May 9, 2016
May 9, 2016.
How many times have you driven down to Silver Creek or some other favorite flat water venue only to run into windy conditions which do not subside? Today was one of those blustery days where the wind created whitecaps on The Pond and out in the field water. If the season was open, I still would have gone home. But, there are many windy days where one need not give up on it. I actually look forward to such day, at least on occasion. I usually am not surprised when the weather turns windy, as I live right on the Double R Ranch and each evening and morning I check the Weather Underground site which features fairly accurate wind predictions in its Ten Day Forecast section. wunderground.com. Nevertheless, I generally forebear from fishing a sizeable East Wind.
TIPS FOR FISHING IN THE WIND.
While a stiff breeze may often kill the hatch or at least eliminate the fun of casting to visibly working fish, the wind can also open up some opportunities and dictate a change in tactics.
You can often get away with a larger tippet.
One can fish a dry fly which has a larger profile: sometimes a larger fly, sometimes just a more “bushy” fly.
Fish will often sit along the banks without showing themselves so blast the bank and edges of weed beds.
Be sure to cast to the calm margins created by the wind and the transitional areas.
If it is past midsummer, consider fishing a hopper.
Just about any day of the season, tie on a beetle pattern and fish the calmer margins and banks.
Don’t neglect the lowly ant. My current favorite strategy is to drift an “Ant Misbehaving” across the stream and chuck it to the banks.
Fish large unweighted nymphs including a Callibaetis nymph, a Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear, Mercer’s Poxyback, Flashback Pheasant Tail nymph, Bird’s Nest or the like.
Doug Andres
Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch