Hi all, tuftys are a problem on my lake like they are on many lakes when baiting up. Me and a friend where trying to figure out how many boilies they actually eat before they become full. He thinks if you put a kilo of boiles out, a group of say 4 tuftys would eat up to 80%, which for me seems a lot for a small bird. I personally think they eat about maybe 10 baits each, probably about 30% of your bait . Anyone any thoughts?
In reply to Post #1
Variables, size of boilies, high nutritional bait probably goes through them quickly so they may keep coming back. If others see them they may also join the party.
Variables, size of boilies, high nutritional bait probably goes through them quickly so they may keep coming back. If others see them they may also join the party.
In reply to Post #1
I was watching a pair of tufties in front of me just last night. I saw the female pick up twenty or so 15mm baits within an hour. The male spent most of the time just keeping watch, but also picked up about a dozen.
I was watching a pair of tufties in front of me just last night. I saw the female pick up twenty or so 15mm baits within an hour. The male spent most of the time just keeping watch, but also picked up about a dozen.
In reply to Post #1
Dog mixers are cheaper than boilies
Dog mixers are cheaper than boilies
In reply to Post #1
Lots 😡
Lots 😡
The amount they eat costs lot more than you get for them at the game dealers.. That I can tell you.
Enough to test your patience to it's maximum and to the point of you ending up in a looney bin.
I once fished a lake where they dived for bait, not just during the daylight hours but through the night as well. It used to really annoy me as I got no sleep with all the bleeps and having to recast constantly thinking I had a run when they picked the bait up. It was only by looking through my binoculars in the dark that I saw it was tufties diving on my bait and not bream etc and the odd one that I hooked.
And then when your unhooking them, they give you that stupid look like in a cartoon as if it was not their fault.
Thankfully, it was the only water I ever fished that they did dive all night long.
I once fished a lake where they dived for bait, not just during the daylight hours but through the night as well. It used to really annoy me as I got no sleep with all the bleeps and having to recast constantly thinking I had a run when they picked the bait up. It was only by looking through my binoculars in the dark that I saw it was tufties diving on my bait and not bream etc and the odd one that I hooked.
And then when your unhooking them, they give you that stupid look like in a cartoon as if it was not their fault.
Thankfully, it was the only water I ever fished that they did dive all night long.
In reply to Post #7
Hooked them in the middle of the night on a few waters, and yes, that stupid look.
On releasing them they just fly away to the far side of the lake.
I ended up buying an eBay special green laser pen. At night they spook away easily, as do coots, however, during the day, they only bog off if you can zap them in the face. My effort to do that is hold the laser pen under my binoculars dead centre, look directly at the tuftie, then shine the pen on them. If it's a pair, they both usually get spooked and fly off.
As for how much they can eat, loads.
Hooked them in the middle of the night on a few waters, and yes, that stupid look.
On releasing them they just fly away to the far side of the lake.
I ended up buying an eBay special green laser pen. At night they spook away easily, as do coots, however, during the day, they only bog off if you can zap them in the face. My effort to do that is hold the laser pen under my binoculars dead centre, look directly at the tuftie, then shine the pen on them. If it's a pair, they both usually get spooked and fly off.
As for how much they can eat, loads.
Everything you put out.
Mate - they can **** everything up in seconds. Laser pens (Green), dark colored baits or using loads of maples in your mix will sort them out - working off the the law of averages they will pick up your hook bait.
In reply to Post #10
I read that a normal size chicken needs about 120 grams of grains per day.
When they lay eggs they need more feed for egg production.
Ok, a chicken is not a tufty or a coot, but it gives an idea of what a bird of that size can eat in day.
I read that a normal size chicken needs about 120 grams of grains per day.
When they lay eggs they need more feed for egg production.
Ok, a chicken is not a tufty or a coot, but it gives an idea of what a bird of that size can eat in day.
I've had bites with literally 50 tufties diving over an area with 4-5kg of boilie out there... I liken it to the baitball effect out at sea... Everything getting stuck in and competing...
In reply to Post #1
It doesn't really matter how much they can eat, once they're full they just dive and pick up your hook bait for fun, devious little s**ts.
It doesn't really matter how much they can eat, once they're full they just dive and pick up your hook bait for fun, devious little s**ts.
In reply to Post #11
I read that a normal size chicken needs about 120 grams of grains per day.
An 18mm boilie (mine at any rate) is ~4gms just for information.
I read that a normal size chicken needs about 120 grams of grains per day.
An 18mm boilie (mine at any rate) is ~4gms just for information.
The little buggers are can certainly be a pain.
Have to admit I do quite like watching them in winter, swimming along in a line one behind the other like regimental soldiers! The will they, won't they spot your bait as they go over your spot. Then just when you think you have got away with it the rear guard circles back, hovers then dives. Then the whole blinking lot descend
Have to admit I do quite like watching them in winter, swimming along in a line one behind the other like regimental soldiers! The will they, won't they spot your bait as they go over your spot. Then just when you think you have got away with it the rear guard circles back, hovers then dives. Then the whole blinking lot descend
In reply to Post #15
Tufties are quite clever little birds... Unlike swans which are thick as mince, the bimbo of the bird world.
Tufties are quite clever little birds... Unlike swans which are thick as mince, the bimbo of the bird world.
