Seeing ripples and what appear to be fish on the surface

[Luke Barnes]

Ok so it's hard to describe. But when I'm fishing, alot of times I see ripples that are not caused by wind, or the v shaped wake of what's obviously a fish swimming fast. Basically disturbances on the surface that I'm pretty sure are fish swimming. 

 

Is there any way to tell by them what species it is or am I crazy? Like tonight I saw it alot. I know its fish making those ripples. But I have no idea if it's a 2 inch bluegill or a 2 lb bass. One I did decide had to be a catfish at the surface because of the way it looked to be swimming. 

 

Does anybody have experience with this? Whether scientific or just years of know how? 

[Black Hawk Basser]

Hard to say, but many of the fish that make surface disturbances around me in Iowa are carp.

 

Being where you are, they could be around their spawn time.  I know they get pretty fired up around May in Iowa and make all kinds of commotion on top.

[JediAmoeba]

Trout and panfish come to the surface a lot to eat bugs.  

[MIbassyaker]

When is this happening and how deep is the water?  In the shallows in spring, it's probably carp spawning.  However, bass may be in the area waiting to gobble up any goodies the carp unearth or uproot. Try throwing a worm, craw or creature toward the deeper end of the activity and see if you get any takers.

 

If it's over deeper water (say, 8+ feet, although can certainly be shallower) in warmer weather, more likely bluegill. They do this in midsummer all the time over submerged weedbeds, feeding on surface insect activity.  If that's what's happening, bass are probably hanging out underneath or nearby, looking up. Cast a senko or lightly-weighted worm near the area of activity (not directly in it), and let it sink several feet. They may even come up to hit a surface bait like a popper or walker on occasion.

 

If you get a lot of splashing activity over deeper water, that's predator fish chasing shad, shiners, or some other open water forage. Often the predators are bass, and if so, throw a translucent or bone-colored walking bait.

[Scott F]

There are many species of fish that will eat bugs off the surface and not all of them are game fish. 

[jbsoonerfan]

I see that you are in Oklahoma, 99.9% chance they are carp this time of the year. 

 

 

 

[WRB]

Nervous water, not splashes or tail or Fins creating water movement sounds like what you discribe. When a school of small fish are working the surface feeding on insects it's called puddling that looks like a narrow band of wind on otherwise smooth water surface. 

You can hear carp sucking in surface debris when feeding on the surface and they tend make big splashes or jump occasionally.

Whatever it is you are seeing it's worth checking out.

Tom

[N Florida Mike]

Carp

[frogflogger]

Nervous water - cast to it - simple as that

[Matt Eisen]

13 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

Ok so it's hard to describe. But when I'm fishing, alot of times I see ripples that are not caused by wind, or the v shaped wake of what's obviously a fish swimming fast. Basically disturbances on the surface that I'm pretty sure are fish swimming. 

 

Is there any way to tell by them what species it is or am I crazy? Like tonight I saw it alot. I know its fish making those ripples. But I have no idea if it's a 2 inch bluegill or a 2 lb bass. One I did decide had to be a catfish at the surface because of the way it looked to be swimming. 

 

Does anybody have experience with this? Whether scientific or just years of know how? 

I haven't 100% figured it out myself yet but I can offer you some tips.

1. For one, its all about how well you know the body of water you're fishing. I have a lake in my backyard in pennsylvania (only 15 acres). I can tell between bass or a panfish just by the way the water broke or the sound that was made. You have to understand, bass will not be "delicate " when eating something from the top of the water ever. When they open their mouths under water, a vaccum affect is created and thats how bass eat all prey. Well when this happens to the water, they are never subtle or gentle

 

2. Panfish on the other hand, will make the tiniest ripples or "pings", as I like to call them, because on the water they look like pings from a sonar. Theres no noise and it's almost like a tiny little "slurp" when they feed from the water. Whereas, bass literally INHALE anything on the water and bass will never do it gently

 

3. Last thing I'd like to mention, unfortunately, I'd say 9 times out of 10 those "V shaped things" that youre describing are actually the result of wind. I know, so disappointing to hear that but I mentioned the same thought to a buddy and he tore me a new one. To prove it, he gave me a pair of Costas and there was no fish anytime we saw them. Also, you can see the same movement on a small body of water/ puddle/ pond that you know for a fact does not have any fish in it

[2tall79]

I was crossing my favorite lake a couple of years ago when I spotted some "nervous water" and decided to check it out.  I wheeled my Ranger around and headed toward the disturbance. BOOM....hopelessly stuck on a sandbar in the middle of the lake.  Luckily, a walleye fisherman spotted me and pulled me off.  "Nervous water" doesn't always mean fish....sometimes it's just shallow water wave action. ?

[N Florida Mike]

4 minutes ago, Matt Eisen said:

You have to understand, bass will not be "delicate " when eating something from the top of the water ever.

I agree  that more often than not a bass will explode when they hit something on top water. But not always.

I caught a 7.3 once , on a booyah pad crasher frog. I had thrown the frog between a dock and some grass. I had not twitched the frog yet. I heard a splash out in the lake behind me, so I turned to look. When I looked back, I didn’t see my frog. I noticed the slightest ripple where my frog had been - no splash or sound. The line was moving to the right- I set the hook and landed the fish. That fish basically sipped in that frog. Very delicate take for such a big fish.

[Luke Barnes]

I'm going out today so I'll take a video of what I'm seeing. 

 

As far as the v shape wake, I can understand the wind doing it, but on a slick calm almost zero wind day I've seen it. Also starting from the bank. Like I disturbed a fish or something. These are all in ponds btw.

