Do Boats Spook Fish?

[dezza]

I have the larger rivers in mind like the Trent which at times sees enormous barges passing along it's course.

After many years of fishing the Trent I have come to the conclusion that boats do not scare fish at all. In fact there are times when boats attract fish. Certain species such as chub and perch love to lay under boats and I have had experiences in the past where tench will head for your boat just after it has been moored.

I certainly believe that even on a large river like the Trent, a conspicuous angler will scare far more fish than a boat passing by.

But what do you think?

 

[barbelboi]

Having never fished the Trent ( And haven’t fished the Severn enough to form a constructive opinion) my own observations to larger rivers can only relate to the Upper Thames that I have fished for many years.

My personal beliefs are:
I have never noticed that motor boats adversely affect the way fish bite.
Motor noise does not appear to disturb fish or affect spawning.
As boats would be a common factor in the life of a fish I also believe a moored boat, recently or otherwise, would be accepted as ‘natural cover’.

 

[dezza]

I don't think that boats piloted by responsible people are regarded as a danger by fish.

Outboard engines also have a tendency to oxygenate the water. I have noticed certain species of fish following outboard powered boats during warm weather.

 

[thames steve]

Last summer on the Thames near Putney I noticed on one particular day that every time the rowing boats tore thru my swim I got a bite within seconds.
When there wasn't a boat in my swim I didn't get a bite.

Oxygenation? Cover from cormorants? Water more clouded? Food stirred up?

Not sure...maybe all the above....or something else.

 

[beerweasel]

I,m sure the fish get used to motor boats, moored narrow boats will attract big chub and perch as a free lined worm will prove. Here on the upper Cam we have another problem. ****ing PUNTS !, idiot Japanese and American tourists apparently trying to re-enact the battle of the coral sea without any idea how to navigate. The metal tipped poles being rammed into the gravel river bed kills the fishing as soon as the first punt passes. Further downstream we have the rowing eights,they are just a hindrance, shouting " Stroke....Stoke.....Stroke this " usually gets a laugh.

 

[richiekelly]

stroke what?

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Ron

i've been lead to believe that a boat stirring up the bottom attract fish to the food bits

 

[beerweasel]

Ron

i've been lead to believe that a boat stirring up the bottom attract fish to the food bits

Like raking a Tench swim ?

 

[dezza]

Just the same way as a rake will attract tench.

The one aspect of boats that fish do no like is clumping around on the deck of the boat, this transmits directly into the water and spooks fish. To prevent this it's a good idea to carpet the bottom of your boat if you use one for fishing.

 

[beerweasel]

The sound of your footfall is a problem, maybe Hush Puppies should make waders.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Just the same way as a rake will attract tench.

The one aspect of boats that fish do no like is clumping around on the deck of the boat, this transmits directly into the water and spooks fish. To prevent this it's a good idea to carpet the bottom of your boat if you use one for fishing.

I used to do a fair amount of boat fishing with Messrs Cox and Rawle during the early days of up-tiding. The theory was that in the relatively shallow waters of the Thames estuary, the fish would avoid the sound signature emanating from the hull of the boat, this was mainly caused by the tide flowing past the anchor rope and then being amplified by the hull which acted like a sound box. By casting up and away from the boat, the bait was placed into an area that held not only the natural population but also the fish that had moved away from the sound. Did it work? well, you could expect to catch three to four times as many fish as someone who had dropped their line over the side.

As far as rivers are concerned, I think it depends on the type of river. When I fished the Sussex Ouse, there was a place downstream that rented out rowing boats. As soon the boats started to come through it was the kiss of death. Had they just rowed through it may have been different but the racket they made clumping about and shouting really knackered the fishing, to the extent that I only fished from late afternoon until mid morning. I have fished other places where there is a constant flow of motor boat traffic and this does not seem to be detrimental and like some of the other posters I have noticed that the frequency of bites increases at times as boats pass. I still bug ger off home though, as I just don't like fishing near boaters, You can only tell people to **&$ off so many times without it becoming boring and repetitive.

 

[William Pastuszka]

I think like the others have said, boats tend to do the world of good, fishing wise, they seem to stir the fish into a bit of a feeding frenzy.

 

[peter crabtree]

reminds of a day on the Colne roaching. I was getting the odd fish and then a load of kids in those little canoes stated playing water polo 10 yards upstream of me, then the bites suddenly came thick and fast until the kids got bored and cold and paddled off.
Then I couldn't buy a bite..........
and of course those winter canal matches when you pray for a boat to stir up the silt in otherwise gin clear water......

 

[dezza]

I am convinced that the wake of boats and the disturbance of props helps tremendously in summer by putting O2 into the water.

 

[richiekelly]

boats probably spook anglers more than they do fish, if they are in an area with constant heavy boat use they must have got used to them or they wouldnt be there.

 

[mol]

Fishing the Seine the barges are huge, there big enough to carry cars on the back for the owners and the swell they cause is probably a foot high.

The boats don't seem to bother the fish at all, infact zander in particular do seem to the extra movement caused by a boat

 

[dezza]

There is a barge that goes down the Trent and back about twice a week. It's enormous but the strange thang is that it creates less wash than a pleasure craft.

 

[The Monk]

Its what they get use to, I dont believe regular slow and quiet boats scare fish at all.

I could never understand why cows drinking in a cow drink didnt scare carp, yet if I waded in they were off

 

[Ray Roberts]

Its what they get use to, I dont believe regular slow and quiet boats scare fish at all.

I could never understand why cows drinking in a cow drink didnt scare carp, yet if I waded in they were off

You can't have any mirrors in your house then Mr Monk!

 

[The Monk]

Only over the bed mate, I like to monitor performance and make sure me hair looks alright