Thoughts on wind (long read)

[RUGER]

I have said "I hate wind" too many times to count.
Back a few weeks ago, March 24th actually, I posted about it yet again.
@atnvol posted on my thread and mentioned that even wind was made by the hand of God and how hate is such a strong word.
For whatever reason I thought about that over the next days / weeks.

I know a guy that is the most miserable person I have ever met in my life.
EVERYTHING is a disaster and nothing bad ever happens to anyone but him.
Negativity every single day, without fail.
My wife and I were talking about him one day and as humans tend to do, we were talking about everything good that he has in his life etc.
What if he had to deal with this or that, picking things in our own lives that we don't like.
Basically being spoiled brats as many of us are.

Anyway, I said something like, instead of doing something to make himself happier he just wallows in his own self pity.
He can't see what he has for being so miserable.

I got to thinking more and more about that in terms of my fishing.
I love fishing, it's my thing.
I'm not very good at it but it brings me much joy.

So after thinking back about what atnvol posted I got to thinking, I am doing that very same thing as that guy.
I love to fish and I am going to go fishing, that isn't going to change as long as the Good Lord allows it.
I live in Tennessee and in the spring of the year the wind is going to blow and it is going to rain.
So instead of just crying about it all the time and wallowing in it I decided to really think about how blessed I am while sitting in that boat being able to do what I love.

So the wind is going to blow so I have three choices.
1) Cry and whine about it.
2) Don't go.
3) Adapt my process to make it easier / more bearable.

I decided there will be times certain spots may not be fishable.
Most of the time there will be other spots that are.
So instead of fighting the wind, crying about it and keep doing the same thing over and over I decided to change.

First thing I learned is I wasn't using my anchor properly.
Dropped it and let the wind move me to the position I needed to be in, then tie it off.
Instead of having out 20' of rope, now I have upwards of 50' and it holds my boat just fine.
Still isn't my favorite condition to fish in but you know what, I am blessed to be there and I now realize that.

Upon my new found knowledge and outlook I anchored down in a few different spots and caught 130 crappie in about 5 hours.
Another trip I caught 73 crappie and one of which was the 16" 2 pound 6 ounce monster.
My heaviest crappie ever.
As I slipped her back into the water and watched her ease back off into the depths, the boat rocking up and down pretty bad in the 25-30 mph wind I thought, I sure am a lucky man.

Had to thank God for the wind that day.

Thank you too @atnvol for planting a seed of thought that took a few weeks to sprout but it did and now it's growing good.

Guess now I need to break down and buy a good rainsuit and work on the rain issue.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

After fighting wind this past Saturday, I told my wife I would not fight the wind to fish in April again this year, ROFL.

Wind was pushing and dragging both anchors along the bottom and pushing us too close to the bank regardless of which side of the lake we were on and how far out we anchored. So you have my curiosity peaked on using the anchor wrong, and letting the wind put the boat where it needs to be.

 

[RUGER]

So you have my curiosity peaked on using the anchor wrong, and letting the wind put the boat where it needs to be.

I just wasn't letting out enough rope when I put the anchor out.
I have a makeshift anchor that is actually three rigs tied together.
They are the pin and clevis that are used to hook small semi trailers together. Think they call them bob trucks?
When I let out upwards of 50' of rope it has held good so far.

When I say let the wind put the boat where it needs to be, basically I mean I just get upwind of where I want to be and then let the boat drift with the wind and when I get in the right "line" I will drop the anchor and then drift to where I want to sit and then tie the anchor off.
Sometimes it takes a couple tries to get it just right before dropping the anchor.

The wind still blows me side to side but I use that to my advantage too.
I call it "the swing". I will drop my bait and don't reel or anything and just let the swing of the boat move my jig. I don't know if it's the action or the different angle it goes through at but they seem to love it.

 

[bluball]

I have said "I hate wind" too many times to count.
Back a few weeks ago, March 24th actually, I posted about it yet again.
@atnvol posted on my thread and mentioned that even wind was made by the hand of God and how hate is such a strong word.
For whatever reason I thought about that over the next days / weeks.

I know a guy that is the most miserable person I have ever met in my life.
EVERYTHING is a disaster and nothing bad ever happens to anyone but him.
Negativity every single day, without fail.
My wife and I were talking about him one day and as humans tend to do, we were talking about everything good that he has in his life etc.
What if he had to deal with this or that, picking things in our own lives that we don't like.
Basically being spoiled brats as many of us are.

