DEPTH SOUNDERS. ON OR OFF

[gawby]

I was listening to 4bc radio, their fishing report on saturday morning and they were talking about depth sounders.

The question asked was do you leave your sounder on or off when you are at anchor. The reason being they suspect that the sound wave emitted from the sounder scares the fish away. When you are at drift this dosnt seem to be the case.

This to me seems to make sense because some days we go out and catch nothing on a very slow drift or at anchor with the sounder on but other days when drifting fast we seem to get a catch. I am going to turn the sounder off next time and try it and see if it makes a difference.

What are your ideas on this. ??? ;D

Graeme

[Dignity]

Graeme, read/heard somewhere that 200mhz is about the same frequency as that used by dolpins which supposedly then makes the fish skittish. Don't know if that is true or not but at anchor I usually turn mine off.

Sam

[scuttlebutt]

I've heard that sounders can scare the fish, and if it's really quiet I can actually hear my transducer tick tick ticking away. Having said that I usually leave it on anyway and still manage to get a few.

cheers,

Steve

[devocean]

This has been brought up in a thread about 6months ago. I can remeber someone saying that they knew a pro that use to scare fish into nets by turning on the sounder around snags. I free dive a fair bit and I can say I have never heard a transducer making any noise underwater.

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

I really don't know about this. ??? Maybe they do and maybe they don't. But I do know that if you are looking for fish on your sounder, whether it be for bait or for targets, you pick them up on your sounder and you start fishing. :) Generally you will catch them. ( ?Well maybe). If sounders scared the fish away, wouldn't they have bolted as soon as the sonar had hit them?? The pro's rely on them a lot as do the charters.
Interesting thread!

Dave

[Needmorerum]

I don't know whether this is right or wrong, but from now on, I'm using this as my excuse. Deep down inside, I knew there was something that was affecting my fishing (read boating).

Corry

[chanquetas]

I dont even have a sounder....but if I dont catch anything tomorrow then you know what I'm gonna blame!

[kevin]

I have never had a problem with the sounder scareing off the fish only the idiots that go round and around you looking to see if there is fish under your boat. that is what scares the fish off. :-X

[DNO40]

I,m with Kevin

People constantly and annoyingly pull up right on top of you and start casting at you....damn i hate that

[Bearded_Clam]

why couldnt it be a possibility that sound/vibration might actually attract fish. not saying it does but I fish with the sounder and a kickarse stereo goin all the time and dont seem to find i catch any less than anyone else {on average}..and I bet that your sounder screen will suddenly light up with piscatorial packs of predators at about the same time as your ears start bleeding from playing you favourite metal cd at full volume with maximum bass.
those old wives talk a lot of sh!t. ;)

[TonyM]

People constantly and annoyingly pull up right on top of you and start casting at you....damn i hate that

That's when I break out the big snapper leads and start casting right back ;D

[MulletMan]

Ya gotta turn 'em OFF! ;)
I used to do a lot of offshore fishing with John Palermo round the Square Patch area (81.6 metres at the peak!) and have seen the schools of fish actually flatten out and go to the bottem when pinged with a 200 hz sounder. Conversely, I also saw John wake 'em up with a burst of pinging! The beam from the transducer is a "physical" beam that hits anything in its path and is then "bounced" back to the receiver so it is a pretty fair assumption that whilst we humans cannot "hear or feel" this beam that it may worry some species of fish. I remember one day off Lookout Wide seeing the Pearlies actually going deeper into the wire weed and as soon as the sounder was turned off, up they came for a feed!

[woolybugger]

I primarily fish the freshwater and have heard from a few pro fisher mates that they think that the tranducer actually attracts fish. They have said that they have actually seen fish break off from a school and follow the tranducer.

Myself, have been above many a schhol of Bass and don't see the bass go off or go to the bottom of the lake.

Who knows and I guess until someone out there becomes a 'fish whisperer', then we will never know.

[MOZ]

My philosophy. if in doubt turn it off, I don't need anything working against me.

MOZ

[youtah]

took the words right out of my mouth MOZ. ;D

[bidkev]

took the words right out of my mouth MOZ. #;D

The thieving bastard! ;D

[webby]

Its the same as the myth about Bananas ???
regards

[Dignity]

and oranges. Keep seeing the banana myth mentioned but I used to fish with a guy for bream and he wouldn't touch one or let one in his boat.

Sam

[gawby]

Ive just beenaway in my truck for a few days and i see that there is a bit of for and against.
I suppose each to their own. Its either on or off.

Graeme

[westie]

Where is Myth Busters when Ya need Em.