 

I've never heard of nervous water but I'm going to read more about it. What I'm seeing isnt the pings and circular ripples that are iconic with fish feeding. It's like fish moving. I always have a ned rig tied on a spinning setup so I tossed it into them when I would see them. I'm not sure if there are carp in the pond I was at yesterday but I may take some corn and chum a spot and put some on a small hook and see if I can catch one to verify. 

[JS Patterson]

Do you have shad in your water?  Threadfin shad will create this effect if close to the surface.

[WRB]

The tiny isolated  V's you see on calm water surfaces are usually bugs like scaters, hard to see them but they a wake on the surface.

Tom

[Luke Barnes]

2 hours ago, JS Patterson said:

Do you have shad in your water?  Threadfin shad will create this effect if close to the surface.

Yesterday when I saw this it was in a storm retention pond, so I doubt it. Unless someone stocked them in there. But I did find out a few weeks ago a pond about a half mile away has shad in it because I snagged one. 

[CrankFate]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

The tiny isolated  V's you see on calm water surfaces are usually bugs like scaters, hard to see them but they a wake on the surface.

Tom

That’s what I was thinking. I could see these a few days ago on the surface of crystal clear water, with no fish or anything visible. There were still little wakes from something invisible. Has to be insects.

[dgkasper58]

11 hours ago, Matt Eisen said:

3. Last thing I'd like to mention, unfortunately, I'd say 9 times out of 10 those "V shaped things" that youre describing are actually the result of wind. I know, so disappointing to hear that but I mentioned the same thought to a buddy and he tore me a new one. To prove it, he gave me a pair of Costas and there was no fish anytime we saw them. Also, you can see the same movement on a small body of water/ puddle/ pond that you know for a fact does not have any fish in it

+1

[frogflogger]

20 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I agree  that more often than not a bass will explode when they hit something on top water. But not always.

I caught a 7.3 once , on a booyah pad crasher frog. I had thrown the frog between a dock and some grass. I had not twitched the frog yet. I heard a splash out in the lake behind me, so I turned to look. When I looked back, I didn’t see my frog. I noticed the slightest ripple where my frog had been - no splash or sound. The line was moving to the right- I set the hook and landed the fish. That fish basically sipped in that frog. Very delicate take for such a big fish.

We once weighed in 28 1/2 lbs on frogs that were setting perfectly still - they were sucked under with hardly a blip. We had to watch closely - we were using furbits which have rabbit skin legs.

[BigAngus752]

I’ll make this easy. Consensus is that it’s carp (I agree) but could me a multitude of other things. It doesn’t matter. Are you in a hurry?  If so, keep going. Not in a hurry?  Take an in-line spinner or small swimbait, cast past the disturbance, and reel back through it. Do that until you think you’re wasting your time (between 2 and 150 casts LOL). 

[Luke Barnes]

On 3/30/2020 at 8:45 AM, BigAngus752 said:

I’ll make this easy. Consensus is that it’s carp (I agree) but could me a multitude of other things. It doesn’t matter. Are you in a hurry?  If so, keep going. Not in a hurry?  Take an in-line spinner or small swimbait, cast past the disturbance, and reel back through it. Do that until you think you’re wasting your time (between 2 and 150 casts LOL). 

I went back yesterday and paid close attention. I saw actual bugs making a V wake, but the nervous water there were no bugs I could see. My dumb butt got so caught up in fishing I forgot to film it. I brought corn in attempts to chum and hopefully catch a carp, got so caught up in fishing for bass I forgot I had it!! Next chance I get I'll go back and record it and chum and see if ita carp and tie on some of my crappie lures to see if i get a taker. 

 

Speaking of crappie, i caught my PB crappie there yesterday!! Caught it on a Berkeley Pit Boss t-rigged haha. Who says they always feed above them??

[Sam]

On 3/28/2020 at 11:11 PM, JediAmoeba said:

Trout and panfish come to the surface a lot to eat bugs.  

X2.

 

When carp spawn they jump out of the water and make a big splash when they come down.

 

I would agree it is a smaller fish, like a bream, bluegill, sunfish, small bass, minnows, shad, etc.

 

The only other thing I can think of it is the Monster from the Black Lagoon getting ready to attack you. 

 

Or a turtle.

[Luke Barnes]

My guess has been sunfish and minnows. But when I see a V wake going from the bank that gets to 5 feet wide before it flattens out makes me think that in particular is a bigger fish. 

 

I just thought of something. I'm going to take my fly rod and put a dry fly on it and toss it into nervous water and see if I get any takers. Then maybe switch to a wet fly that slowly sinks and see if it turns up anything. 

[TnRiver46]

I have seen exactly what you are describing my whole life. I guess I’m a little late but I vote Shad. Mooneyes will do it around here but they scatter when you throw the net. I’m sure it looks like a big bird swooping down to eat them 

[desmobob]

On 3/29/2020 at 12:20 PM, Matt Eisen said:

3. Last thing I'd like to mention, unfortunately, I'd say 9 times out of 10 those "V shaped things" that youre describing are actually the result of wind. I know, so disappointing to hear that but I mentioned the same thought to a buddy and he tore me a new one. To prove it, he gave me a pair of Costas and there was no fish anytime we saw them. Also, you can see the same movement on a small body of water/ puddle/ pond that you know for a fact does not have any fish in it

^  +1

 

This is a common phenomenon.

 

I just watched it happening this week at a local lake.  The water is absolutely crystal clear because the ice just recently went out.  I was standing on a dock, wearing my Costas and looking into the dead-flat, shallow water with a smooth sand bottom and I watched several of those fast v-wakes zipping by.  There wasn't anything under them.   I chuckled to myself, thinking about the past when I used to think this just HAD to be caused by a fish or aquatic insect or something.