Fish perception of Humans

[atomichaggis]

Recent comments on the forum about wading scaring the fish and the thread about belly/pontoon boating vs wading got Me thinking about some of My recent fishing experiences.

Around 2 weeks or so ago I was flyfishing for trout at one of My favourite spots, standing on a small mussel bed in just a few inches of water when I heard something thrashing around on the shallow beach to My left. It was a rock cod of around a kilo chasing crabs n shrimp. I carried on fishing then a moment later I felt something touch My toes... The cod was kissing My feet!!!

Its not like I was hard to see or anything... I was the guy in a bright yellow flo suit, waving a fishing rod around. If I were a fish... the last person who's boots I'd kiss would be a man holding a fishing rod. anyways, I carried on fishing and the cod carried on his way feeding.

2 days later I was fishing the same spot only i was standing on a boulder about a foot over the water this time. I noticed 2 cod thrashing around on the little beach and I carried on flyfishing. momemts later I was startled by a splash right next to me... I was stripping My bright green running line right onto a cods head!!! It didn't seem to have a care in the world, It just carried on feeding.

I told people about this and they just told Me I should have took them for dinner but I still had a 7.5 kilo cod in the freezer and kilo cod just didn't whet My appetite.

Then around a week ago I was lure fishing the same spot as it was a bit windy when a cod came right to my feet again, so I dangled the little møre silda lure in front of Him. It took the clumsy fish 3 attempts to get it in His gaping mouth... he then looked very surprised to see Me as I hoisted his head out of the water. I took Him home as if to prove a point but I felt bad... Hard too feel good about killing something so dumb

It seems that cod have very little perception of threat from above the water... either that or luminous yellow and black makes you invisible to Them. Trout on the other hand are super wary of the threat from above the water although they sometimes don't notice if You stand perfectly still...but move ever so slightly, even just the rod and they take off at trout speed. All off which makes My next experiences even More confusing.

I wanted to try some new ground Very locally, all fairly shallow sand bottom next to a small brook that runs down from the hills. always fish visible from High ground and great rises in the evening when the water is still but No bloody space to backcast

So... off to Baardsens for a pair of cheap neoprene chest waders Problem solved and much great fishing has been had since, plenty of cod, trout, whiting and coalie. Up to My chest in water, still with bright yellow flo jacket on and not fishing at any great range as its hard to carry line when the running line is in the water.

so all of these fish feel safe enough to come close enough to take the fly, more often than not stripped halfway back to Me with less than half the head out of the tip ring. one trout leaped after a muddler I was just about to change and almost hit Me...was less than 4ft away.

First Fish I caught wading was a small cod Who was hooked a few inches into his mouth. I had left My forceps on the shore and wasn't gonna put My hands into the mouth to get My fly back (You only make that mistake once) so I carried it to shore and unhooked it and slipped The fish back and as I waded out I noticed the cod was sticking real close to Me. I stopped to pull My line free of snags and the cod stopped right next to Me, I carried on out and the cod followed... Like we were pals or something. I also had this from a little trout I caught last night. I thought that was weird til I caught My next fish.

Next one was a whiting Which was swiftly unhooked and tossed away in the direction of the open sea, Only the little rat turns around and shoots down the inside of My leg and clings to My foot! I tried to kick him off in a slow motion underwater kick style but the more I thrashed the more determined it was to cling to My foot. I had to jump up and down to make it swim away. I've also had this same reaction From trout.

The most worrying experiences so far have been the more sizeable cods which like to hide under something... Usually My bollocks! I'm well aware that one of the few sights weirder than a man up to his chest in the sea fishing is a man up to his chest in the sea, jumping up and down and thrashing around whilst screaming at His bollocks.

So in summary:

I find that cod just don't percieve much... Well, not Unless it is something they can eat and only notice you when they are hooked or picked up.

Also that whilst trout percieve threat from above incredibly well they just can't percieve the part of you thats in the water as a threat, or even just as a part of you and that if you wade you are much less visible above the water therefore they are less frightened.

anyways, these are just My thoughts I felt like sharing. I'd love to find out how it differs when belly/pontoon boating but thats way more gear than I can afford for now.

Davie

[Daggad]

Ha ha great post !

The fact is I guess that all fish act different according to inviroment and species.

I was fishing off a bridge a few years back when i saw a big Steinbit (catfish ?) underneath. I gave him a jigg and he took it asap. However the line broke when i was landing the fish after a hard struggle. I was able to follow him back into the bottom and I tied on a new jig of the same kind as before.

Well you guess it....he took it immediatly ! Saved my first jig, and got me some nice dinners...

I have also been doing a lot of snorkling and underwater hunting. And no fish seem to be afraid of me in the water as long as I do not get too close.

Last year I had 3 seatrouts swimming together between my legs while flyfishing with waders for them. That really surprised me !!

But still I try to be careful while wading. I do not want to waste any chanses, or even decrease them by a percentage. It is tought enought as it is !

One place in particular I am careful is in the smaller Salmon rivers. The Salmon is MUCH easier to get to take my lures or bait if I sneak into them. And often they are standing right below your feet.

It could be that this has got something to to with the Salmons memory as a baby in the river, beeing one of the smallest ones on the feeding chart..?

[atomichaggis]

Hehe yeah, the behaviour is baffling, It seems the more up close and personal you get with some fish the less they are afraid of you.

Steinbit in english is wolffish, catfish, seawolf, wolfeel and many more lol... In scotland they are 'big Pussies'.

I read somewhere that in their environment they are top of the food chain and take priority in a scent stream, even over cod. This probably explains why they behave so bullishly. Thats definately one fish I'd think twice about wading with. They are also high on my priorities this year... What type of jig was it?

The water was really warm last night, I think I'll try snorkelling soon. I've been planning for ages to clear old line and snags from My favourite spots and watch the fish and try learn their habits... i think that time is coming soon. Might spear flatties while I'm down there

alas... I have no experience of salmon in either fresh or saltwater. no major salmon rivers around here but Who knows... maybe someday I'll get one.