DEPTH SOUNDERS. ON OR OFF

[bidkev]

took the words right out of my mouth MOZ.

The thieving bastard!

[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