The old saying goes:

Wind from the West, fish bite the best.
Wind from the East, fish bite the least.
Wind from the North, do not go forth.
Wind from the South blows bait in their mouth.

What's your experience of this, is there anything to it?

There's a mild bit of truth in it.

However, and I guess a lot of folks on this site are in the same boat, I am just about a one day a week angler and I have no choice but to take conditions as I find them on Saturdays or odd days of holiday. The weather is rarely so totally abysmal that you can't get out and catch a brace of trout. And as time passes, I find more pleasure in doing better than I might have expected on an unpromising day than from bagging up easily.

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

Wind from in front makes casting a little tricky
Wind from the rear too much beer

............................birdsnest

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Fear not if I steal from your side, as of yore, from paradise streams to fish Teifi once more.
BN based in Wolverhampton

Yes there is some truth to it but what I think is more important is having spells of weather/wind that remain the same for a few days. This enables the fish to get used to things and feed again. Over the years I've found fishing always to be more difficult the first couple of days after a change in pressure or wind direction. For example, last year in early spring we had constant east wind for quite a while but I experienced some great fishing. I think its more the initial change that puts the fish off.

Mat

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P.B's on fly
Rainbow-13lb Arnfield,Brown-8lb 2oz Rutland,Golden Rainbow-3lb Bellflask, Blue-5lb 11oz Stocks

Its also important where the angler chooses to fish. On a water like where I fish that has rich aquatic life, a consistent wind direction will push natural food onto the downwind shore. Naturally, the fish will follow so although not the most pleasant area to fish i.e into the wind or close to the downwind shore, this is where the fish will be and generally not far from the bank so long casting isn't important.

Mat

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P.B's on fly
Rainbow-13lb Arnfield,Brown-8lb 2oz Rutland,Golden Rainbow-3lb Bellflask, Blue-5lb 11oz Stocks

hello this is an interesting thread, but i do believe there is some truth in this and will explain my point as this, years ago i lived on the south coast and did a lot of sea fishing from the beach sussex hampshire dorset. when the wind blew from the west or south west you could get a catch or 2, but if the direction came from the east or north east there was very few catches. a west or south west wind was warmer and brought food onto the shore. i dont know if same for trout fishing but having fished farmoor many times when an east or north east blow the temp seemed lower even in summer, but as you know just by locating a wind lane what ever direction this is where trout should be feeding even if the wind is blowing directly at you, ok in summer but not so in winter. are maybe other big trout lakes the same??. i cannot understand why tv forcasts such as bbc i dont include wind direction on the weather maps. i always like to know this before i go fishing or the odd shooting day. years ago i purchased a Zambretti Forcaster where you set from a barometer reading and wind direction have used since but the weather forecasts today are so much better.

Yes but don't let that stop you going out fishing, ever!

There is a more modern saying from mountain bikers in the Peak district. "There is no such thing as bad weather, only incorrect clothing!"

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Richard.This saying has been on the go long before there were Mountain Bikers in the Peak district,In fact long before there were mountain bikes.I hate it when credit is Given but is not due.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Hi,
There is truth in this old limerick for want of a better description....
Wind direction..
Westerly winds are warmer
Easterly winds are cold
Southerly are winds are ideally temperate
[the fish's body clock kicking in with a feeding response]
Northerly winds can be extreme..

This loosely speaking is what the limerick is based on.
Temperature-warm wind versus cold wind

Temperature and light conditions trigger feeding patterns in fish ...
A prime example of temperature difference-Salmon fishermen are more successful when the air temperature is a few degrees above the actual water temperature..When I was ghillie on the Cumbrian Eden in the early season mid January onwards I wouldn't disturb my best pools until the sun had risen fully ie:full light and the air temperature had risen by a couple of degrees.
Success was never guaranteed but the catch rate increased dramatically in relation to those who rushed down to the best lyes and started fishing at 9.00a.m Fishing those lyes at 10 o'clock normally produced the goods.
This scenario is true of all fishing's throughout the season.
Yes there is a lot of truth regarding wind direction in relation to the actual air temperature .
Yes there are exceptions to the rule..and fish can be caught in most conditions..Greater success however gained by adjusting the days fishing around the wind and temperature.
Bearing in mind that fish are extremely sensitive creatures and feel a drop in barometric pressure long before it rains !

Hope this generalisation helps...

Kindest regards
JOHN

OF HILL AND LOCH

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Putting this in a bit more context.

This weekend I will be venturing out to the Peak District (River Dove) for my first fishing trip since the end of September last year, so naturally keen for a bit of success. As to which day this weekend to fish I'm flexible, able to fish the Saturday or the Sunday.

I usually don't take account of wind conditions but noticed the Met Office has

Bakewell with a N wind Sat and W wind on Sunday
Buxton with a NNE wind Sat and W wind on Sunday

The old saying sprang to mind and I wondered whether the direction of the wind really does play a significant role... and whether on this basis alone I should be thinking about fishing on the Sunday.