Have you ever scheduled a special fishing trip way in advance? Maybe for a vacation., or you hired a guide to fish unfamiliar water, which you have been looking forward to for years. Possibly, it is the next tournament on your favorite lake. Maybe you only have a couple of days left to film some footage for an outdoors television show. Sure enough, Mother Nature decides to pull some of her old tricks just as you are hooking the boat trailer up to the truck. Like I have always said, "You have to be smarter than the fish." The fish make adjustments when the wind starts to blow, and you must also make a few changes if you want to catch them. You can use wind to your advantage, just like the fish will.

  When the wind and waves are rocking and rolling, safety should be your first consideration. Always check the local weather forecast. It is mandatory that you know not only the capabilities, but also the limitations of your boat and all the fishing equipment that comes with it.

  Boat Control:

  Having control over your boat speed is the first aspect that you need to concentrate on. Once you have accomplished this, it will make the presentation of your lure easier and much more effective. One common method you can use to control the speed of your boat is drift socks. Drift socks are manufactured in at least three different sizes and many come with a drawstring so you're able to make adjustments in the size of the sock to match the wind speed on a given day.

  Trolling Motor:

  Using a bow mount trolling motor is a familiar technique. Just position the bow of your boat into the wind and adjust the speed setting on the trolling motor. The trolling motor speed must match the wind speed for that particular day and the lure presentation you have selected.

  Back Trolling:

  This is a very popular approach among walleye anglers. This can be achieved by using a transom trolling motor or a smaller kicker motor while in reverse, and adjust the motor speed to the wind speed on a given day.

  Anchoring:

  Anchoring the boat from the bow and stem is another option especially when you have located a good concentration of fish on your electronics. On many lakes, you can find refuge from the majority of the wind. Try sheltered bays, the slack side of rocky areas and points, and also channel or dock areas.

  Wind Direction:

  The most stable weather patterns generally occur when you experience wind flow from the south, west, and southwest, which can often influence a more positive bite. Winds out of the north, east, and northeast usually signifies certain changes in the weather pattern and often cause fish to be more neutral or negative in their feeding responses.

  Wind & Adverse Weather Conditions:

  When I am faced with nasty conditions like wind, rain, sleet, and the cold, the best approach is to SLOW DOWN. Adverse weather has a way of messing with your head. Your natural reaction is to fish faster. Fight that urge, and do the opposite.

  On windy days, with most lure presentations, it is beneficial to lower your rod tip just above the waters' surface so the wind can't catch the line. I am also a line watcher. I realize with only a couple of inches of line exposed, it makes the line difficult to see, so I overcome this problem by putting my finger on the line to feel a pick-up.

  Positive Effects of the Wind:

  If you stop and think about it, the wind has many benefits. One example is that the wind can increase or decrease the lakes' water temperatures quite rapidly. For instance, in the spring, a southern flow can warm the water by a few degrees. This subtle rise in the temperature is all it takes to draw fish from their winter haunts where they begin to search for a meal.

  From my experience, the larger, veteran fish are usually the first ones to go on the prowl. If this occurrence doesn't excite you, then I don't know what will! Wind often stirs up the shallows on a body of water and quickly changes the clarity. You want to fish along the edge where the discolored water meets the clear water. Fish will hold in the murky zone and use it as an ambush point waiting to dart out and surprise unsuspecting prey that happen to be cruising by in the clear water.

  Wind has a way of changing the water flow and creating current. While this is happening, fish are repositioning themselves in the slack water and near any current breaks. Fish will reserve as much of their energy as possible. They will hold behind rocks, wood, on the backside of humps, on the slack side of bridge pilings, and any man-made or natural cover that tends to break the flow of water. Then they wait patiently for a meal to drift by.

  Certainly the wind helps oxygenate the water you're fishing. This is a key aspect especially if you are fishing in the summer months when the oxygen levels can be an issue.

  Sunlight penetrations are no longer a major concern on windy days. Wave action has a tendency to reflect the rays of the sun so the fish feel more secure than they would on calmer days.

