift that blows onto a pro- tected shoreline can be a positive sce- nario. It can create some welcome tur- bidity and baitfish activity and, more importantly, will chase off most angling competition.
STICK AND STAY Choices are not always an angler’s
friend. We are a funny lot. Often, if the wind is light and the bay is an open canvas, we paint a little on every cor- ner and never put the picture together. Pristine conditions lead to quick
discontentment and the belief that the next spot will surely be better. Try to use windy conditions to your advan- tage. Pick a spot that is accommodative to the general pattern for the season, and grind it out regardless of the wind. I have experienced a number of times when I found a small or stubborn school of fish on a shoreline and due to very few alternative choices, I stuck it out and produced an enviable pattern and catch.
regardless of the wind.
Additionally, you can use inclement
conditions to learn an area in greater detail. You will find that a lack of choices makes you explore every aspect of the shoreline or cove that you are hiding in. Even if you do not unlock the pat- tern that day, your exploration could result in insights that will pay off for years to come.
JUST GO “Just go” is a true trip saver. There
are potentially countless gameplans and adaptive strategies to negate the impact of high wind, but if you do not go fishing, they undoubtedly will not work. Additionally, when you “just go” and head to the boat dock in the morn- ing, it is funny how many times all those clever plans are unneeded …because the wind isn’t blowing. Clearly, weather forecasters try their best. They use the best technology available, but it is a very imperfect science. Through the years there are count-
less times I can recall when a banshee of a front stalled for a day, a screeching south wind never materialized or the torrential rain didn’t fall until the end of the day. Meeting at the boat dock in the morning eliminates the chance of a misplaced forecast and allows you to analyze the conditions at hand, not what was forecast the day or evening before your trip. You may head home upon seeing a truly ill wind or dogged rain manifest, but many times, you will have your day of fishing. “Just go” is a lot easier said and
done in the bay than in the open ocean. But, I do feel obligated to point out that even in a shallow or protected back bay or lake, excessive wind can be dangerous. There are small craft warnings for a reason, and although you may intend to travel through skinny water to reach even skinnier water to fish, you cannot always predict the changes in wind and tide that may leave you with more wave than boat. Exercise due caution and respect with the wind and weather, but this spring use a few adaptive strategies to not let the wind blow your fishing opportunities.
Patrick Murray is president of the CCA
National organization. Prior to working for CCA, he was an inshore fishing guide specializing in the upper Texas Coast. For more information on his book, “Saltwater Strategies: No Nonsense Guide to Coastal Fishing,” go to
FishGame.com.
44
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