Anyone else ever sat watching birds dive on your bait thinking will that spool any fish ? Will fish still feed around diving birds ? Is there a link do birds follow carp around feeding off the bottom ?
In reply to Post #1
I have.
I think they are aware of each other but dont neccesarily see each other as a threat, just competition for available food and/or the birds might help the carp by picking at the weed/stirring the bottom.
The birds and the presence of the carp makes for a competitive feeding situation if only you could avoid the bird pickups
I've had runs a matter of a couple of minutes after a coot pickup which I thought had ruined my chances completely.
I've seen tufties and coots coming to the surface looking alarmed and leaving the area, could have come accross a pike I suppose though.
Something I plan to investigate in the winter for as long as I can take the coot/tuftie pickups
I'd also be very interested in anyone else observations
cheers
Neil.
I have. I think they are aware of each other but dont neccesarily see each other as a threat, just competition for available food and/or the birds might help the carp by picking at the weed/stirring the bottom.
The birds and the presence of the carp makes for a competitive feeding situation if only you could avoid the bird pickups
I've had runs a matter of a couple of minutes after a coot pickup which I thought had ruined my chances completely.
I've seen tufties and coots coming to the surface looking alarmed and leaving the area, could have come accross a pike I suppose though.
Something I plan to investigate in the winter for as long as I can take the coot/tuftie pickups
I'd also be very interested in anyone else observations
cheers
Neil.
In reply to Post #1
I hate it when cormarants appear in my baited area I'm convinced they spook fish away , all the others don't really bother me unless they accidentally pick up the hook bait and yes I've seen the non predatory birds spooked by something sub surface
I hate it when cormarants appear in my baited area I'm convinced they spook fish away , all the others don't really bother me unless they accidentally pick up the hook bait and yes I've seen the non predatory birds spooked by something sub surface
In reply to Post #2
one thing I have noticed through winter is the tufties/coots tend to follow the fish around or vice versa. If the birds have found something to feed on then the fish will likely be there too. But then again you're likely to get plenty more bird pickups than runs in winter!!
It's something worth noting, whether it's feeding or just where they are sheltering up in small bays or something. Well worth watching them.
I have been hammered by diving birds and realised they are spooking anything that swims from the spot. It all depends on how mad they are going on your spots I guess. I have had 3/4 coots and 5/6 tufties on a spot at once, throw in some seagulls trying to nick bait out their mouths too and it's a real commotion!!
Carp will probably notice birds feeding exactly the same as they pick up on bream or tench feeding on a spot and investigate.
one thing I have noticed through winter is the tufties/coots tend to follow the fish around or vice versa. If the birds have found something to feed on then the fish will likely be there too. But then again you're likely to get plenty more bird pickups than runs in winter!!
It's something worth noting, whether it's feeding or just where they are sheltering up in small bays or something. Well worth watching them.
I have been hammered by diving birds and realised they are spooking anything that swims from the spot. It all depends on how mad they are going on your spots I guess. I have had 3/4 coots and 5/6 tufties on a spot at once, throw in some seagulls trying to nick bait out their mouths too and it's a real commotion!!
Carp will probably notice birds feeding exactly the same as they pick up on bream or tench feeding on a spot and investigate.
In reply to Post #1
As off putting it maybe to us, i dont think the carp really spook. In fact, coots etc are really good at re setting rigs for us
As off putting it maybe to us, i dont think the carp really spook. In fact, coots etc are really good at re setting rigs for us
In reply to Post #1
I don't think that on most occasions coots or tufties spook the carp.
I have watched coots diving on my bait at Nazeing, back of Long Island in The Lonely, giving me bleeps (I thought) so swearing at them, when I had a run which turned out to be a decent fish.
I get more annoyed at tufties which don't seem to take the hint, but even in daylight, a laser pen held below binoculars (so you are aiming) will spook them.
The number of times you see a flustered coots come to the surface is amusing, and I'm sure a fish has spooked it.
This week I saw just that, followed immediately by a carp rolling over my bait.
I don't think that on most occasions coots or tufties spook the carp.
I have watched coots diving on my bait at Nazeing, back of Long Island in The Lonely, giving me bleeps (I thought) so swearing at them, when I had a run which turned out to be a decent fish.
I get more annoyed at tufties which don't seem to take the hint, but even in daylight, a laser pen held below binoculars (so you are aiming) will spook them.
The number of times you see a flustered coots come to the surface is amusing, and I'm sure a fish has spooked it.
This week I saw just that, followed immediately by a carp rolling over my bait.
In reply to Post #6
I've had them on me all day driving me mad 🤣
I've had them on me all day driving me mad 🤣
Swans are carp magnets
In reply to Post #7
In reply to Post #6
I've had them on me all day driving me mad 🤣
Carp were doing it to all of us this week, rolling, and only feeding on naturals
In reply to Post #6
I've had them on me all day driving me mad 🤣
Carp were doing it to all of us this week, rolling, and only feeding on naturals
Had a fair few takes thinking it was a coot after diving on me, then the alarm keeps screaming
In reply to Post #10
And you reel in a ball of weed and drowned coot
And you reel in a ball of weed and drowned coot
In reply to Post #11
Been pre baiting loads of surface weed on my spot this morning which tells me it's either carp or birds ripping it up I fear it's the feathered ones 🤣
Been pre baiting loads of surface weed on my spot this morning which tells me it's either carp or birds ripping it up I fear it's the feathered ones 🤣
In reply to Post #12
As long as the spot gets cleared. Does it really matter how?
As long as the spot gets cleared. Does it really matter how?
In reply to Post #12
You seem to have a fear of punctuation aswell
You seem to have a fear of punctuation aswell
In reply to Post #14
Has he upset you?was it the alarm thread comment
Has he upset you?was it the alarm thread comment