Do Waterfowl Spook Fish?

[jimvel]

Was fishn the Bow this PM. Caught a couple of nice rainbow and lost a large brown. There were a large number of seagulls feeding on the water up from where we were fishn. We did not get any action as we moved upstream to where these birds were feeding. What were these birds feeding on and do they impact fishing success in the location? Thanks

[ÜberFly]

From where I was fishing there was a HUGE BWO hatch, but no rising fish... Though I did manage 2 bows, a 20" brown (taped) a whitie and a sucka (3 ldrs as well) in a couple of hours with VisePeasent. So I don't think in the grebes put the fish down at all... Maybe the pelicans did. I think the temp had more of an effect on the fish then the birds...

 

P

 

 

Was fishn the Bow this PM. Caught a couple of nice rainbow and lost a large brown. There were a large number of seagulls feeding on the water up from where we were fishn. We did not get any action as we moved upstream to where these birds were feeding. What were these birds feeding on and do they impact fishing success in the location? Thanks

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

in a field and stream article they had a guy swiming and watching fish move while his budy fished. Fish spooked, swimmer thought it was the fisher so he surfaced and asked but it turned out to be an eagle that flew over.

[darrinhurst]

in a field and stream article they had a guy swiming and watching fish move while his budy fished. Fish spooked, swimmer thought it was the fisher so he surfaced and asked but it turned out to be an eagle that flew over.

Eagle is quite different from waterfowl though.

 

I wonder if the fish can tell the difference between an Eagle and a Seagull?

[Jayhad]

I don't beleive the turns put fish down, yesterday I had a client out, we picked several fish on dries amongst the turns after we noticed fish rising while the turns were on the water. If anything they are noisey bastards

[ÜberFly]

Jay, I think you mean "Tern"!!

 

P

 

I don't beleive the turns put fish down, yesterday I had a client out, we picked several fish on dries amongst the turns after we noticed fish rising while the turns were on the water. If anything they are noisey bastards

 

[ladystrange]

peter = walking dictionary lol

[ÜberFly]

 

peter = walking dictionary lol

 

[monger]

Do these "turns" look like Franklin's gulls

[ÜberFly]

Not sure, but the ones on the Bow have orange eyes...

 

P

 

Do these "turns" look like Franklin's gulls

 

[LastBoyScout]

I've had a couple times where a brood of water fowl was above me on local streams. Couldn't get by them and had to chase them upstream all day, didn't do the fishing any good.

[SouthBow]

peter = walking dictionary lol

yes, those squawky terns are Franklin Gulls , and i believe they keep the fish from rising on the surface. Just my two bits

[BadSal]

I saw a large california gull eating a 16" fish... not sure if it was already dead though, i suspect it was. I don't think waterfowl scare fish. However, other birds definitely do. For example: eagles, ospreys, herons, pelicans. However, herons are very good an not getting noticed. Btw, there is a very large heronry just across the boat ramp at policemans with at least a dozen "live" nests.

 

An interesting story was the time last summer I was fishing fallen timber. I had snuck up on nice brown sipping PMD's, just as I was preparing to make my first cast it all went to hell. I was midstream just outside of a beaver hole, and out came the beaver. To mine and the beaver's surprise he surfaced about 4 feet from me and WHACK!!! He did the tail think and spooked the brown that was about 5 meters upstream. The water was clear enough I saw him bolt to god knows where.

 

That being said, I spend all last summer fishing next to a beaver's house on the bow river. He would swim right past me within 2 meters and not pay any mind, and the fish didn't pay any mind either. Of course, this beaver never did a tail whack.