An old adage
By Nick Simonson
This has been perhaps the windiest spring I can recall since I became a dedicated angler several decades ago. The scattered calm days seem to come at a rate of one in ten or so, but the balance of the spring has been dominated by gusty conditions and stretches where even when the wind shifts, it comes out of a new direction at an equally fevered pace, wasting little time in transition.
Going through the motions of correcting a slow troll with the bow mount motor on the water, or bracing the steering wheel white-knuckled against the gusts while driving down the highway this season has reminded me of one of my favorite fisherman’s sayings and given me a reason to dive into it a little more. There are obviously some variations on it from region to region, but it generally goes like this:
Wind from the west, fish bite the best.
Wind from the south, hook goes in mouth.
Wind from the east, fish bite the least.
Wind from the north, don’t venture forth.