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

Here's my thoughts about the "ON/OFF" issue relating to depth sounders. If a depth sounder had any 'major' negative affect on fish, it would have been 'aired' a long time ago. I'm with the understanding that sounder frequencies used are both inaudable to humans and to fish. I've certainly seen some positives, relating fishing and depth sounders left 'ON', hence my next points! There are so many more issues that need further addressing, each that can 'majorly' decide on the final outcome of any fishing trip. someone brought up the topic of close quarters fishing when 'other boats' come along side for a sticky beak. In heavily fished, and lots of other places, issues such as line size, bait presentation, bait disguise, anchoring styles, how to approach a fishing spot, berley, hook and tackle choice,lead size (OH GOD), striking of fish, fish release even, on board boat noise, breaking lines off on snags, losing fish, bait selection, unnatural movements of bait(eg since when does a fish fillet move towards the surface, "gravity works the other way")! There is so much that can SPOOK the life out of singular or schooling fish, that the issue of whether to turn the sounder on or off is to me one of the last things to DO or NOT to do.
School for thought, thats all.
johnny M

[Nugget]

Interesting comments both for and against.
I'm no 'gun' offshore angler but have had the pleasure of sharing a boat with some of the best.
The fact is that, as he said on 4BC last weekend, John Palermo - and nobody could deny he knows offshore fishing - firmly believes the sounder spooks fish.
I would add that every top offshore angler I know agrees - they all believe the sounder spooks fish while at anchor.
I vividly remember Harro insisting the sounder was turned off as soon as the fish were found in the fresh as well.

Food for thought.

Dave ><>
PS - this we're talking tailor tactics on 4BC - ledgends having thier say.

Dave ><>

[SeaSaw]

I'm with the understanding that sounder frequencies used are both inaudable to humans and to fish.

I can certainly hear my sounder, so it is definately audible to humans. Put your ear near the transducer some time and you will hear it clicking away.

When at anchor my sounder is always turned off, and I believe it has improved my catch rate from the days when I never bothered.

cheers,

Mark

[Dignity]

...........fish release even, on board boat noise, .............There is so much that can SPOOK the life out of singular or schooling fish, that the issue of whether to turn the sounder on or off is to me one of the last things to DO or NOT to do.
School for thought, thats all.
johnny M

oh my god, how long do I have to hold that fart in!!!!

[woolybugger]

I went fishing at a dam the other day and spent alittle more time analysing the sounder. I came across quite a few schools of Bass and noticed them between 3m to the bottom. I caught around 10 + Bass from each school until they shut down. On the sounder the Bass where still at these depths, but not responding to the techniques used. Did the Bass shut down due to the fish caught stressing the others out, where they talking fish language and warning each other or the sounder scaring them.

The sounder was on all the time, so who knows, but as long as I am still catching them.

Tight lines...

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

SEA SAW, yes, i do agree that you can hear a 'tick ' from many transducers, but the sonar frequency itself that is sent to into the depths and returns to the bottom is supposed to be inaudable to fish and to humans. That 'TICK" you mention i think is possibly the minute pulse that the sounder's transducer emmits when the frequency alone is heading or returning from the bottom,(not the frequency itself), definitely not a sound that could be heard 300 feet down in average sea conditions when a boat is slapping the surface from wave movement. That tick is very quiet compared to other sounds such as outboards, crunching gearboxes, anchors hitting the bottom, chain rattling on the rocks/reef below. Some lures rattle louder than a transducer's 'tick' and they still catch fish. i think the issue here is the frequencies used and whether these intermittent pulses can be heard or 'felt' via lateral lines etc. As we know, fish can have mood swings, weather, tides, water temp etc all can have an affect on the activities of fish. Some days fish are so hungry that we can catch the same fish twice. (many stories like that) My friend caught the same 8 kg saltwater barra 15 mins after i released it, obviously not showing any ill effects from the ordeal, even after the fish was on deck for 1 minute and photographed 3 times. Some other days we can see fish and not even get a 'look' or a 'follow' from one, backing the theory that not always are fish hungry. Many commercial fisherman have witnessed mass schools of fish such as red emperor, red jew, even coral trout, cobia etc, all raise from the gloomy depths in say 30-40 metres to just metres below the boat,(transducer) to savagely feed on a fisherman's offering. All this can be seen clearly on the sounder as the schooling ball of fish rises toward the surface to 'black out' the sounder screen. These fish rise so close to the boat that they can be viewed with the naked eye as they hammer all forms of bait/lure offered. i'm talking many hundreds of kilos, even tonnes of hungry fish. So with the negative stories about sounders scaring fish off, it may be possible that a fish's mood can determine wheter or not it will be irritated by certain circumstances. Very interesting topic, and most certainly in the year 2005 and onwards, we do need to be very careful to avoid anything that may have a negative impact on fish. Fish are not as silly as we sometimes think, patches of fish can be very easily spooked or simply 'put off' by very simple fishing and boating tactics. Evolution ( i use that word loosely) has seen fish become very vigillant, and to survive, many species have adapted and changed over time. They have LEARNT to compete against us, hence the reason we have to alter our approaches and styles to stay the successor in the person/fish relationship. LOOK< LISTEN<WATCH<ABSORB YOUR SURROUNDINGS! The answers are there for those who think!
and if you are still worried about sounder's spooking fish, turn it off when you are fishing or happy to say you are anchored correctly. This also allows you to focus on your fishing and hopefully catch more fish. The process of elimination is a good way to teach yourself. "Trial and error", as they say!