Anyway, I said something like, instead of doing something to make himself happier he just wallows in his own self pity.
He can't see what he has for being so miserable.

I got to thinking more and more about that in terms of my fishing.
I love fishing, it's my thing.
I'm not very good at it but it brings me much joy.

So after thinking back about what atnvol posted I got to thinking, I am doing that very same thing as that guy.
I love to fish and I am going to go fishing, that isn't going to change as long as the Good Lord allows it.
I live in Tennessee and in the spring of the year the wind is going to blow and it is going to rain.
So instead of just crying about it all the time and wallowing in it I decided to really think about how blessed I am while sitting in that boat being able to do what I love.

So the wind is going to blow so I have three choices.
1) Cry and whine about it.
2) Don't go.
3) Adapt my process to make it easier / more bearable.

I decided there will be times certain spots may not be fishable.
Most of the time there will be other spots that are.
So instead of fighting the wind, crying about it and keep doing the same thing over and over I decided to change.

First thing I learned is I wasn't using my anchor properly.
Dropped it and let the wind move me to the position I needed to be in, then tie it off.
Instead of having out 20' of rope, now I have upwards of 50' and it holds my boat just fine.
Still isn't my favorite condition to fish in but you know what, I am blessed to be there and I now realize that.

Upon my new found knowledge and outlook I anchored down in a few different spots and caught 130 crappie in about 5 hours.
Another trip I caught 73 crappie and one of which was the 16" 2 pound 6 ounce monster.
My heaviest crappie ever.
As I slipped her back into the water and watched her ease back off into the depths, the boat rocking up and down pretty bad in the 25-30 mph wind I thought, I sure am a lucky man.

Had to thank God for the wind that day.

Thank you too @atnvol for planting a seed of thought that took a few weeks to sprout but it did and now it's growing good.

Guess now I need to break down and buy a good rainsuit and work on the rain issue.

i have a good rain suit,friends think im crazy when i fish in the rain.I usually do it alot,but havent this yr.Yep im the same as you,but my biggest thing is just seeing the bad and not tge good things.I have been working on trying to change and gettiing better.God blesses me alot forsure,im like you also i love being on the water

 

[Mud Creek]

*in before you hate the wind again next weekend*

 

[RUGER]

*in before you hate the wind again next weekend*

Got a trip planned for Thursday through Saturday this week.
Thinking it's gonna be thunderstorms I hate next.

 

[Mud Creek]

Got a trip planned for Thursday through Saturday this week.
Thinking it's gonna be thunderstorms I hate next.

The key is to trick the universe into thinking your going to work or lay around the house all weekend then at the last second make a run for the lake lol.

I have to say though it is really annoying to have a otherwise "perfect" day(sunny, warm) but have to deal with 20+ mph wind. I guess it's better than not fishing at all.

 

[WilcoKen]

Good perspective Ruger. You are right. I started trying to do that mindset with duck hunting. It was the last day to a terrible season in 21/22. You know all the mess that went down last year Im sure. We killed like 30 ducks for the whole season. But as I trudged across the flooded rice field on my last hunt picking up decoys one last time, I thanked God for the ability to do just that. Alot of folks aren't healthy enough or just aren't able for whatever reason. One day, I wont either. So I better enjoy and appreciate it while i can.

 

[WTM]

i hate working on a swimming pool. im convinced the devil invented them.

glad your learning about anchors and the wind though. i kind of think of the wind as God corralling fish and bait for us.

 

[WTM]

i have a good rain suit,friends think im crazy when i fish in the rain.I usually do it alot,but havent this yr.Yep im the same as you,but my biggest thing is just seeing the bad and not tge good things.I have been working on trying to change and gettiing better.God blesses me alot forsure,im like you also i love being on the water

you got the lightning proof rain suit?

 

[bluball]

you got the lightning proof rain suit?

Just get to the bank or the truck,according to how far you are away from the truck

 

[atnvol]

I have said "I hate wind" too many times to count.
Back a few weeks ago, March 24th actually, I posted about it yet again.
@atnvol posted on my thread and mentioned that even wind was made by the hand of God and how hate is such a strong word.
For whatever reason I thought about that over the next days / weeks.

