Kayak Fishing Safety on the Ocean: Swell and Wind
4-minute read + 18-minute video
Bending Branches Pro Team member Moo “MooMoo” Lee has kayak fished on the ocean off the coast of California for over a decade. Here he shares valuable tips about swell and wind waves while fishing.
Bending Branches ProStaffer Moo “MooMoo” Lee
On his YouTube channel MooMoo Outdoors, MooMoo produces videos on many topics related to kayak fishing on the ocean. Safety is a common theme on his channel, as the ocean holds a set of unique challenges for kayak anglers.
In this video, MooMoo describes what swells and wind waves are, and shares ways to handle them based on his own experience as well as advice from more experienced kayakers. Watch below or keep reading for his tips:
Swells and Wind Waves: What’s the Difference?
The effect of swells and wind waves is “ripples” or waves on the ocean’s surface. Wind waves are locally produced while swells begin miles away.
Swells occur from wind energy due to a storm or other event. They can travel hundreds of miles across the sea to impact coastal areas where kayak anglers fish. Swells vary in height and the distance between (called period).
Wind waves are caused by local winds. They’re what we often see cresting and breaking, causing whitecaps.
Check the Forecast Before You Head Out
MooMoo likes to check three different websites for wind speed, gusts, swell and wind waves:
Windy.com has a national map. Click on your area and zoom in. Click again in that area and a flag will come up with the wind speed (in knots). Click on the down arrow for a forecast chart with current and future wind speed, direction and gusts.
The Waves icon on the right side menu includes details about the current and forecasted swell and wind waves. You can get information on direction, size and period:
FishWeather.com is a website specifically for anglers. From the homepage click on Map in the top menu bar. That’ll bring you to a national map where you can zoom in. There are weather points to click on. For each you’ll have a reading with the option to click on the Forecast for wind speed (in mph), gust speed, wave height and period:
The MagicSeaweed.com website that MooMoo mentions in the video came up as Surfline.com at the time of this writing (either a name change or acquisition). You can check wave height and period all along the coasts along with 16-day forecasts. This site is for surfers—when the waves aren’t good for surfing they’ll likely be fine for kayak fishing!
Keep in mind no weather forecast is 100% accurate. So when you get to the shore it’s always a good idea to observe the conditions to be sure it’s safe before you unload your kayak and gear. Moo's recommendation if conditions aren’t safe: “If you’re there with your buddy, go have breakfast, have a good conversation and go home early.”
What Are Safe Ocean Conditions for Kayak Anglers?
Kayak anglers vary in kayaking skill and experience. So what’s safe for one angler may be beyond the comfort level of another angler.
MooMoo knows his own boundaries and won’t launch if the swells are too high or close together or if the wind is too strong, even if other anglers are out there. His recommendation for most kayak anglers is 6-foot swells or below.
The period is just as important as the height, though. Given a 4-foot swell 12 seconds apart or a 6-foot swell 20 seconds apart can both be easy to handle. When those periods tighten, though, it feels rougher.
Some of the things Moo looks for are:
- If the period is double or more the swell height (4-foot swell 8+ seconds apart), it should be fine. There’s also secondary and tertiary swell to keep in mind though. These come between the primary swells and can make it rougher.
- Sometimes the primary and secondary swells come from the same direction. That will feel better than if they come from different directions—in that case, they’ll collide and make for some rough waters.
- Sometimes the wind is coming from one direction and the swells from another. That can also create bumpy conditions for your kayak.
- Local winds will also kick up wind waves that can collide with swells, causing rough conditions.
- MooMoo stays off the ocean if the winds are more than 15 mph (13 knots).
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