As we all know wind speed is a big concern for kayakers. What's the limit for a comfortable day on the water. Is it 5 mph, 10 mph, 15mph? Let me know your opinions based on location such as a bay, bayou, off shore. I'd even be interested in specific locations such as Matagorda, High Island, Port O'Connor, Christmas bay, etc.
Looks like this weekend will be around 10mph along the coast.
Comfortable wind speed
- Thinwater skinner
- TKF 3000 Club
- Posts: 3715
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:00 pm
- Location: Stephenville, TX
Re: Comfortable wind speed
The best way to answer this question is to pick your area where wind will be a smaller factor... Get out of the wind and to fishing if at all possible. Good luck.
Re: Comfortable wind speed
I don't mind some wind. I think it gives cover to the fish and helps them hunt baitfish. As long as you have a yak that is good in the wind and waves don't be afraid to get out in it. Sometimes, fish are on the windward shore I think the marsh is harder in the wind sometimes. It is hard to judge your cast is a gusty wind when you have a marsh drain that is 15 feet wide. In a bay, you can just chunk it with the wind. This time of year, water settles quicker and muddies up slower than summer. So a Southwest wind is not as bad now as it is in the summer for bays around Galveston. But wind is a HUGE factor on deciding where to fish, or at least for me it is.rabot wrote:As we all know wind speed is a big concern for kayakers. What's the limit for a comfortable day on the water. Is it 5 mph, 10 mph, 15mph? Let me know your opinions based on location such as a bay, bayou, off shore. I'd even be interested in specific locations such as Matagorda, High Island, Port O'Connor, Christmas bay, etc.
Looks like this weekend will be around 10mph along the coast.
Last edited by karstopo on Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Doug Poudre
- TKF 2000 club
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 1:24 pm
- Location: It is what it is. Support your local paddle shop.
Re: Comfortable wind speed
Kayaking in the wind depends on your skill as a paddler. Fishing will become secondary if you're getting blown all over the place and your safety is in jeopardy.
If you can't judge for yourself the limits of your ability and are asking, then the answer is that you shouldn't.
Direction also makes a big difference.
If you can't judge for yourself the limits of your ability and are asking, then the answer is that you shouldn't.
Direction also makes a big difference.
- Night Wing
- TKF 10,000 Club
- Posts: 33440
- Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:30 pm
- Location: Magnolia, TX
Re: Comfortable wind speed
When the wind starts to muddy the water, that's when it's too windy for me.
Re: Comfortable wind speed
Kind of funny... I've been doing much better recently during higher wind conditions compared to those days where the bay looks like a lake. It makes drifting more effective, and I think the murky water and wind currents stimulate the fish to feed. You also get "structure" like mud lines that might not be there otherwise.
Also, when you drift you are moving with the wind and waves, so you can take rougher conditions than if you were anchored. You will get wet from the spray when you are resetting though.
Anything over 15 knots is kind of unpleasant to fish, and makes contact with the lure harder.
So I guess I'd like about 5-13 knots or so for the bay and as calm as possible for fishing the surf.
Don't be scared... The fish are there and feeding.
Also, when you drift you are moving with the wind and waves, so you can take rougher conditions than if you were anchored. You will get wet from the spray when you are resetting though.
Anything over 15 knots is kind of unpleasant to fish, and makes contact with the lure harder.
So I guess I'd like about 5-13 knots or so for the bay and as calm as possible for fishing the surf.
Don't be scared... The fish are there and feeding.
- M T Stringer
- TKF 3000 Club
- Posts: 3764
- Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:10 pm
- Location: Coastal Bend HOW and Team Marsh Lizards
Re: Comfortable wind speed
I get frustrated when the winds are over 15mph...that doesn't mean I stop fishing. But I get frustrated. Plus it sux to have to paddle into a 20+ headwind after 5 or more miles already paddled that day and you are still several miles from the lauch
I have also learned the hard way to double whatever the weather report said it would be.
I have also learned the hard way to double whatever the weather report said it would be.
- richg99
- TKF 3000 Club
- Posts: 3208
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:31 pm
- Location: North Houston (FM1960), TX
Re: Comfortable wind speed
We fished Fayetteville Lake yesterday in, what the meteorologists said, was 10 -15. Sure felt a lot more like 15-20 much of the time.
We both had drift chutes out...and that helped the fishing a lot. It didn't help the catching..but..helped us cover the shorelines slowly, in spite of the wind. Grinding back into the wind for another drift was no fun, though. rich
We both had drift chutes out...and that helped the fishing a lot. It didn't help the catching..but..helped us cover the shorelines slowly, in spite of the wind. Grinding back into the wind for another drift was no fun, though. rich