Floating Fish?

[PH]

Have any of you seen this before and what is the likely cause?

 

Was passing through Cherbourg last weekend and I went down to the harbour wall to see what the locals were fishing for.

Looking into the clearish water I could see plenty of sprats being forced to the surface by some predators - likely to be mackerel or the like.

Then all of a sudden 20 or so fish, scad (horse mackerel) I think, floated to the surface! Still alive and drifted with the tide. Then after a couple of minutes floating some of them revived themselves an swam away. I didn't stick around to see what they're fate was.

 

Still it looked pretty strange all the same. Does anyone have an explanation?

[Guest stevie cop]

The most probable predators were Bass. When they feed on shoals of bait fish they often smack into the shoal, stunning many fish, and then taking advantage of the stunned fish. The ones you saw floating on the surface were probably recovering from the shock of being hit by a large Bass! Shame you didn't have a rod and a few lures with you!

[chesters1]

the scads may have spotted the prey and came up to join in ,i have noticed if you bring a fish to the surface too fast it cannot dive (i suppose its swim bladder gets effected) and they take a minuet or so to dive (if the seagulls dont get them) also their eyes blow up like little balloons maybe this was the cause?

[PH]

WOW do you reckon that it was a Bass that was doing the damage !? Yeah they did look knocked out alright.

Pitty I didn't have a rod, but I didn't have much time as I had to catch the ferry - caught loads of wine though