How Wind REALLY Positions Fish (Winter vs Summer Strategy)
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
Most anglers think wind is either a blessing or a curse.
But what if it’s neither?
What if wind is actually one of the most predictable clues you have… and you’ve been reading it backwards depending on the season?
I created this video to help you see how wind really positions fish and why the same shoreline can be perfect one season and dead the next.
Because if you’re fishing the wrong side of the wind, it doesn’t matter what lure you throw; you’re simply not in the right place.
Key Takeaways
- Wind is information, not just weather.
Fish respond to what wind does to water, bait, and oxygen, not to the wind itself. - In winter, prioritize protection and warmth.
Wind cools shallow water, so sheltered pockets are usually better. - In summer, prioritize wind-blown water.
Wind adds oxygen and concentrates bait, making windy banks the most “alive” water on many flats. - When the bite is slow, move water before changing lures.
Switching from windy to protected (or vice versa) often makes a bigger difference than swapping baits.
Featured Software:
Final Thoughts
Wind is one of the biggest “cheat codes” we have as inshore anglers. Use it with the season, protection in winter, oxygen and bait in summer, and you’ll consistently put yourself in the right water. Smart decisions beat luck every time.
IMPORTANT REMINDER
The 2 core benefits we promise to Insider Club members is to be able to find and catch fish easier than ever before while saving money on fishing equipment.
So I am including links to the quickest ways to achieve each:
1) Finding Fish System
2) Insider Club’s Group Discounts
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Thanks Pat- If you had a choice of fishing where the tide is pushing bait or playing the wind, which would you choose?
Excellent….
Thanks Pat, very helpful.
Pat, Your explanation of wind effect make sense and the solutions are simple. You need to be aware of the wind direction.
@pat question(s)
The water temps here in Jacksonville are high 50’s, but we’ve had days where the air temps are the 80’s. So doesn’t all the 80 degree warm air blowing in a shoreline also warm the water? So aren’t both the wind protected and wind blown shorelines warm?
I haven’t tested that but it does make since in warm conditions that wind makes less of a difference as far as fish trying to stay out of it. I think where it makes more of an impact is if the wind is cooler than the water, especially in the winter.
will try to do this thanks
Let us know how it goes!
Great explanation Pat. Thank you.
Thanks Tom!
Thank you Pat for sharing your (thinking like a fish) knowledge.
Happy to do it!
Very informative! Thanks
Glad you liked it!
Ah yes wind i was like you pat before I understood what the wind was doing to my fishing i used to use it getting mad and not using it to my advantage but now being more experienced i b have learned to use it rather then get mad at it besides you can’t change it its just another thing one has to deal with while fishing and its something that is true in both fresh and saltwater but to me its common sence in winter when the water is cold in the morning hours one has to fish deeper zones to find the fish then as the water in the shallows gets warmer fish shallower but always slower and in summer the opposite is true fish shallow at night and first thing in the morning and go deeper as the day progresses but to me this is all common sence and it all configures into what I said before try and think like a fish works for me thanks c again pat for the valuable intel as usual and all you do😉🤔👍
Appreciate you Steven!