How do you choose where do you fish during a storm?

[addict]

Very new to the sport (and I can't change the great grammar in the subject line) so I hope this isn't too basic.

When you fish a storm, what factors are you considering to choose your spot? Do you want the wind at your back? wind with the tide? left to right or right to left in a particular honey hole? Does it have to be beach/sand?

If it depends on other factors, please say "it depends..."

I went out w/the triple header last night (full/eclipse/front coming in) but w/no luck. E/SE gusts to 20 at times at our face, water flooding fast 'cause of the fool moon. One decent hit. That was it. It su**ed. Did I pick the wrong spot?

thanks in advance for any replies ...

[RickBomba]

Never did wel in New York...
I tried very hard....Maybe those NY fishies hate us MASS guys.
Good Luck, I threw everything I had @ them.
Bastards,
Granby Rick

[Saltheart]

when fishing in a storm , choose your spot based on survival!

[Fly Rod]

Don"t go!!! And when you see them storm clouds forming head for HOME!!!! It's not fun to have lightening bouncing around even if you are in an enclosed boat. I seen a guy that looked like buck shot hit him. Lightening hit antenna came through roof.

[Raven]

One folding car antenna lightning proofed.... ZZZZZZ zap!

[beachwalker]

Hello,

Could it be that some replys are straying from the original question which was about fishing in conditions similar to the weather this past Friday and Saturday.

We all know how good the fishing is in these situations.

Please enlighten me to some of your experiences.

PS: Have you ever fished in an electrical storm by taking a piece of copper wire and running it from you boot down into the sand. This acts as a ground and allows one to fish with a 20' rod in any electrical storm.

Come on. You can't believe that one..........

[Joe]

Fishing a storm brings in many variables.... far too many variables for a person who is admittedly, “very new to the sport.”
Here’s what I know:
More surfcasters die under the “fair weather northeast wind” condition set than any other because a fair northeast wind spawns rogue waves just as frequently as rainy northeast. The only difference is that a rainy northeast wind keeps people in. Today is the second day of fair weather northeast – look for some accidents to happen soon.
Next time, when the wind blows northeast stay home and read up on why southwest wind is the preferred condition set.
Joe

[addict]

So you folks don't fish NEasters? Ok. Guess I heard wrong.

[Joe]

Ok, here goes - but I warned you ! Don't try this at home!
My favorite technique for Nor’easters is to go inside an inlet and fish the tail end of an out going tide with live eels and ½ ounces of slip sinkers on the leader, 30 pound + mono or braid on the spool, and the drag socked down to the point where it barely gives.
The added weight to the eel leader helps it “bite” into the rough water and the drag being socked down prevents the fish from getting to a place where landing it becomes too risky.
Sometimes a bigger fish will still get to a place where you should not go and you have to cut it loose.
Emotionally, it is very hard to cut loose a good fish that you have yet to see.....but it is very necessary, because the end of an inlet during a storm is not where you want to be. I’ve cut loose some fish that made me squirt tears.
Good luck - Joe

[addict]

Joe,

Thanks very much for sharing that info. You seem to be the only one who responded to the original question.

Is this a topic like the "spot" subject? Is that why people are so quiet about this subject matter? Or somethingelse?

[Mike P]

addict---one problem is that most of the members here fish Rhody and Mass, and noreasters can be a different game. On the Cape, for example, any noreaster, or any easterly wind for that matter, often brings in mounds of mung weed, so most either sit out the blow, or fish estuarine waters.

I fish NY like you. My experience is that easterly winds in the spring often draw in colder water and shut down the bite. I'll fish inlets or backwaters, but often east winds also stir up mung and eel grass to the point where fishing gets tough. In the summer, noreast storms are rare. In the fall, they're dynamite, especially the first line storm after Labor Day in early to mid September. They usually drop the water temps enough to sjhake loose the migration of baits like mullet and so-called "white bait"--bay anchovies, sardines, snapper blues, and so on. Fishing at Montauk, and along South Shore beaches that are near inlets, is often fantastic during noreaster in September and early October.

Once you get later on in the fall, say November or early December, a severe storm can write the book on the season if it drops the water temps too much---the bait and the fish often move offshore to 60' depths for the balance of their migrations.

[bassmaster]

I fish the Cape, and not to Be a wise arse But it comes with exp and Time.
Its about knowing where they May Be on an open beach or rocks.
Fished with the wind in My face and had very nice fish.
But its a Time where stage of tide and putting up with dirty water and How to negotiate it.
If You can find water that the wind is quarting You, You can get into them if they are there. and Yes If You can deal with mung You can pull them out of It.

[addict]

I hope I didn't offend anyone with my comment for it was out of curiosity and not anythingelse.

I actually prefer posting questions on regional if not national boards depending on the subject matter. I've heard so much of fishing the NEasters that I was curious what (mother nature wise) caused the trophies being caught.

As BM put it, exp will help and I need to put in more time.
I'm just pissed off because life kept fishing hidden from me until now (38). I don't think I have the luxury of fishing 30-40 yrs. But better late than never I guess.

Thanks for all the input.

PS: I did fish almost 40 days so far this yr, so I'm happy.

[Joe]

You're all right - you just got the fever. It should wear off in a few decades.
Some guys fish the Cape, some Rhody, some Long Island, some Jersey.
Storm fishing is quirky. It may seem sometimes that eveyone is trying to keep a secret, but it is not usually the case. This is just another one of those questions that there is no "one size fits all" answer for. Just keep doing twenty nights a month for the rest of the season and you should make good progress.

[Fly Rod]

Maybe we have the difinition of a Nor' Easter confused or maybe they are alittle diffirent in other locals. Here on Cape Ann a Nor' Easter is sustainable winds of 50-70 mile an hour winds with heavey rains,floods and tides higher then normal. We lose properties. Who would want to be fishing in that kind of weather?? Now if you are talking easterlies we do fish in them.

[beachwalker]

Addict,

Well that had the desired effect.

I fish Nantucket and NE/E (or any blow for that matter) pushes bait inshore and can be fished with great success. A NW/N/NE wind at Great Point with an incoming tide, at night, is a MUST GO situation. I don't fish in much over 30 kts of wind as it gets FAR more dangerous and futile casting but anything around 25+kts is a winner in my book.
There is an old saying: East is Least/West is best. It couldn't be farther from the truth. I believe the key is Barometric pressure. If it drops below 29.90 it usually spells the end of the coastal bite out here. Nor'easters aren't Always big lows so checking pressure, water clarity (comments on mung are unfortunately true) and water temperature can lead to extraordinary fishing. In the Fall run the east side of Nantucket is an ideal beach face. Combine it with a manageable wind and swell and it is very productive.

Best of luck

[bassmaster]

29.9 hhhmmmmmm i was thinking off the top of My head 28.6 ahhhhhhhh what do I know

[beachwalker]

And then there is always the Pre-storm/Post-storm scenario.

Eventually, they gotta try and eat again........

28.6, Hmmmmmmmmmmmm ?

[bassmaster]

yeah the 28.6 is low and the cut off, i like 30 my self

[Steve K]

During NE winds, I fish into the wind and I have had good results as long as it is possible to cast. If the wind is really honking, I might hit a spot with a southeastern exposure to minimize the wind and weeds but I can still reap the benefits of bait being pushed into shore.

Choosing where to fish during a storm really comes with experience. The more time I spend fishing during storms the more confidence I get when choosing a spot. It has already been said but there are so many variables to consider and sometimes going against convention can pay off.

[addict]

I'm glad I paid my membership fee for this website.

Thanks for all the great info. The issues discussed here were exactly what I was looking for!