  Wind Tested Lures:

  My lure selection for chasing smallmouth bass starts out with half ounce spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. I often tie on a spinnerbait with a chartreuse skirt, complemented with chartreuse tandem willow blades. The buzzbait skirts I choose are either chartreuse or chartreuse and white. I also like to use buzzbaits with clackers for the days when you need more commotion to draw a strike.

  For prop baits, I like Smithwick's, four and a half inch Devil Horse, and Heddon's four and a half inch wounded Spook. Both of these models have front and rear props, which can be adjusted to suit the mood of the smallies on that particular day. For largemouth's, I use the same buzzbait selection as mentioned for the smallmouth bass. When throwing spinnerbaits for largemouth, I use various size spinnerbaits depending on the depth I am targeting. I like a size 3-nickel Colorado blade on the front and a size 5 or 6 gold willow for the rear blade. When fishing with buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, I attach a 2/0 Daiichi bleeding bait trailer hook, unless my spinnerbait is in heavy cover.

  Walleye Chop:

  During these windy conditions, walleyes often feel more secure and pursue their prey into the shallows. Near ledges, boulders, and other rocky structure that is available.

  When you are fishing lakes that have shad, perch, rainbow trout, and other forage present my lure choices are minnowbaits, shad raps, and jerkbaits with a slender profile. Manufacturers produce these baits in an array of colors with various lip designs to reach any depth you wish to target.

  When crawfish are an available food source, make sure to bring along some crawfish pattern crankbaits. Rebel produces these hard baits in a variety of different sizes and colors that you can choose from.

  Jigging Eyes:

  Another extremely effective presentation is vertical jigging. Don't let the wind fool you because many anglers automatically switch to a heavier jig. If you can maintain good bottom contact and feel the jig, then there is no reason to use a heavier size.

  Sometimes I like to add a piece of night crawler to my jig, which appeals to the walleyes keen sense of smell. This little detail will also make the jig drop at a slower rate, which can drive walleyes crazy. I prefer round jigs like Fuzz-E-Grubs made by Lindy. The round style jig won't hang up as much when you stay as vertical as possible while fishing near brush, rocks, timber and other heavy cover.

  Whatever lures you may be using, if you are in stained or murky water, you can increase your odds by trying bright or fluorescent colors like chartreuse, orange, hot yellow, etc. If you are having problems staying in contact with the jig, try using fire line and attach a fluorocarbon leader. As you downsize the jigs, don't forget to downsize your line as well.

  No matter where you fish, wind will always be there. I look forward to those gusty days because I have experienced some of my truly memorable catches using the wind as my friend.

  Gregg Munck is a nationally known multi species trophy fisherman from the White Mountains of Arizona. He has numerous fishing awards under his belt, including six In-Fisherman Master Angler awards. For additional information on trophy fishing, or to check out Gregg’s “Trophy Fishing Secrets” book, just visit his website www.munckstrophyfishing.com.

  "Fish with the FIRE Inside" - Gregg

  The following explains why shooters often shoot low and to the left.

  Mechanics of the Knuckles of the Hand

  If you hold a piece of 1 or 2 inch pipe loosely in your right hand with your palm down, and then grasp it firmly, you will find that it will tip down on the right side and up on the left. That happens because the knuckles of your ring and little finger where they meet your hand, will have rolled forward and down. They will no longer be in alignment with the knuckles of the index and middle fingers.

  You can test this without a piece of pipe.

  Hold your hand out in front of you, palm down, and make a relaxed fist.

  Then clench your fist tightly. And as you do that look at the knuckles of your ring and little finger where they meet your hand.

  They will move or roll down and forward some.

  The third knuckle of the ring finger and the little finger, are hinge joints which can rotate some. And with their movement, the ring and little fingers will clamp down and give tenacity to the grip.

  The same knuckles of your index finger and your middle finger, are not hinge joints. They are stable.

