02-11-2012, 04:13 PM
"Interesting to hear that the fisheses respond to the gunfire. Hmmm - maybe THAT can be my excuse if I'm getting skunked at Newton!"
[cool][#0000ff]My personal theory is that muzzle blast alone probably does not have that much effect. However, when there are ground strikes or underground explosions the shock waves travel great distances through ground and water...much faster than through the air. As I mentioned, I could actually feel the concussions of the ground strikes in my legs...under the water...several seconds before hearing them in the air.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have experienced this phenomenon before. There is a rock quarry on the west shore of Utah Lake, by Pelican Point. Whenever they blast it turns off the fish for a time. I have had wide open bites going on white bass and/or catfish. And with the first big boom it shuts down...sometimes for the rest of the day.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the big new power plant at Lindon first went on line there were more than a few anglers who noticed that the fishing was poor when that power plant was generating. There was an audible rumble and discernible ground vibrations from its operations. Since then the fish seem to have adapted and it is no longer a noticeable problem.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Back in 1974 or 75, when I was living in Sacramento, I was bank tanglin' one morning on the Sacramento River...under the I-80 bridge. I was keeping very busy with small stripers and some nice catfish. Then there began a series of huge explosions from the northeast. I got up on the top of the riverbank and looked in that direction and saw tall plumes of smoke. More explosions. Seems a train with a load of 500 pound bombs had caught fire in the Roseville railroad yard. The rest of the story is that I did not get another bite for the rest of the morning.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am careful not to eat beans the day before going float tubing. Not only spooks the fish but doesn't do the waders (or me) much good either.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]My personal theory is that muzzle blast alone probably does not have that much effect. However, when there are ground strikes or underground explosions the shock waves travel great distances through ground and water...much faster than through the air. As I mentioned, I could actually feel the concussions of the ground strikes in my legs...under the water...several seconds before hearing them in the air.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have experienced this phenomenon before. There is a rock quarry on the west shore of Utah Lake, by Pelican Point. Whenever they blast it turns off the fish for a time. I have had wide open bites going on white bass and/or catfish. And with the first big boom it shuts down...sometimes for the rest of the day.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the big new power plant at Lindon first went on line there were more than a few anglers who noticed that the fishing was poor when that power plant was generating. There was an audible rumble and discernible ground vibrations from its operations. Since then the fish seem to have adapted and it is no longer a noticeable problem.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Back in 1974 or 75, when I was living in Sacramento, I was bank tanglin' one morning on the Sacramento River...under the I-80 bridge. I was keeping very busy with small stripers and some nice catfish. Then there began a series of huge explosions from the northeast. I got up on the top of the riverbank and looked in that direction and saw tall plumes of smoke. More explosions. Seems a train with a load of 500 pound bombs had caught fire in the Roseville railroad yard. The rest of the story is that I did not get another bite for the rest of the morning.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am careful not to eat beans the day before going float tubing. Not only spooks the fish but doesn't do the waders (or me) much good either.[/#0000ff]
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