Hey guys, what website do you religiously use before hitting up the lake? I recall some prior posts that led me to believe you can learn what the wind will be like the day before you head out? I notice just yahoo weather doesn't cut it.
Also, anyone keep track of the moon phases and if you notice a better bite?
Thanks!
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Generally speaking the local weather guessers seem to be more correct than any website I have been on.
Other than weather.com and checking Lake Mead and Overton I check these:
[url "http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=36.33061543982086&lon=-114.42535400390625&site=vef&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text"]http://forecast.weather.gov/...en&FcstType=text[/url]
[url "http://www.windfinder.com/weatherforecast/oveton_beach_lake_mead"]http://www.windfinder.com/...eton_beach_lake_mead[/url]
[url "http://lakemead.water-data.com/"]http://lakemead.water-data.com/[/url]
And a Android App called sundroid for sunrise/set once I leave the house since I always forget to look at that info at home.
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I cross-reference weather.com and the NOAA 7 day forecast
[url "http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=36.110697795643894&lon=-114.71443176269531"]
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php...3176269531[/url]
I like the NOAA site cause you can click on a spot on the map and it will give you the forecast based on longitude and latitude, so you don't have to pick a major city to get a report.
Weather.com has the cool Hourly feature, so you can see if the morning or afternoon will be windy. It is usually decently accurate the day before.
[url "http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/graph/Lake+Mead+National+Recreation+Area+NV+NVNPSLAME:13:US"]http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/graph/Lake+Mead+National+Recreation+Area+NV+NVNPSLAME:13:US[/url]
As far as moon cycles go, it only matters if you can fish 20+ times a month. Let me explain...
Moon cycles ARE important to fishing. BUT, if you only fish once a week, worrying about whether the moon is going to make fishing better or worse is pointless. You can fish once a week, and you're going anyways, so don't worry about the moon, and just go fishing confidently.
If you do have the opportunity to fish a ton, then you can assume certain things based on moon cycles.
One important thing to remember about the moon - fish seem to spawn around full moons. Bass especially have a tendency to move onto spawning grounds during a full moon, so if it is the right time of year, check for fish moving up onto beds following the full moon.
Some striper fishermen on the river swear that a full moon won't get you any night bites. Other guys swear that it's the only time to get bit.
I seem to have a tough bite on full moons when night-fishing for bass. My best nights were always during a waxing or waning moon.
The bottom line is, yes, moon phases DO affect fish. But to be a good fisherman, you need to have confidence. If you think that they wont bite cause the moon is overhead, or gone all together, then you are going to have a hard time catching fish.
So don't worry about where the moon is. Just go fishing and stay confident in your presentation. You will catch fish anyways.
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[url "http://www.almanac.com/moon"]http://www.almanac.com/moon[/url]
I do like to use the farmers almanac page to find moon-rise and set times. This can be helpful if you are fishing at night. It's nice to know when the moon will be out, giving you light.
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I use to check the In-fisherman [url "http://www.in-fisherman.com/solunar-calendar/"]solunar calendar [/url]before all of my trips and would sometimes go based on my findings there. I haven't used it in quite a while though since I didn't ever notice a strong correlation.
I pay more attention to the weather these days. I too prefer weather.com and there reports are pretty accurate on the day before. You can drill down as far as every 15 minutes in addition to the hourly breakdown, although the hourly report will tell you enough of what you need to know. If you check the weather a few days or more out, the forecast will often change as the date nears. Though not a hard and fast rule, if the precipitation forecast for a particular hour is greater than 50% you can be pretty sure it will rain at some point. 70% and beyond is almost a guarantee. At least that is what I have found in comparing the reports to actual conditions.
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Thanks for the info everyone. I agree with you Whizzle that the moon phase shouldn't prevent you from getting away and fishing. But if I need it as an excuse to get away from work during the week, then its extra incentive
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Later in the season the wind will move plankton which moves the shad. Right now there is enough weed growth, I wonder how significant the wind direction will be for shad location later in the year
Current in Mead can also be a determining factor. When Bureau of Reclamation is adding or subtracting water in larger amounts, significant current is created aside from wind currents. Then you want to throw "upstream"
During strong winds the bass and stripers will stack up on points, reefs or at mud-lines. Again you are casting into the wind. That's really fun. [
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Some of my best "load the boat" days have been cranking or with surface lures in strong winds. Be conservative with the launching and boat handling.
You can over-think this stuff IMO.
Just go fishing like Jon says and be aware of conditions.
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I don 't post much but I am always reading the site. I was gonna ask this very question this morning. I will probably head out tommorrow (Friday) I was checking wind and all sites seem to be about 10-15 mph. However on one site they have a Lake Mead Weather advisory with really strong winds. I am a bit
. I have a 06 recently PAID OFF Tracker V16 v hull. with a 50 hp. I am looking at going to 33 hole area or Willow Beach. I am not even sure I would know what 10 to 15mph winds feel like. I am probably a bit more conservative with the wind. I have been in one bad wind storm at Kathrine's Landing. I don't want to that again. Thanks for all the info I read. I lile the pictures too
Cacoon
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NOAA is saying North winds 7 to 13 this morning for Friday out in the area around north of Saddle Island where if it's going to be bad is the zone
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That is where my confusion lies, I looked at NDOAA and Weather.com Both show a Lake Wind advisory for today and prob tomorrow. They show very strong winds, but the actual sight shows 5-14 throughout the day. I don't even know if I would know what 15 MPH winds are like vs 25 to 30 etc.
Cacoon
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with 7 to 13 winds out of the north, that shallow crossing around the end of Saddle will have some 2 to 3 ft swells. What the periods are depends on how flat the wind is to the water surface.
If there is a wind advisory then you are likely going to stay inside the harbor at Boulder Beach launch which could be a good spot. I have cranked to good success along the rocky shore when the winds are so high I can barely control the boat and end up running with the wind
25 mph I would not go out on the main lake if I was not already out there. Especially in these temperatures
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As a general rule 15mph is usually where I would draw the line when taking my 21' out. Over 15mph meant a choppy day on the water. In a smaller boat, I'd probably draw the line at 10mph. That said, going out in a 15' boat in 10mph winds will be a rough ride for sure. Just my opinion and experience speaking here.
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Thanks, I was looking for some guidance. , I always try to err on the cautious side. Some people I know unless the boat is taking on water they will fish and have fun. I may miss a few opportunities from time to time being conservative, but the alternate is not a option. I am just anxious, I haven't been out since Nov. I just checked weather again and it seems to be the same.
Thanks
Cacoon
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Willow Beach is a safe bet when the winds are too nasty to go out on Mead. The wind may blow down there, but there isn't much of a swell, which is the dangerous part.
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Glad to help, cacoon. Perhaps I should clarify that a bit. Over 10mph will be choppy but I could take the 21' out in winds up to 15mph without it being so bad that I didn't want to be there. It really is mostly about knowing how to hit the swells. You want to cut them at a 45 degree angle and watch out for rogue waves that might come at you from the side unexpectedly. Always be aware of your surroundings and you should be good for the most part. I hope you can get out and enjoy the water sometme soon. Good luck.
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Shhhhhh, haha. [:p]
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Ok we made it to Willow Beach, !st the fishing report. Ok now to next part, winds were good but very easy to navigate. I don't know the speeds, but we were able to troll with the winds moving us down river. At one point the winds were really blowing but the water was not a problem at all. We trolled with anchovies and trout looking lures. No bites no fish, but as always its always nice to be on the water. And my paid off boat was awesome! I have had a few trips to Willow and hammered the fish, but more often than not I get skunked down there.
Thanks for all your guidance.
Cacoon
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