[SeaSaw]

Fair point Diff_Perspective, the ticking may have nothing to do with the sonar be picked up by fish. But my sounder is still staying off when I am anchored ;) I am pretty sure it makes a difference, but only from experience, no actual proof.

Cheers,

Mark

[-spiro-]

i always leave mine on. i might try turning it off.
mmmmmmmm ::)

[Ando74]

I work on an oil tanker, and when in the Brisbane river we have a problem with jelly fish blocking up cooling water intakes. Leaving the sounder on seems to reduce the amount of jelly fish 'attacks'.

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

...actually talked to a professional live coral trout fisherman today, and he actually said that dolphins travel and play around his boat when he is travelling between reefs(4.2 metre boat this is), they will approach and dive and jump and weave and play freely all around his boat, but, when he travels with his sounder turned 'ON", he says that they will race towards his boat, "but divert quickly away and stay well clear" as the sonar must interfere with their navigation/electrical hunting systems. Great topic this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jelly fish, dolphins, and then there is those devices called "shark shields"! i realise they work under a different system, but interesting just the same. and i think my brain is trying to tell me that they were working on a system to scare whales away from inshore shark nets. i'm not sure on that outcome! A lot of marine animals apparently migrate by following underwater magnetic fields/currents, so i can believe how man made frequencies and devices could irritate,disturb or cause trouble to many types of marine life.
"I know bundaberg rum has caused many a man to lose direction and not find his way home!"
cheers,
Johnny Mitchell

[Dignity]

Graeme, read/heard somewhere that 200mhz is about the same frequency as that used by dolpins ..................................
Sam

Johnny, me still thinks I read this somewhere

Sam

[dfox]

Having done a lot of offshore fishing, both commercially and for recreation, i'll guarentee your catches will improve with the sounder off. Its called going into stealth mode...

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

The threads by different perspective have made me stop and think, and wonder. And I admire his sense of humour. Thanks for the thought provacation.

Dave

[familyman]

How can you eliminate all the other variables of fishing in order to truly establish whether the sounder signal is affecting fish?
Then even if you can then it is probably that we put more effort in with the sounder off -ie along the same lines as the effort we put in after a big hit and bust off or similar.
Anyhow I leave mine on and it does not make me catch any less fish......that would be less than none! ;)
cheers jon

[joeT]

I went fishing saturday week and last tuesday, with the sounder on, and caught heaps. I then read this thread and turned the sounder off last saturday, and caught nothing. :-/

I think there are too many variables to establish a common theme without extensive testing. It could have been the tide, the moon, the day of the week, or maybe just my bad luck..

[Dirtysanchez]

I have heard it can interfere with the fish, as most of them are of similar frequency to dolphins. I've seen a turtle swimming towards my tinny once at Hervey bay, so I switched on the sounder. The turtle went under and resurfaced 100 foot away, so it certainly sent it packing!
By the way, did you know the RAAF FA-18's can actually detect fish finders? they have had to build the frequency spectrums into their friend or foe detection systems so they don't bomb us fishermen out of the water
EEK ! :o

[Owen]

By the way, did you know the RAAF FA-18's can actually detect fish finders? they have had #to build the frequency spectrums into their friend or foe detection systems so they don't bomb us fishermen out of the water
EEK ! :o
You mean the RAAF can afford bombs?!? [smiley=bomb.gif]
Don't know about this on or off thing.
Given the number of animals that use electrical impulses and sonar to sense prey etc, I wouldn't discount it.
At least the missus will accept me turning off the sounder.
Can't repeat what she said when I told her she had to throw the bananas she packed for lunch overboard [smiley=argue.gif]
Owen

[Rainbowrunner]

definitly believe that they attract bass in open water,

Always have the sounder on when fishing,

[scuttlebutt]

I beached my boat once (a small tinny at the time) while I was cast netting some bait. Anyway, the sounder was still on and as I was standing in the shallow water (only about 10cm deep) at the rear of the boat I could actually feel the sounder's pulses going through the sand. I'm not kidding, try it for yourself!

cheers,

steve

[gawby]

I was out of southport on the 36s last weekend with brejen and we had the sounder going and as he reported we were getting smashed by leather jackets. I dont know if it was the sounder that attracked them but you couldnt get halfway to the bottom without a double hookup.
Never thought to turn the sounder to and see what happens. We were that busy with these buggers time went by pretty quick. Nasty set of teeth on them but through nearly every thing we had. Next time i will turn the sounder off and see what happens.

Graeme