Do Augers Spook Fish?

amateurfishing · February 20, 2011

Was out yesterday am and had readings 3 times with fish right under ice with my showdown troller but after drilling with gas auger and rechecking all movement seemed to disappear, can this happen or am i misreading my showdown troller?

Jack Peterson · February 20, 2011

Oh definitely...augers, snowmobiles, airplanes, you name it.

Esox_Magnum · February 20, 2011

The fish only hear the blades scraping the ice, now the cleats your wearing will be loud under the ice as will sleds with studded tracks, gas auger makes no more noise under the ice as a hand one will. Many times a hole is best right after it's drilled.

slurpie · February 20, 2011

In most instances yes, but once in a while it will draw them in. Couple times a year drilling holes gets the fish moving and we'll drill more to bring them in.

Chad Peterson · February 20, 2011

This is a good topic. I was out sight fishing in 6-8FOW and had guy's drilling holes around; some close and some 10yards away. I saw very little movement from the fish. Now, maybe they are OK with the noice, but saw no fish move suddenly. All lakes are different and may get spooked. I would like here from others.

Sniffer

Jack Peterson · February 20, 2011

Yeah, depends on the lake and type of fish.

amateurfishing · February 20, 2011

Dont wear cleats, jut rubber sole boots & no runners on my sled. Only thing to make noise is auger.

Esox_Magnum · February 20, 2011

I seem to catch fish with trucks driving 30' from me, no problems either in the summer with outboard or radio blasting in the boat, sometimes I think the bite picks up with a little Dio or Metalica... Oh yea radios always on in the shack to on the ice.

BronzeBrother · February 20, 2011

Here are a few things I have noticed while out ice fishing...

1. I have caught fish in holes I have drilled right away more times then I can remember, only to have those holes go dead a few minutes later after things are quiet.

2. The type of fish you are chasing. Panfish seem to be somewhat of a curious fish when it comes to noise. Walleyes on the otherhand are a bit more skittish and will spook easier. Bass have been proven to be attracted to noise to a certain extent.

3. I really believe that fish become used to certain noises like augers, sleds and vehicles. A perfect example of that would be a lake like Cedar in Scott county. When I was out there it seemed like it was never quiet.

4. Many times I have caught fish when someone is cutting a hole nearby. Also the same for vehicles that drive by. I always joke with my son when a vehicle goes by and tell him to get ready for a bite. And it happens...

5. Last but not least, we are not fish and really can't say how they are effected for sure. So many variables come into play. I know I seem to learn something new about fish and fishing just about Everytime I go give chase.

I am not an expert and could be a bit off in some views but this is what I have seen.

TravP · February 20, 2011

From my experience, definitely.

gman2002 · February 20, 2011

I remember being out one time with my camera down , it was first ice with no snow cover. I had 4-6 sunfish sitting around my jig when a guy about 50 yards from me got up off his bucket and the wind took it and bounced it across the ice. those fish scattered so fast they were blurs on my camera. So I'd say most definately. you think an auger scares fish , you should see what a chisel does early in the year. I have a little 6" strikemaster hand auger, and i always use it early, even if only 3 inches. Get the hole cut fast and no pounding on the ice with a chisel. Just my opinion but early in the year, with no snow cover and shallow water, noise will kill ya

pikerliker · February 21, 2011

I think it may spook them sometimes briefly in shallow water, but just sit tight and give it a half hour or more and they probably will come back.

~piker

hawgchaser · February 21, 2011

I prefer to use the term stimulate which I believe they do. This time of year fishing in deeper water in a perm, I like to have people drive by or drill a few holes nearby. It seems to trigger some movement in the fish which means they may move under my house. I've even gone about 50 ft. from the house and ground some ice during particularly slow fishing. Shallow fishing is a different story as there isn't the buffering of sound waves like in 25 or 30 ft. JMHO.

laportian · February 21, 2011

I primarily fish walleyes in the winter on Red and noise is definitly a deal killer more times than naught. First thing I do is drill most of the holes I think i will need for the day. Then I set up to fish. I usually take 15 to 20 minutes to set up and will hardly ever catch anything right away. That goes for being near a road too. I've learned from years of fishing up there that it pays to be as far from the road as possible.

half-dutch · February 21, 2011

More often than not augers spook fish, but not always. Depends on the species what kind of approach you are making and a few other things. There is no single answer to this question. I try to keep the noise and clatter down, unless I get some indication otherwise.

tonykummrow · February 21, 2011

sitting in my house one day and not catching a thing. or even marking any for that matter. I got bored and cranked the stereo and turned up the bass. within about 1 minute I pulled up 2 eyes. one on each rod. I turned down the stereo after that and didn't catch another the rest of the night. Coincidence? maybe

Ed Carlson · February 21, 2011

Roaming fish are very curious critters. I think they very often attracted by unusual noise activity. These roaming fish also loose interest quickly, and move on looking for something else of interest.

Schooling fish are more prone to spook if a food source is not keeping them occupied and entertained.

pureinsanity · February 22, 2011

where you drill your hole go drill more several yards away to push them back to your hole

cold one sd · February 22, 2011

I talked to a guy on the ice one day when the fishing was slow. He said that when the Perch fishing slows down he starts his diesel pickup and lets it idle. He started it and the Perch became active. It seemed to be working, but who knows for sure. I have been in my portable when some guys went by with a Sno Bear and what looked to be hundreds of Perch went through going the same direction. Later a guy started drilling holes about 100 feet away and a bunch of Perch came swimming through heading in his direction. I have always thought that Perch are attracted to some kinds of noise. I would imagine that at times they would be spooked by noise also.

Ed Carlson · February 22, 2011

Perch are very curious critters. Walleye are too, especially on wide open basins.

A trick we used on DL was take a Giant Chubby Darter and jig it to get there attention....and more importantly...to hold there attention for a while. We then picked them off with other more finesse presentations.

Perch have ADD, they see or hear something new near them...and off they go to check it out.