Guns spook fish?

[bigslackwater]

Yesterday I was out on a stream that happens to sit next to a police firing range. Twice I've been fishing there when someone has shown up to shoot. I don't know if it's coincidence but both times the fish stopped biting about the time the shooting started. It started off with handguns that weren't too loud but later they moved on to shotguns and riffles which were very loud. A few shots almost made me take a spill in the creek! It's amazing how far the sound carries in the woods without leaves on the trees I tried downstream and upstream from the range probably 1/4 mile each direction and the fish were shut down. I know it's a tough time of year, and this creek is not very productive in the winter, but I'm convinced the shots had something to do with it. Thoughts?

 

[wildtrout2]

Maybe shock waves in the air transfer through the water to a certain degree?

 

[Stenonema]

I had Guinea chickens if you know how loud 30 of them can be, spook a large trout rising next to a bank. I don't know if the trout may have seen them. The trout spooked enough that it made a wake as it left.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

The first fish I caught the other day was afraid of my 38 when I showed it to him/her. I gave a good warning and was able to catch 3 of his/her buddies within the next 15 minutes.

 

[dryflyguy]

I don't know about that.
I regularly fish a stream in a location that is right along side a shooting range. And there are almost always people there firing away while I'm fishing. But it never seems to bother the fish - which are mostly stockies, I should add I guess. Maybe they're a little more tolerant of noise?

 

[salmonoid]

Although there could be some correlation between the shots and fish spooking, it's probably more likely that the timing was just coincidental. However, it does make me think of a number of times I was fishing the Erie tribs, right below some of the railroad tubes. It seemed that fishing would die off periodically, but when a train would go by and rattle everything, the bite was on. The power of suggestion is probably stronger than any factual correlation to sound/vibration events though.

 

[Chaz]

I've fished the LL near the pistol range there, guys were shooting, and the fish didn't stop and take a break.

 

[Biggie]

I've fished Clark's Creek many times with the rifle range close by. Lots of shootin and still lots of fish caught.

 

[troutfanatic]

Guns not only scare fish, they also kill fish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg4bcaIXKHU


I have personally witnessed these knuckleheads doing this. I have also seen them tossing grenades in the water.

:lol: :lol:

 

[AkDan76]

you dog Jon! While you were fishing...I was stating outside at -30 with 5 kt winds added on trying to unload a rail car for 11 hours. A brisk Jan day.

I don't feel bad for you

 

[krayfish2]

Anyone ever fishing Manada when the Gap is firing the big guns? It'll rattle your fillings. I haven't and was just wondering if anyone has and if it's impacted the fishing.

 

[FarmerDave]

Did you observe any of the fish with their fins up and saying "don't shoot?"

 

[pete41]

Farmer made a yolk-lol
goes with chicken post

 

[JackM]

FarmerDave wrote:
Did you observe any of the fish with their fins up and saying "don't shoot?"

I was taking a photo of a fish and heard it squeak "I can't breathe." I just kept taking photos. Later the fish died of natural causes.

 

[krayfish2]

That's actually pretty snappy Jack.

 

[JackM]

To the point of the OP, however, I think the answer can be found here, but I couldn't get past the first paragraph to find it:

https://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/waves/soundwav.htm

 

[duckfoot]

Scientifically speaking, no. Air waves do not transfer to water, and vice versa.

 

[JackM]

I never heard a fish spook, so I agree with the vice versa. Therefore, blind people are totally unaware of how many fish they spook, nor do they use strike indicators. I would like to fly fish blindfolded, however, just to see if I can catch a trout.

 

[FarmerDave]

duckfoot wrote:
Scientifically speaking, no. Air waves do not transfer to water, and vice versa.

Scientifically speaking, you are wrong.

 

[duckfoot]

FarmerDave wrote:

duckfoot wrote:
Scientifically speaking, no. Air waves do not transfer to water, and vice versa.

Scientifically speaking, you are wrong.

I guess I should have used the phrase "technically, yes". Air compression waves traveling in parallel to the water's surface would eventually reach the waterline at an angled plane and disturb the water just enough to emit a very, very small compression wave throughout the water, provided there is no thermocline to disrupt the wave's path.

I was thinking of being underwater and not being able to hear people shouting or clapping above the water while you watch them. But, scientifically, I was wrong.

I'm sure that in the trout's evolution they developed a keen sense of surface noises to avoid predatory responses.

From my experience, fish do not care what you say or shoot above the water. It's making noise IN the water, or IN a boat, that'll spook them every time.

So, yes, technically, you are right.

EDIT: It should also be noted that the large difference between supersonic rounds (some pistol and most rifle) are going to create a sonic boom that can travel to the water. Most, if not nearly all shotgun shells are subsonic (technically speaking, I'm not up-and-up on my fps ratings for shotgun shells. Aim at the head, they drop.) and therefore would not create such a large compression wave to transfer from air to water medium.