How windy is to windy? I just had to back out a fishing trip because there is some "big storm" comming that is suposed to blow 25-30 m.p.h. with possible gust to 60 . So here is my question to you when is it too windy for YOU to go fishing? If you found some good fish and posably had something going, what would it take to get you off the water? When dose it become a safety issue?
I think it mostly depends on where you are fishing and what for..To be honest anything over 25 would probably keep me home, mostly depending on where we are to be fishing..I spent 26 years in the Navy, I know what rough seas are, if it comes close, I don't want to be there..
mac
Take a kid fishing, and don't forget about us older kids either..
It all depends on the particular lake, the reason for fishing, and the boat/driver capabilities. There has been one day in the past 10 years where I did not pre-fish because of wind. It was 35-50MPH on Mead. The Delta I will generally fish up to about 35 MPH although I may hide down South. There have been many fun/practice days where I chose not to fish due to wind.
People have died fishing in high winds. It is something to take seriously and probably not worth fun fishing in winds over 20MPH. The rough water causes stress cracks in the boat, equipment can be damaged, if you break down the boat can be destroyed, and not all boats have been rigged to fish in rough conditions.
I live near Clear Lake and mostly fish there. 25 mph would keep me home on fun days. If I did choose to fish it would dictate whereI chose to go. Tournament day, no choice gotta fish.
The winda can either be yer friend or foe out there. If it's a constant wind, I don't mind as much and have fished in as high as 55-60mph out here on the Delta. But if it's periodically gusting, whole different beast, 25-30 is scary and can toss ya right off the boat with out notice.
For me, it's a matter of taking safety into consideratin first. My safety level may be higher than others, due to equiptment being more prepared, or just the experience in knowing what ta do, what not do and places ta go hide and catch fish. The deciding facture is something that just hits me instinctually. If'n I look outside and the first thought that comes to my mind is, "Man, I wouldn't wanna be out in that crap", I don't go!
When they close the lake. Then it is to windy. I have been out at pedro where they closed the lake after we launched. That was the ONLY time a was worried on fresh water.
Don.
Go Big or Go Home!
http://calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bassindon69/basspics/
JIGS TACKLE wrote:FOR ME, ITS TO WINDY WHEN
1. MY TROLLING MOTOR WON'T HOLD ME ON A SPOT
2. MY BATTERIES DIE
3. I CAN'T FEEL A BITE
My trolling moter decides for me when its too windy as well...as long as I can hold my position on a spot im good...wants I cant...well...then obviously I would be in danger of damaging my boat...or myself
1. How long is the boat? Big boats handle big water better than smaller boats. When I had an 18' bassboat back in the 80's, I couldn't run bad conditions like I can with my 20+ foot boat today.
2. Is the driver experienced in big water boat handling? Most boat problems in big water are caused by inexperienced drivers who don't know their own limits or the limits of their equipment. I've stabbed big waves 4 times in my fishing career. Twice on Clearlake, once on the delta and once on Berryessa. I learned from each experience and, while I've fished in some bad conditions, I have not stabbed another big one in many years...enperience counts.
3. What is the motivation for fishing? Fun fishing is supposed to be just that, "fun". If the conditions will remove the "fun" component, then I'm not going out. Prefishing for a minor tournaments also qualifies as fun. But, prefishing for a major tournament is a "job" that needs to be done unless conditions are sooo bad that it is unsafe to be on the water. When the government issues small craft warnings, that's a good clue! Depending on the direction of the prevailing wind, I might still go out and fish locally. For example, storms out of the south do not effect Brown's Ravine launch at Folsom so I might launch there and run into the south fork. Same thing for the Delta, there are lots of places to launch close to where you might want to fish so, even in really windy conditions, you can still get on the water safely and prefish key areas.
4. Are you fishing alone or with a buddy who has physical limitations? I have a good friend with a medical condition that limits his ability to handle the impacts from running in heavy water. Obviously, his health limitations (or my own) will be the ultimate limiting factor in my fishing. Same thing goes for fishing with my grandkids...safety will be the limiting factor.
So, to answer your question, there is not a basic wind speed that will automatically keep me off the water. And, if there is any possible way for me to go fishing with reasonable safety, I will always opt to be on the water instead of on the couch!
When you mentioned about the 50-60 mph wind, I recall your funny experience in that West Coast Bass Pro-Am with 50+ winds that we fished. I still crack up every time I think about that story! LOL!
NaCl wrote:When you mentioned about the 50-60 mph wind, I recall your funny experience in that West Coast Bass Pro-Am with 50+ winds that we fished. I still crack up every time I think about that story! LOL!
Yeah, the ferral cat story, that sucker will live with me ferever! The only thing funnier than that was Mark Mendez in his first ever pro-am as an Am, drawing me the day before, and all bundled up looking like the Pilsbury Dough Boy all day long! HAR! HAR! HAR!
That was definately one of the most brutal Pro-Am's I've ever fished, from a weather standpoint. Two days of that was a definate test of our medel. Worst day ever, was that first day of the first 100% Pro-Am here. Cold, pouring rain and 65 mph constant winds out of the south, brutal!
that is suposed to blow 25-30 m.p.h. with possible gust to 60 
. So here is my question to you when is it too windy for YOU to go fishing? If you found some good fish and posably had something going, what would it take to get you off the water? When dose it become a safety issue?
Uh oh wrong board. LOL
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