[Team Hold EM Hook]

1) What are ya'lls beliefs on making noise or lack there of while catfishing?

2) What have you seen that backs what you say?

3) What have you done to make things quieter?

 

[Dave L]

I don't think noise effects the fish all that much.

I don't listen to a radio or music while fishing and just keep conversation at an audible level.
There are noises that are uncontrolable that are always there like: Transducer clicking, Water rushing past the boat making gurgling sounds, The anchor rope vibrating against the boat from the current, Live well aerator cycling on and off.
There are to many uncontrolable noises to try and eliminate though I try not to create more.
After all I'm out there for the peace and quiet the river has to offer why would
I create noise.

 

[RiverKing]

I dont think noise effects the fishing at all in most locations..I mean take the ohio river for instance..You got alot of boats out there, alot of barges out there, train tracks running by or over the river, brigdes that cars go over..Drunken party barges that go down the river with the music blasting, bars on the river banks with loud music playing, or bands, and people carrying on.... The roar of the crowd at the reds staduim..River bend which is a concert hall that has rock concerts, coney island which is an amusment park.I dont think a little bumping around in the boat is gonna scare them catfish.. I think they are used to noise.,,All these things im talking about is in downtown cincy on the ohio river..

 

[river scum]

it sure affects fishing when your river is only a few feet deep! smack an oar on the side of the boat and watch the Vs run. its always better to be stealthy in my opinion. now on a big barge thrashed river they mite be more used to all the noise.

 

[zeboman]

I fish a river with lots of barge activity and we have caught flatheads while they were moving barges right in front of us.

 

[stumpjumper]

I am with riverscum on the smaller rivers and, especially for Flatheads. When I fish the Wabash, I am as quiet as possible. A 2 oz weight smacking the side of an AL boat will undoubtedly spook Flatheads. The question is, how long?

 

[ncfowler]

there is alway some noise going on somewhere. Will this affect they way cats hit, who know for shure. I did read bout splashing the water around your area to attract fish, They even sell a plunger type device to make a thoping noise in the water, This is spost to attract cats, I know when i fish we have conversations, and even move around the boat at times, What i do wonder is can the cats feel you heart beat through the line when you pick up your rod and hold the line waiting for the next strike. It seams when the rods are in the holders they will strike but once you pick up the rod and hold the line it all stops. but put it back in to the holder you will get hits again. I fish in deep water so noise is not much of an issue, I have got cats when a water skier and wake boarders passed by or after i dropped something in my boat, But in shallow water it may be a factor, I feel that movement is more of factor in shallow water, I use to trout fish a lot and what I have read they can see in a 180 radius in every direction sort like a dome, I don't know if cats can see that well but the less movement is always better in shallow water.

 

[bream reaper]

I try to be as quiet as possible in case it does matter. Often times another cat strikes right after a previous fight ends that entailed a lot of clanking of rods and nets and whatnot. They sure can hear me open a fresh drink or sandwich and make me spill it.

 

[Big Sam]

All i can say is i am glad that Johnny see's no need to hurl the 75lb front anchor like he is an olympian in the discus throwoooh::smile2::tounge_out: I know folks who are:wink: It drives me nut's when i get one on board:smile2::tounge_out:

 

[Dave53]

I try to keep noice down too but I have noticed when I am jug fishing if you have a jug bouncing around as soon as you head for that jug it takes off. Makes you wonder if fish do this naturally when you are going into a area. I have actually tried sneaking up on one of these jugs and as soon as you get near it ... it will try to take off. If you run up on it fast they try to take off fast..so with this in mind I try to sneak up on an area that I plan to fish. Would not want to think I scared an old cat fish out of my area just motoring up to it.

 

[arkrivercatman]

I think that it is all relative. Fish are very adaptive. Fish that inhabit waters where there are alot of commotion are probably not as likely to be spooked but if you are fishing a spot that has no traffic and is quiet I think that you too should be quiet. There is a big difference between fishing in the city and fishing a remote river bank. I always try to be as quiet as possible especially when fishing in the shallows. Sound travels faster in the water and I dont want to chance it. I also dont like bright lights when I am fishing. As far as what I have done to help; I put a floor in my jon boat for that very reason. Try dropping a sinker on an aluminum boat. Its loud but even louder underwater. I do what I can but dont go overboard. There is no sense in tip toeing around but I do my best to limit the loud noises.