Beating the wind

High winds expected to thrash Santee Cooper this afternoon

MANNING, S.C. – As a beautiful, calm dawn broke over the start of day two at the Stren Series Southeast event on Santee Cooper, it was hard to imagine that there could be any trouble on the horizon.

The wind, however, was the hot topic of conversation among pre-launch operations.

“Get in and get out,” one voice said.

“Don’t get trapped on the other side of Lake Marion after 11 o’clock,” another voice warned.

“Just stay close,” someone advised.

Even though there was hardly a breeze at 7 a.m., forecasts are calling for winds in excess of 20 mph by afternoon.

Lakes Marion and Moultrie are some of the best bass-fishing lakes in the world, but they also can be some of the most dangerous when high winds churn up their surfaces into large rollers.

That’s why most anglers were changing their game plans as of this morning.

“I’m staying close,” said BFGoodrich Tires pro Chad Grigsby of Maple Grove, Minn. “I know what wind means on this lake, and I’m staying out of it.

“I’m just going around the corner to throw my secret bait here,” joked Grigsby as he rigged up a weightless soft-plastic stick bait. “Not many pros are on to this deal yet, especially in this green color.”

The goal of many anglers Thursday morning will be to get to their best fishing areas, do their damage early and be on the way back to the safety of Taw Caw Creek by noon.

And even thought the wind is supposed to blow, bright sun and warming air temperatures into the 80s will likely reset the stage for a sight-fishing fest on Friday.

The day-two weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. Eastern at the John C. Land III landing, located at County Road S 14-260 in Summerton, S.C.

Thursday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:56 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 62 degrees

Expected high temperature: 80 degrees

Water temperature: 60-64 degrees

Forecasted winds: W at 20-30 mph

Day’s outlook: warm and windy