listening to the radio?

[Dahitman44]

I asked this in the winter, so here it goes in summer --

Does listening to the radio in shallow water hurt your chances of catching walleyes? We had that debate in my boat last weekend.

What do you guys think?

[GRAND DAD]

Well I would think maybe yes? I know I can feel the vibrations in the floor of the boat with my feet witch make's me think yes so I no longer use the radio in the boat when am fishing.

[eyebjim]

I think it really depends on the mood of the fish. I always thought that low sound levels were very important always until recently. I was able to find a flat in 7 feet of water where I could see bottom and I could also see walleyes huggin rocks and weed stalks at noon in bright sunlight. I drove the boat right over them with the gas motor on and they didn't flinch. I was able to sight fish and catch them to so they were active. I think if they were less active it would have been a very different story.

[BassThumb]

I thought of this too the other night. When I fish by myself, I love to listen to the radio. So I was thinking, maybe this is why I'm not catching much....of course I was looking for every excuse in the book :0

I'd say it might affect them, but i am not sure.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I dont think it helps.. but then again, your out there to have fun... If music helps with that.. go for it.. I often times listen to my Ipod on small speakers in my boat, and seem to catch fish.. I dont have the volume to loud, For respect of others around me and also for the reason of scaring fish.

[Gary Crichton]

I know way back when, Dad and Grandpa used take the oar and slam the water with it when the crappies weren't biting well and it seemed to turn them on so to speak. I thought they were crazy until the fish starting biting much better. We were in 6-9 ft of water.

[harvey lee]

If I were slip bobber fishing or jigging in shallow water, maybe. Now, if I'm long line trolling or jigging in 35' of water, then probably no.

I listen to the tunes quite often and still catch fish.

[slick814]

I wouldn't think that it would affect them much unless you were cranking the bass (that's as in base, not bass) and really sending some vibrations down there.

I know I haven't seen a bit of difference when I have Twins game or KFAN on (well, not Barriero, he scares the fish...) but if my kids decide that it's rap hour, I try to keep the volume down enough to keep the thumpin' to a minimum

[Justin Dog]

I don't think it affects them at all. I have listened to the radio all the time and caught fish.

I did experience once where we were listening to the Twins game...they were playing horribly....and the fish were not biting. Maybe the Twins losing had something to do with it??? )

[Esox_Magnum]

I have caught eyes in shallow water with the outboard running and the radio cranked up ( AC/DC was on ) with my crank dangeling off the side of the boat. I don't worry about it. Muskies now the louder the better, they love Metalica and Pantera.

[shizzy]

my friend always tells me to mix up some techno / trance music for him to play anytime he invites me on his boat. its usually not played at a soft volume. we seem to catch just as many fish. it has to be techo / trance music though.

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/shizmizzo1977/?action=view&current=MVI_0817.flv

[Sandmannd]

If I wanna catch fish I play Stairway to Heaven and if I'm tired of catching them I either turn on Free Bird or Born Free!!

Seriously I've caught fish with the radio on and not caught them with it off. I don't think it matters. Don't crank and take the floor woofer out and you should be good.

[Dahitman44]

Sounds like a split decision. Kinda my thoughts too. It can make a difference, perhaps at times.

That is what I was thinking.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Hitman

[PerchJerker]

In Canada one year (with a limited supply of CDs) we decided the fish liked Alan Jackson but couldn't stand Randy Travis.

Red Lake walleyes turn on BIG TIME when you get Dwight Yoakam doing some honky-tonkin'.

And Kid Rock works EVERYWHERE as long as there are no tender young ears listening.

I don't think the radio usually bothers the fish, although I agree with the others about keep the volume down and don't have the bass (aka base) pumpin' too loud.

[warrior99]

Fish love Bob Marley

[federline]

I know way back when, Dad and Grandpa used take the oar and slam the water with it when the crappies weren't biting well and it seemed to turn them on so to speak. I thought they were crazy until the fish starting biting much better. We were in 6-9 ft of water.

This matches what I see happen ice fishing crappies - as a fisherman, you are annoyed if people start firing up augers around you, but I swear, it lites up crappies and they start biting more.

As for walleyes and radio... try this once in summer when you are hot - dunk your head underwater and listen to all the ruckus from your boat mates talking, laughing, clinking rods and crushing beer cans, as well as the hum of the trolling motor and the slap of water on your hull, it all carries intensely. Enjoy your radio, my man.

[ocf1]

Funny story...

So this week end me and my bro were fishing the banks and we had the radio on and hear them start playing my lucky song, so im like the fish are going to be jumping in the boat now. Darn radio station goes to commercial break so im like shoot man. As soon as the commercial break is done the song starts up and simultaneously i catch a 3 pound bass. Talk about a lucky song! 10 minutes later im like you never know i might just catch a fish during this song. 5 seconds after saying that ive got a 2 pound bass. Only 2 fish of the 1.5 hours we were out.

[bgreen82]

just dont play ice t's "cop killa" during the spawn. it isnt for young ears.

[Vexipro]

me and a buddy were fishing a small tourny on saturday and we had the radio blaring the whole time. anywhere from 9-20 fow. caught about 30-40 walleyes. i dont think the radio does anything. your motor probably puts off more vibrations than any radio, and we were back trolling that whole time.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

OK, I've got to jump in on this one.

It always urks me when I'm on this beautiful pristine lake and some bozo ruins the solitude with a load radio. It's called noise pollution.

Not sure about the effects on the fish but why take a chance? My option: listen at home, or in the car unless it's the Twin's game

[Vexipro]

pretty sure it didnt effect the fishing since we won the tourny

[Vexipro]

ohh ya.. and sometimes "noise polution" is the point. like when your the only boat in an area catchin walleyes and theres 4 other boats trying to cast under your boat from 12 feet away. they didnt stick around for long

[ozzie]

or when there are annoying jet skis flying around you...instead of listening to the engines turn up the radio.......

[ocf1]

Remember,

Rock n Roll aint noise pollution.

[Vexipro]

Sure isnt. Nothin better than when the theme song from deadliest catch comes on. Crank it and crank in the eyes