Ducks And Fishing.....help Or Hurt?

[red23fox]

When I only have an hour or two and can't get to the boat, I often fish on a 20 acre pond by my house. It is stocked with bass, never seen over 2 pounds though, and is always got ducks or geese in it as well. Today the seemed to follow me around the pond. I was catching nothing but a cold. After about 30 minutes they took off. I then started to catch some fish.

Is that just dumb luck, or should you stay away from or gravitate to ducks on the water?

Thanks, and Merry Christmas all.

[Goose52]

I asked the same question two years ago and didn't get too many useful responses - here's the link if you want to review it:  Ducks And Geese And Bass Oh My!

 

In the past two years since I started that thread, I've picked up a couple bass from practically right under mallard pairs....but I still don't know what the effect is on bass behavior when there are a significant number of waterfowl concentrated in a small area.

[red23fox]

Thanks for the help.

[jignfule]

I fish a pond where coots reside during much of the fishing season. I don't see them having much of an effective on fishing with the  possible exception of disturbing the water when a mass of them pick up and move, especially on calm days. It may effect fishing in that area for a few minutes, but there may be many other factors involved when it seemingly slows the fishing down for a while.

[Koofy Smacker]

No effect on the fishing at my local pond. They usually stay well clear of me though. Cast even remotely close to them and they go the opposite way. I have caught fish directly under them before.

[RoLo]

The bass in central Florida share the same water with large rafts of splish-splashy coots

and hordes of wading birds like herons, egrets and ibises. The presence of ducks or geese

doesn't intimidate bass, in fact it might be the other way around. Muskellunge are allegedly known

to swallow ducks, while largemouth bass are known to take an occasional duckling.

 

Roger

[jFlips706]

I wouldn't think it would have much of an effect on the fish except in extremely shallow water. I'd sooner think the reason you weren't catching fish was because you thought the ducks mattered. Basically if you think it's important, it is. 

[Sam]

Would not expect any water birds to have a negative impact on bass, other than for coots that would be diving to eat the smaller bass and other fish in a specific area.

 

And then I would doubt a coot would drive a larger bass away from their hangout.

 

Do what I do. Ask the ducks where the bass are hiding. They know.

[Oregon Native]

Believe the ducks be feeding on good weeds...not dead so this could be good area. Herons let ya know some baits up tight!!

[Catt]

Believe the ducks be feeding on good weeds...not dead so this could be good area. Herons let ya know some baits up tight!!

Wondered how long it would take for someone to give this answer!

Down in southwest Louisiana we duck hunt in the morning & bass fish the afternoon.

[BassinLou]

I fish in canals and parks with mascovi ducks and they are pita. People feed these ducks so when I approach to fish they think I going to feed them. I am surprised I have not hooked one by accident yet. 

 

On a side note. I almost caught a cormorant yesterday fishing. I was working my soft plastic in the mid depth range, when I see what I thought was huge fish swim up and almost take my worm. When it swam into focus I realized it was a bird, I reeled in like crazy and avoided a serious problem. LOL...

[tomustang]

Couldn't tell you, I can say though the amount of hawks and bald eagles in my area sure do scare them off

[basscatcher8]

Ducks and geese are a sign of life somewhere. Not the same species obviously but they show you that life wants to be in a spot. Usually find some fish near by. Its when I dont see anything like that around that I start to get worried.

[TrippyJai]

I have caught a few bass right beside geese and ducks before so I don't think they have a negative impact on them. The only I see is they get in the way and can be aggressive with their babies.

[RoLo]

Ducks and geese are a sign of life somewhere. Not the same species obviously but they show you that life wants to be in a spot. Usually find some fish near by. Its when I dont see anything like that around that I start to get worried.

 

Great Point!

Signs of life are always a positive indication.

 

Wildlife instinctively knows its place in the chain of command. A coot is a vegetarian that fits in the mouth

of a double-digit bass, which is a carnivore, so it isn't the bass that needs to be afraid. On other hand,

all fish have a natural fear of large avian shadows such as ospreys and eagles. While baby alligators

are occasionally seized by bass, adult alligators dine heavily on largemouth bass.

 

Roger

[The Commodore]

I have seen small schools (3 - 4 bass) follow herons and egrets in the shallows in Florida.  When I see predatory wading birds that like to target frogs and bait fish, I throw a couple casts their way.  I have only had it happen two or three times though, but hey that means it worked lol. 

[KyakR]

Sometimes in certain seasons up here ducks mean duck hunters. In a low kayak if I'm in grass just the top of my head might show........food chain: duck-hunters, me, bass, ducks....  

[CDMeyer]

I have caught plenty of bass within very view yards of  loons, but that is a funny questions.  You would think that they are live in the same environment and relative habitat that they would get along just fine

[CDMeyer]

By get along I mean that bass would not stop feeding if there are geese and duck in the vicinity