Can Fish ‘Hear’ Sonar?

  • stuwest
    Elmwood, WI
    Posts: 2254
    May 30, 2011 at 2:15 pm #1272461

    I think they can.

    Anyone else have info or comments??

    stuart
    Mn.
    Posts: 3682
    May 30, 2011 at 2:22 pm #969858

    Just to be safe I shut mine off in shallow water.

    Darrell
    SE MN
    Posts: 39
    May 30, 2011 at 2:36 pm #969859

    I think they can feel the sonar.

    mplspug
    Palmetto, Florida
    Posts: 25026
    May 30, 2011 at 3:23 pm #969873

    To a fish, feeling is hearing.

    stuwest
    Elmwood, WI
    Posts: 2254
    May 30, 2011 at 3:28 pm #969875

    Yes, the lateral line senses something, but what does it mean to them. They can also sense gas motors and electric motors in their area.

    Many have promoted that motors trigger northern strikes. Anyone feel this is good?

    While we are salmon fishing, we get our best action AWAY from the boat. When we drift walleyes, we shut off our motors if possible.

    What is the thinking here??

    jerrj01
    Hudson, WI
    Posts: 1547
    May 30, 2011 at 4:18 pm #969884

    Yes they can hear/feel. The question is what do they do about it? I think “it depends”. On if the fish have been pressured, in shallow water vs. deep, the species etc…. Sometimes I wish I could thnk like a fish.

    stuwest
    Elmwood, WI
    Posts: 2254
    May 30, 2011 at 4:54 pm #969887

    so what is your thinking about what they DO???

    bassn7
    Bruce,WI
    Posts: 776
    May 30, 2011 at 10:03 pm #969930

    I have always felt that when Bass fishing pressured waters shallow,that the fish get real spooky when they feel ping ping ping then they grab a bait,they don’t keep doing that, so I turn off depth finders when it counts on tough days.if I can hear it they can feel it!

    Stan

    walleyebuster5
    Central MN
    Posts: 3916
    May 31, 2011 at 1:06 pm #970027

    Hmmm, Never even thought about that.

    Ralph Wiggum
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 11764
    May 31, 2011 at 1:13 pm #970029

    Quote:

    Sometimes I wish I could thnk like a fish.


    I don’t believe that fish do a whole lot of thinking with those little brains.

    cat dude
    Arlington, MN
    Posts: 1389
    May 31, 2011 at 1:49 pm #970048

    Yes, I am sure thier lateral line sense that ping.

    I believe that a boat in shallow water on a calm day is much worse than sonar for spooking fish.

    mplspug
    Palmetto, Florida
    Posts: 25026
    May 31, 2011 at 2:41 pm #970063

    I’ll take a stab at it and say that if they detect it, because it is constant and rhythmic, it doesn’t effect them. I don’t put a lot into noises spooking fish in the first place, depending on the conditions. I’d say a majority of the time you can bang the side of the boat with no affect on the fish.

    A bang can jolt them and make them dart, but normally they’ll “forget about it” in 10 seconds.

    Trust me. I have never had noise effect my fishing. I catch just as little whether I make noise or not.

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13478
    May 31, 2011 at 4:31 pm #970083

    I don’t get too overly concerned about the ping of a locator. I watched gills beneath my hole ice fishing while a guy was drilling a hole with a gas auger about 10′ away. Gills never reacted until the auger punched through. Another guy using a hand auger with the same conditions and the fish took off after he was half way through. If it takes that much vibration to get a fish to react, I don’t think a locator comes close.

    DaveB
    Inver Grove Heights MN
    Posts: 4469
    May 31, 2011 at 5:49 pm #970102

    Swim under a boat with a high power graph on and feel the pain. Yes, they feel it and often they dont like it.

    Have you ever been out and fishing is slow but everytime a boat gets close to you all of sudden you have bite? IMO, that boat is scattering fish from them to you.

    We had a trip years ago on Cass Lake and another boat in our group was catching 100/day and we were stuck at about 10. This guy is a semi-pro, but still, same spots, same gear, same bait, jigs, everything. Eventually, he pointed out that he only runs a flasher after finding fish and he was getting bites each time our paths crossed.

    Some times, maybe most times, it wont matter. But slow trolling lindy rigs or verticle jigging I am convinced that it can make a difference.

    In fact, I caught twice the fish on opener in the back of the boat where my line was away from the graph and further off to the side then I did fishing the bow where my line was running directly under the boat.

    walleyebuster5
    Central MN
    Posts: 3916
    May 31, 2011 at 5:51 pm #970104

    Quote:

    Swim under a boat with a high power graph on and feel the pain. Yes, they feel it and often they dont like it.

    You’ve done this??

    Ralph Wiggum
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 11764
    May 31, 2011 at 6:07 pm #970105

    Quote:

    Swim under a boat with a high power graph on and feel the pain.


    I call 100% BS on that. Bring your boat and I will gladly swim under it.

    DaveB
    Inver Grove Heights MN
    Posts: 4469
    May 31, 2011 at 6:07 pm #970106

    He had. I am no dummy, I took his work for it.

    walleyebuster5
    Central MN
    Posts: 3916
    May 31, 2011 at 6:41 pm #970112

    No Wait…..It’s gotta be your bull.

    mower
    Wisconsin, Outagamie
    Posts: 515
    June 1, 2011 at 3:09 am #970190

    In canada I’ve used my gas motor and locator to stay on top wallyes. Never bothered them.

    mplspug
    Palmetto, Florida
    Posts: 25026
    June 1, 2011 at 3:11 am #970191

    Quote:

    I call 100% BS on that. Bring your boat and I will gladly swim under it.


    Any excuse to drag out the speedo.

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