Weather Woes

Doing Your Homework Can Find Fish, Save Fuel

By Capt. Chris Randel

MV Indian

With the constant rise in fuel prices and no end to it in sight, it’s well worth taking a little extra time in planning your next deep-sea fishing trip — especially if you own a boat and have to purchase fuel with hard-earned money.

The days of just calling a couple of buddies, loading up a few $ 20 scoops of bait, topping off the tanks for under a hundred bucks and heading out to the wild, blue ocean are all but things of the past.

However, with a little homework on your computer, it can still happen, and the best way to do this is check the NOAA weather site for the area you wish to fish. There are now even virtual buoys all over that can be accessed on the Web to give you current conditions, wind, swell height and direction.

There are also forecasts for a given area. Rough weather and heavy seas will cut your fuel economy in half, roll up the kelp paddies and cause them to sink down a foot or two in the water column, and with all that ocean spray on your windows, it will be tough to see jumpers or puddling fish.

So, do the homework, and your next trip on the water may save you money and increase your catch. Also, don’t forget to check the Terrafin temp and chlorophyll charts, as fish will stack up on these breaks.

Another good place to find the latest fishing info are message boards in the fishing reports columns such as www.allcoastsportfishing.com and www.bloodydecks.com.

The better the weather, the better your chances so fish smart and save in tough times.