  So, when you grip a gun firmly, the knuckles of the index and middle finger will remain in place, and the knuckles of the ring and little fingers will roll forward. The ring and little fingers will clamp onto the grip and twist it down and to the left and down. And as a result, the gun barrel will be pulled down and to the left with the muzzle taking a nose dive.

  Note that a big or double stack grip that is also big for a hand, may prevent the ring and little fingers from moving and clamping down and result in a weak grip.

  Mechanics of the Lower Arm and Hand

  If a gun is grasped, and then shoved full out, the gun and barrel will rotate left and with full extension, the muzzle will take a slight nose dive. That is due to the arrangement of bones and muscles of the lower arm and hand.

  Here is a note from Applegate's Kill or Get Killed about that..."the student may shove the gun forward when firing. This causes the barrel to point downward..."

  You can test this yourself as well.

  Clench your fist tightly, and shove it out to full extension. As it reaches full extension, the hand, wrist, and lower arm will rotate to the left and, your hand will tip down.

  According to Applegate, the nose dive of the muzzle, will be more pronounced with the .45 because of its design and angle of the grip. To counter this, he said the gun should be cocked up some, and the wrist should be flexed to the right, to bring the gun barrel in line with the arm.

  Mechanics of the Traditional Grip

  The "traditional" grip is made up of the thumb, the web of the hand, and the middle finger. Together, they form an unbalanced pincer, with the middle finger lower than the thumb.

  So, when the gun is gripped and pressure is applied, the middle finger will twist the grip around to the left, with the muzzle again taking a nose dive.

  And the stronger the grip pressure, the more the gun will twist down and left.

  Also, a heavy trigger pull can result in more down and left twisting. That could happen with "double action" where the trigger is used to pull back the hammer, and also fire the gun.

  Applegate said the gun should be kept perpendicular with the belt buckle (indexed on your centerline), and that the barrel should be kept level (to counter shooting low and to the left). He also said that when the gun is raised, the shoulder joint should be used as the fulcrum. (That will avoid the left twist of the gun, and the muzzle dive when the gun is pushed out to full extension.)

  If one is able to do all the things suggested, and they practice until they are very proficient in controlling grip forces described above, and controlling recoil, shooting low and to the left, might be avoided.

  However, if you do not practice as much as you should, or if in a life or death close quarters situation, your instinctive Fight or Flight response kicks and voids some of your practice routines, chances are, you will miss and low and to the left, given the mechanics described above.

  Applegate said that in a life and death close quarters confrontation, you will be grasping the pistol in an almost convulsive grip. In Kill or Get Killed, he said that..."in the midst of battle excitement, a man instinctively grips his weapon in this manner and certainly does not take time to hold his breath, line up the sights, and squeeze the trigger."

  Now, a specialized stance, or two handed grip may help, but that is doubtful. Per the NYPD's extensive SOP 9 study of police combat, officers with an occasional exception, fired with the strong hand.

  So what is the average home defender to do?

  Well, he/she might:

  Grab your gun, place your index finger along the side and in line with the barrel, and extend your arm and point at an object naturally.

  Surprise! You will find that you have a strong and level shooting platform with no left twist or muzzle dive.

  Mechanically, the act of extending the index finger along the side of the gun, helps to extend and "lock up" the wrist, which adds strength to the grip, improves recoil control, and minimizes the tendency to shoot low and left.

  And that brings into this discussion, the subject of AIMED Point Shooting or P&S which won't be covered here. Free info on it is available at www.pointshooting.com.

  The author is not a gun expert, Guru, or Leo. He just objects to Police casualty rates and shooting methods that don't work when they should. He has had articles on the subject area of Point Shooting published in a variety of police and gun related pubs: Southern Lawman Magazine, The Backup, American Police Beat, Women Police, Police Magazine, PORAC, The Utah Peace Officer, The Deputy Sheriff Magazine, The Illinois Shooter, and most recently the newsletter of the Ohioans For Concealed Carry.