Check Where The Wind Blows

As a complete newcomer to fly fishing, could you explain the way the wind direction will affect fish movement and should it influence my choice of swim?
Ian McClements

Mark Burdass replies: The wind can have a major influence on fish distributions in a fishery. The water movement it causes and food it deposits on the water surface will mean that fish will generally move to the onshore side of a lake or pond. This is because the water will be pushed in that direction and it then creates an undertow that delivers food items to the waiting fish.

The problem for the average fly fishing angler is that standing on this bank will mean casting into the wind, which can be quite tricky, particularly for a newcomer to the sport. So, positioning yourself so you can target the fish but not be casting directly into the wind is the key.

Reprinted with permission of Trout Fisherman magazine.