Fishing tips for beginners part 5 Wind and Sea states

It’s important to listen to weather forecasts before setting off fishing and considering how this is going to effect your angling. Rough weather is good for sea fishing, but it can make it uncomfortable, un-fishable or dangerous. Get back to the mark once it has calmed down a bit, fishing after a good storm is one of the most productive times.

Taking a bit of time and re-organising your trip to a mark in the lee of the weather until it calms may well be worth it. You will get a session in and not get frustrated with your lead being washed up the beach 40 yds away cast after cast.

Remember that just because the weather looks ok does not always mean that the fishing conditions are sound. Wind blowing against a strong tide will make the waves higher than you imagine. A weather system along way from the UK might be creating a huge swell that is hitting the shore line where you want to fish. The shape of the sea bed will also effect the sea state, as the swell hits the shallow shore line it will cause waves to break. If the depth becomes equal to half the wave length (from bottom of trough to the next bottom of trough) friction will cause the water to slow at the sea bed causing the wave to mount and break. Coves also magnify the swell and increase the wave height.

The following information will help you to better understand the information passed in weather forecasts.

Sea states

0 Calm (glassy) 0 m
1 Calm (rippled) 0 to 0.1 m
2 Smooth (wavelets) 0.1 to 0.5 m
3 Slight 0.5 to 1.25 m
4 Moderate 1.25 to 2.5 m
5 Rough 2.5 to 4 m
6 Very rough 4 to 6 m
7 High 6 to 9 m
8 Very high 9 to 14 m
9 Phenomenal Over 14 m

The beaufort scale

mph knots

0 0-1 0-1 Calm - Smoke rises vertically.

1 1-3 1-3 Light air - Direction of wind shown by smoke drift

2 4-7 4-6 Light Breeze - Wind felt on face

3 8-12 7-10 Gentle Breeze - Wind extends light flag.

4 13-18 11-16 Moderate Breeze - Moves loose paper;

5 19-24 17-21 Fresh Breeze - Small trees in leaf begin to sway

6 25-31 22-27 Strong Breeze - Large branches in motion;

7 32-38 28-33 Near Gale - Whole trees in motion;

8 39-46 34-40 Gale - Breaks twigs off trees;

9 47-54 41-47 Severe Gale - Slight structural damage occurs

10 55-63 48-55 Storm - considerable structural damage occurs.

11 64-72 56-63 Violent Storm - wide-spread damage.

12 73-83 64-71 Hurricane