The last couple of days have been rough, real rough, along the oceanfront. There was a big northeast
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| This small jig attached to a wooden egg float caught lots of fish yesterday in real rough conditions. The jig has a Fat Cow jig strip attached. |
When I fish this type of water, I will make many adjustments to the way I fish. Here are just some of my strategies:
Spots matter- I have several different places I like to fish in a strong northeast wind. These are places that are slightly protected and places where the wind tends to come from the side. You want a spot that has all of the advantages of white turbulent water, yet at the same time is safe. Clean water is also a key. If you take on a strong northeast wind in your face, you tend to get a lot of weed coming at you, making conditions unfishable. Note that the places I fish in a northeast wind are far different than the places I would choose in a southwest wind.
Bigger plugs- I tend to also beef up the plugs I use in a strong wind. It helps with the casting and a heavier plug tracks better in the wind. I had been getting a lot of fish earlier in the week in calm water with a Jumpin Minnow. Forget that plug in a northeast wind. Instead, I went with a Yo-Zuri Hydro Pencil, a plug that is similar to the Jumpin Minnow but almost twice the weight. It worked terrific in the last two days.
Jigs- Big jigs of an ounce or more are good bets to cut through the wind. These are best where you have deeper water. In shallow water with rocky bottoms, go with the float and jig. The float tracks well in turbulent water and this set up works wonders where fish are feeding on small bait.
Be safe- Rough conditions can be dangerous conditions. Proceed with caution in areas with deep water and slippery rocks. I always try to position myself on a dry rock in a safe spot in these conditions.
