Flemmish Cap 9-4-06 Very Windy

Flemmish Cap, Labor Day, 9:30 launch.  Slight hang over-almost fell out of boat launching in 6 inch surf.  Water clarity; excellent,  Surf; tiny (usually would mean wide open fishing) but strong wind made everything very difficult.  Wind was probably 15-20 knots with short-period windswell @ 3-5 ft.  Very bumpy, couldn't take my hands off my paddle without going into a 7 knot drift in the first 60 seconds.  My usual tactic of "paddlefishing" was difficult.  Only fished for 30 min but on 1st drop, 10 yards outside kelp had a 18" Vermillion.  Then kept getting Gophers till I called it.

Does anyone else fish in strong wind on a regular basis?  What type of tactics do you use?  I know what a sea anchor is but is that a reality in 3-5 ft. short-period windswell?

PJ

Images Attached;  the view north to the lighhouse off the Cap, view south, vermillion & vermillion on the grill (3 slits each side, sprinkled with olive oil & sea salt).

Sea anchor works in that short period wave chop as long as you use bungee / shock cord as a shock absorber.  It makes a huge difference and minimizes the jerking-motion.  It's never optimal to fish in that kind of wind, but the sea anchor with shock cord will extend your fishing time a bit.

EK

definitely get the drift chute and a long shock absorbing cord. run it right off the bow toggle if you can. when you need to un-chute, paddle pack to it, don't try to pull it in it's real rough. 

I've grabbed onto the kelp at about 20 kt winds and kept fishing.  I don't like to use the chute when there are good size whitecaps because the chute kind of pulls me backwards into them and make the whitecaps break in my lap.  I also find it takes too much concentration for me to keep the yak pointed into the waves.  The need to keep pointed straight into the waves is the reason for grabbing vs tieing up to the kelp.  With my grabbing hand, I can make sure the yak stays pointed the right way.  When I catch a fish I either let go or shove the rod butt into my armpit and reel in the fish one handed.  It's not pleasant but if you are already out there and the wind comes up and you really want that one more fish vs going home . . . it has worked for me.   

I've tried clipping into kelp on an even windier afternoon but after a certain point the kelp just breaks.