Walleyes. Gone with the Wind?

[Walleye Express]

Hey, guys. This thread kinda skirts the Strickly Fishing theme. But I think it merits being here.

Didn't go fishing yesterday because it was just to darn windy. Now theres a few reason why a person does not head out on the Saginaw Bay when this factor presents itself.

I guess the best obvious reason is that he could be out there a while, waiting for the next Orange Coast Guard Bus with the Horizonal Propellers to pick him up.

Another reason is the huge hassle of everthing being that much harder to set up and get in the proper personal fishing order. But there is another reason I tend to shy away from windy days, and I dont know if this phenomina happens to everybody else or not.

For some reason, I tend to loose perspective, feel, reaction time, something I really cant put my finger on, but it effects my senses in a negative way when either fishing or just interacting. I see this the most when golfing, but notice it most in anything I do when its windy outside and I'm in it doing whatever.

I guess theres no guessing the obvious problems when it comes to being on open water when its windy. The horizon continually moving at shape angles, tends to throw one off a might. Just ask Sunshine and Just Look'N what Huron was like for 2 1/2 days last October. But its mentally tougher for me on the river as well when walleye fishing, even if I've found a spot out of the wind. So does this happen to anybody else? And does anybody have a scientific answer to this (Breaking Wind) question as it pertains to solid ground/ice?

[chamookman]

Dan- I think it comes from losing a bit of Your other sense`s (distraction). If You are in the wide-open, Thewind is pushing on You- the equipment. Sound wise it`s a distraction plus visually also. It just plain doesn`t help. I`m sure the Big Guy has a reason for it, but I for one am not amused! Sailly or Blo-boats are the only ones I`ve ever seen that really relish this! Gonna have another sandwich now, just for ballast! Good post- Bob WC#253.

[stewart]

I'll agree with the previous post about distraction. If you aren't comfortable you don't fish as well. Just as a wild guess though maybe the rocking affects the inner ear, putting your senses slightly off?

[WAeyes]

Walleye Express,

BIG WIND=BIG HASSLE

It puts slack in your line so you lose feel of your bait.

The noise of it is very distracting and you start to lose focus.

It pushes on your rod and that makes it more difficult to detect strikes.

Then when you add in darkness, you compound all your problems to a point that you might as well go home.

BIG WIND...not for me.

[Denied]

While I am equipped to fish during most average blows on Erie, I have found that it is just uncomfortable to be out when the waves get much over good honest 2 to 4 feet. You know you are going to take a beating going and coming back. That and the safety angle make it just not worth taking the chance. I feel for the charters and head boats as well as the people on them that go out knowing the waves are going to be 3 to 5s or greater.
dean

Fishing Lake Erie aboard "DENIED"

(I don't represent any manufacturer or supplier "I pay my own way")

[Walleye Express]

Denied.

I've probably called off more charters when others in my business have went ahead and went out. I think taking people out in 3 and 4 foot waves doens't give them the nice confortable trip they were looking forward to. Yet, I have had clients coax me to take them out no matter what the conditions, and I to have a very sea worthy craft. But I won't do it, no matter what the argument. And to address the thread subject in this train of thought, I hate having to deal with the rough seas and worry about everything that goes with it. When your concerns are compounded by the wind and waves, you leave the door open to more trouble. I'd prefer to keep my full attention to cathing fish and showing everybody a good time.

[Denied]

I commend you and anyone else who takes the safety of their clients and themselves seriously enough to cancel trips when the weather is bad. But you and I both know there are folks who will go out regardless of the weather. I saw several boats try and get out from Huron late last October, only to be blown back into the channel by 7 to 10 foot waves. Old lady Erie is not to be fooled with as several poor folks find out each year.
dean

Fishing Lake Erie aboard "DENIED"

(I don't represent any manufacturer or supplier "I pay my own way")

[Walleye Express]

Denied.
Ya, I know all about the Late October Huron waves. I was there from the 25th to the 27th. One of the boat's you probably seen go out was the Just Look'N. That was Bob Keeney at the helm and Me in the back on my knees praying. The waves did subside to only 6 footers on the last day though. Bob said we had it pretty good, as the 30 footer of Bob's only went totally airborne 3 times on the way out.

Bob, have you been able to remove my fingerprints from the dash, and that brown stain from the seat yet?

[appleye]

Hey Dan,
I have a new thought on this. I think in all the years of working in the blast furnace you melted something you need to be outside LOL. I dislike fishing in the wind in the winter so much I have stopped going. Wind always blows here. I just save my money now and by stuff from guys cleaning out there tackle boxes. (You have any cranks you need to get rid of?)

Scott Appley

[Walleye Express]

Scott.
Keep the faith buddy. You already own half of what I had in my tackle box just one year ago. I was kinda looking at last years Double Downers, but I recently made room in the mega box for 3 dozen new Winning Streaks after my Wally Diver sale. So they wont be shipped to you until next winter. :-).

[JustLookN]

Dan, I at least put the plastic up to keep you dry that day, I wondered what those marks were in my dash, now I know..Bob

[sib]

I did fish Sat. on the Sag. River. I do consider the wind when I fish and plan appropriately. Man, the wind was blasting down the wind tunnel of a river, but the fish were biting. I'd never hit the bay in that wind, but I felt comfortable in the river. Plenty of articles blowing down the river, I counted a hat, hotseat, minnow bucket and 2 shanties(one with howling fisherman, which turned on it's side when it hit rough ice). I think the wall of my shanty was bowed in 18" from that wind. Took me about 30minutes to anchor my shanty to my liking, but she never budged once.

Did good in 10 ft. of water off Ojibway Island, 5 for 6 with 2 keepers. Lots of smaller fish, didn't see a fish larger than 17" taken that day. I registered for the Shiver, so I hope we start seeing some pigs come up the river.

[Walleye Express]

Sib.
Was fishing with my bud one blustery day on the Bay. Lots of stuff was blowing by us similar to your story. My buddy timed and caught a nice new 6 gallon pale as it went skipping along. Opened it up and somebody had taken a crap in it and either let it go, or it just got away from them. Wind blows.

[WALLEYE DREAMING]

Oh yeah that wind can be a real mother out there after ten hours in the shack with the tarp on the shanty making all that noise can definitley give you a excedrin headache. I always set my shanty next to my dogsled so she don't blow away. Years ago it got away from me once and I had to cut it off at the pass with my snowmobile nothing got hurt except my pride. Won't let that wind stop me though unless its offshore like it was this weekend have had onshore wind pile up the cracks but always somewhere to cross if you be carefull. Capt Dan that southwest corner seemed to be holding pretty good in that wind this weekend it looks like you could make at least 16 fow this weekend weather permitting although I have not been out there to see it is there a crack a mile out from the state park? With temps maybe going below zero for a couple of nights if that wind would lay down we might be in good shape for the weekend.

[Walleye Express]

Jim.
Its freaking me out, that with the marrow freezing temps we've had going on for 2 weeks now, that there is still sections/pockets on the Bay being kept open by these persistant winds. And I was actually surprised the (State Park to Hoyles) corner did not take a ride towards Charity Island this weekend, especailly after the ship cut an opening East of it to do so.

[skeeter]

Hey dan I wonder where that bucket went. Can I have it back.

[Walleye Express]

Nels.
Only if you'll label any further stool samples with "Contents under Pressure". :-).