I know a guy that is the most miserable person I have ever met in my life.
EVERYTHING is a disaster and nothing bad ever happens to anyone but him.
Negativity every single day, without fail.
My wife and I were talking about him one day and as humans tend to do, we were talking about everything good that he has in his life etc.
What if he had to deal with this or that, picking things in our own lives that we don't like.
Basically being spoiled brats as many of us are.

Anyway, I said something like, instead of doing something to make himself happier he just wallows in his own self pity.
He can't see what he has for being so miserable.

I got to thinking more and more about that in terms of my fishing.
I love fishing, it's my thing.
I'm not very good at it but it brings me much joy.

So after thinking back about what atnvol posted I got to thinking, I am doing that very same thing as that guy.
I love to fish and I am going to go fishing, that isn't going to change as long as the Good Lord allows it.
I live in Tennessee and in the spring of the year the wind is going to blow and it is going to rain.
So instead of just crying about it all the time and wallowing in it I decided to really think about how blessed I am while sitting in that boat being able to do what I love.

So the wind is going to blow so I have three choices.
1) Cry and whine about it.
2) Don't go.
3) Adapt my process to make it easier / more bearable.

I decided there will be times certain spots may not be fishable.
Most of the time there will be other spots that are.
So instead of fighting the wind, crying about it and keep doing the same thing over and over I decided to change.

First thing I learned is I wasn't using my anchor properly.
Dropped it and let the wind move me to the position I needed to be in, then tie it off.
Instead of having out 20' of rope, now I have upwards of 50' and it holds my boat just fine.
Still isn't my favorite condition to fish in but you know what, I am blessed to be there and I now realize that.

Upon my new found knowledge and outlook I anchored down in a few different spots and caught 130 crappie in about 5 hours.
Another trip I caught 73 crappie and one of which was the 16" 2 pound 6 ounce monster.
My heaviest crappie ever.
As I slipped her back into the water and watched her ease back off into the depths, the boat rocking up and down pretty bad in the 25-30 mph wind I thought, I sure am a lucky man.

Had to thank God for the wind that day.

Thank you too @atnvol for planting a seed of thought that took a few weeks to sprout but it did and now it's growing good.

Guess now I need to break down and buy a good rainsuit and work on the rain issue.

Well Ruger, I have had plenty of seeds planted in my life by others that I had to stew on. I suppose I was moved by The Lord to say something. Sometimes it helps folks, sometimes it doesn't. But it will help a Godly man every single time.

 

[fairchaser]

Since I've started shouting FClass, I've had to develop a completely new attitude toward wind. Not just a new attitude but a new understanding. I used to hate the wind and hoped there would only be light gentle winds whenever there was a match so I could shoot well. Then I read that if your only a fair weather shooter, you'll only be a fair weather winner. So, I decided to learn as much as I could about the effects of wind on my bullet and how to read wind. I read several books, watch videos and I would choose windy days to practice and I got better. Now the wind is my friend and I often shoot better than my competitors on windy days.
I bet you have the lake to yourself on windy days and the fish don't care.

 

[Headhunter]

Ruger, I fish, wind or no wind and of course you know for 30 plus years I used a 50 lb anchor, it worked. Some of my best fishing days for many types of fish, have been on the highest wind days.

Since I have gotten the ghost trolling motor, it has made my fishing so much more enjoyable. Absolute best thing I have ever had on a boat. I would give up depth finders before the trolling motor. A little wind, lots of wind or zero wind, doesn't matter, when I hit anchor mode, the trolling motor holds in an extremely small spot, holds tight to it. Just hit the button. And if I need power, I use it at 24 volts, but at 24 it has 97 lbs of thrust or I can add a battery, wire for 36 and have 120 lbs of thrust. Best thing ever for fishing.

 

[utvolsfan77]

I thanked God for the ability to do just that. Alot of folks aren't healthy enough or just aren't able for whatever reason. One day, I wont either. So I better enjoy and appreciate it while i can.

Bubba, you sure hit the nail squarely on the head with that one! I gave up hunting and fishing for the most part when I was younger due to military service. I just always figured there would be plenty of time for that after I retired. But once I actually retired, my body began breaking down faster than a rusty ole Chevy. My list of medical ailments is a mile long. The biggest thing I've learned since then is that you can be without a penny to your name with just the clothes on your back, or you could even be homeless, but IF you are healthy, you truly are rich beyond all measure.