In reply to Post #16
I think Swans may well be the stupidest creatures on earth, after humans anyway.
I think Swans may well be the stupidest creatures on earth, after humans anyway.
In reply to Post #15
>>>The will they, won't they spot your bait as they go over your spot<<<<<
The question is, can they smell your bait as they pass over or close to it as opposed to seeing it.
Cadaver dogs can smell a body up to 30 metres deep, so why not a Tuftie
If you watched the Danish TV drama, "The Investigation" based on the true story of The murder of Kim Wall in Denmark and her body dumped at sea. After a long search covering a massive area with divers, they could not find her, they brought a Cadaver dog in, which the lead detective did not think would be able to find her underwater and eventually decided to try after watching a gun dog working finding shot game in thick vegetation, and the dog found her scent almost straight away and after calculating wind and tide speeds and direction from where the dog picked up the scent, divers went down and found her almost straight away.
It makes you wonder how tufties have that 6th sense of discovering your bait and they to probably do likewise.
>>>The will they, won't they spot your bait as they go over your spot<<<<<
The question is, can they smell your bait as they pass over or close to it as opposed to seeing it.
Cadaver dogs can smell a body up to 30 metres deep, so why not a Tuftie
If you watched the Danish TV drama, "The Investigation" based on the true story of The murder of Kim Wall in Denmark and her body dumped at sea. After a long search covering a massive area with divers, they could not find her, they brought a Cadaver dog in, which the lead detective did not think would be able to find her underwater and eventually decided to try after watching a gun dog working finding shot game in thick vegetation, and the dog found her scent almost straight away and after calculating wind and tide speeds and direction from where the dog picked up the scent, divers went down and found her almost straight away.
It makes you wonder how tufties have that 6th sense of discovering your bait and they to probably do likewise.
In reply to Post #18
Tufties can definitely smell your bait, they circle and then swim back from downwind, once they pinpoint the area they start to dive.
Tufties can definitely smell your bait, they circle and then swim back from downwind, once they pinpoint the area they start to dive.
In reply to Post #17
Yes can be a pain, there's one on a lake I fished that finds your spot waits for you to spomb then eats the bait on the drop
Yes can be a pain, there's one on a lake I fished that finds your spot waits for you to spomb then eats the bait on the drop
In reply to Post #20
I hooked a Cignet at Yateley once. What a commotion as I hauled it in and it's agitated, stupid parents followed it back. Luckily a couple of mates with nets managed to fend them off whilst the Cignet was unhooked and put back. However, instead of skulking off and laying low for a while, they went straight back out to the exact spot it had been hooked on and starting trying to eat the bait again. Complete idiots.
I hooked a Cignet at Yateley once. What a commotion as I hauled it in and it's agitated, stupid parents followed it back. Luckily a couple of mates with nets managed to fend them off whilst the Cignet was unhooked and put back. However, instead of skulking off and laying low for a while, they went straight back out to the exact spot it had been hooked on and starting trying to eat the bait again. Complete idiots.
In reply to Post #21
Daft things were constantly swimming straight into my lines at yateley a few weeks ago. Those ones there are the most stupid of all swans I think
Daft things were constantly swimming straight into my lines at yateley a few weeks ago. Those ones there are the most stupid of all swans I think
In reply to Post #22
Yep, I have yet to come across a Swan as stupid as those ones!
Yep, I have yet to come across a Swan as stupid as those ones!
In reply to Post #21
A bit like some carp then
I caught the same carp 3 times in a day, sorry of subject
A bit like some carp then
I caught the same carp 3 times in a day, sorry of subject
In reply to Post #24
In reply to Post #15
Brilliant! 🤣
Brilliant! 🤣
Any tips for swans, the male is a right nasty barsteward
Lake as a couple on with a good few Cignets. the lake isn't very deep but what an absolute pain in the rear.
Put bait out when they are not there but somehow seem to find it right away
I was also wondering how much they eat as they had a arse up party today over my spot
Lake as a couple on with a good few Cignets. the lake isn't very deep but what an absolute pain in the rear.
Put bait out when they are not there but somehow seem to find it right away
I was also wondering how much they eat as they had a arse up party today over my spot
In reply to Post #27
Try and use bait that's not too easy for them to see, nothing like corn or bright boilies. Won't stop them but may help a bit . Or chuck a couple of loafs up the bank somewhere to keep them well out of the way and occupied while you bait up
Try and use bait that's not too easy for them to see, nothing like corn or bright boilies. Won't stop them but may help a bit . Or chuck a couple of loafs up the bank somewhere to keep them well out of the way and occupied while you bait up
Swans!
Thick as ....
A right pain in the rectum.
I have hooked swans a couple of times, one a couple of weeks ago. The male just would not leave the area alone, constantly feeding on the bait. He bought his mate in, and I landed her hooked in the mouth. After that they were a bit more wary, but the male was chasing other swans off his area, and 2 swam through the lines.
Thick as ....
A right pain in the rectum.
I have hooked swans a couple of times, one a couple of weeks ago. The male just would not leave the area alone, constantly feeding on the bait. He bought his mate in, and I landed her hooked in the mouth. After that they were a bit more wary, but the male was chasing other swans off his area, and 2 swam through the lines.
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