Does your depth sounder spook fish?

[cod_botherer]

I just read this piece:

http://www.dosits.org/animals/produce/2f.htm

Given that sounders go from about 28kHz to 200kHz, fish generally should not hear them or sense them through their lateral line however,
I know some people swear that fish won't bite under a transducer, and others say the fish don't care.

Does anyone have any stories or done any tests to sway the argument one way or another?

(Lots of people say just turn it off to be sure by I have a combined GPS/sounder which I like to keep on for the GPS features)

[fishman7]

hi
for me i say no went tuna fishing to find out how much bait is around we would put the light next to the sounder as you know pil great scare easy. a lot of poeple have funny idears about thinks went it comes to fishing.i aways use my sounder once its on it stays on.even as a pro we alway left then on. and these are the powerful ones.
cheers
danny

[Cruiser]

Most of my mates say to turn off the sounder while fishing. My experience on shallow reefs (where you can see the fish) suggests it doesn't matter - the fish still swim around under the boat.

Some folk even claim that it's beneficial to keep the sounder turned on because the fish think they're about to be fed!!!

I think this has been debated for many years and will continue for many more. I don't think anyone knows the true answer except the fish.

Chris.

[westie]

Myth Busters They will Know!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[TonyM]

Good idea Westie! Bring on the Myth Busters! :D

any fish under my boat will have to put up with dual beams now! I hope I don't give em a headache :)

[stubbie]

Its a myth ;)

[Cheech]

Ii would love to know the answer, I turn mine off when shallow. Probably for no better reason than because of the myths.

Same last night, I was concerned about having snapper in the burley because I heard that is not good.

I have not got enough time to prove any of these theories.

[Angla]

Absolutely affects them. That has to be the reason why I cannot find any good fish.

My kid's also joke about a banana being on board.

Cannot be the boat name as we blessed it "bite me"

Where is the solution to why I do not catch good sized fish.

Must be the sonar..........works for me

Angla

[gawby]

I asked the same question not so long ago under DEPTH SOUNDERS ON OR OFF
and there are a lot of different myths put forward there.
Graeme.

[Daintreeboy]

Cheech why would you turn it off in shallow water only? The beam must be hitting the bottom in deep water if you are getting a bottom reading ;) Un less you think only a powerful blast will cause them to spook? In fact, the deeper you go the wider the beam will get therefore affecting a larger area under the boat, if in fact they do spook. I've read a few articles recently from well respected journos that say they've seen fish on the sounder spook and blamed it on the transducer. Then again there are a lot of wild fishing stories that get around.
Now for a banana!!
Cheers, Mark.

[Elysium]

if you are in rocky country chasing bass or cod for example I truly believe it does spook them...but that is contradictory in my next statement.

In impoundments I quite often see fish rise up off the bottom when you travel over them...as if to have a look at whats floating above them maybe

[Reefmaster]

I know a lot of good fishos who say yes it will put fish off and just maybe it does but if only pushing a button may mean the difference between a good trip and a bad one then why wouldn't you turn it off. It depends on so many different variables such as where and what depth your fishing. What you're fishing for and when. I believe in a situation where the fish are not in the bite period and very shy that the sounder may very well turn the fish off completely.

I have never been game to try leave the sounder on while a good bite is on until a few months ago when the sounder was accidentally still on and after about half an hour or so of pulling good Red Emperor one after another i realized it was on and switched it off and continued to pull reds for a couple hours after. So that has changed my opinion a little about that subject now.


Cheers Greg

[bidkev]

<snip>

So that has changed my opinion a little about that subject now.


Cheers Greg

I've been watching you, you bugger ;) You'd catch *anything*, *anywhere*, so don't let a little thing like a transducer stand in yer way. ;D

kev

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

I don't think the sounder makes any difference to the fishing. I very rarely turn mine off.................hey maybe that's been the trouble! ::)

Cheers
Dave

[mattooty]

Not 100% sure, but pretty sure that sounders spook trag. Was on top of a school of trag pulling them all day, then turned the sounder on to check the bottom depth and the bite completely shutdown.
Was in 50m of water. Could have been complete coincidence, maybe, maybe not.
Not game to try it out anymore.
Matt

[Daintreeboy]

if you are in rocky country chasing bass or cod for example I truly believe it does spook them...but that is contradictory in my next statement.

In impoundments I quite often see fish rise up off the bottom when you travel over them...as if to have a look at whats floating above them maybe

how can you tell that from your sounder trail if you still moving?

[mackmauler]

I norm turn it off but yesterday it was on all day and we got about 35 legal fish of mixed variety.

[StevenM]

I turn mine on when I first launch and turn it off when I am bout to put the boat back on the trailer.