Systems and methods for performing predictive frequency searches in ad-hoc multi-hop wireless networks is described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, a predicted frequency is selected and a synchronization request is sent from an initiating node to a target node on the predicted frequency. If the transmitted synchronization request is the last synchronization request for the predictive frequency search mode sequence, then the initiating node enters into a receiving mode to receive a synchronization response message from the target node. If not, the initiating node selects a new predicted frequency, and sends a new synchronization request to the target node on that frequency. This repeats until the transmitted synchronization request is the last predictive synchronization request, and the initiating node enters into the receiving mode. The initiating node in the selection of synchronization request transmission frequencies can adaptively alternate between predictive and full spectrum frequency searches.