Pleasure
As a boat owner and keen fisher I consider a lot more than only the wind and swell.
We consider the tides (size, times etc) and try to work out the drift we are getting. To complicate matter, the tide times change the further you are out and also are different up and down the cost.
To make things even more complex, there are sea currents, a swell and of course the wind drift.
When all things come together and go different directions, the only way to find out sometimes is to go out and see what happens.
Look at sunday...boats from the same harbour either went in or had a glorious day. The skipper of Ali Cat considered more factors and decided to duck in close to the shore and bing: Good fishing all day, whilst others came in. I went out from Sunderland and fished the slack water and had a good day.
Look Tuesday: Murderous 5.6m tide and a bit of wind. Could have been a disaster. I went out and had a test look. It appeared that the huge tidal southdrift (expected by me at 1.5kn) was counteracted by a southerly wind and a southerly surge and gave me a lovely 0.7 drift at peak. Excellent fishing.
My advice: Find a good skipper and dont bother too much about conditions unless you are the skipper
A good skipper can make the conditions work by understanding them and going to the right wrecks, grounds and places at the right time.
Sometimes and often "impossible" conditions produce the best days and lovely conditions the worst !!