Bass - do they hunt in packs?

[Jim Murray]

Asking the question after seeing perhaps 10-20 fish repeatedly charging together through a fry shoal which was in about 3 feet of water in the margin.

 

Couldn't ID them but afaik the only fish present in numbers at this spot would be mullet(thick-lips). Can't imagine the ghosts carrying on like this but could bass be responsible? If not then what...?

 

Jim.

[Leon Roskilly]

Asking the question after seeing perhaps 10-20 fish repeatedly charging together through a fry shoal which was in about 3 feet of water in the margin.

 

Couldn't ID them but afaik the only fish present in numbers at this spot would be mullet(thick-lips). Can't imagine the ghosts carrying on like this but could bass be responsible? If not then what...?

 

Jim.

 

 

Could well be mullet Jim.

 

When they are feeding on fry, thick lips become pre-occupied feeding on the fry (as they tend to whenever there is an abundant food source available), and will ignore breaqd, but they can be taken on a wet fly, mimicking fry.

 

Thin-lips have a more predatory nature than thicks (and are usually fished for with baited spinners)

 

But then again it could be a shoal of bass (small bass aren't known as 'schoolies' for nothing)

 

Bass do tend to hunt in shoals.

 

In fact they form shoals for life, comprised of fish from the same year group.

 

Different sized fish in the same shoal is explained by the presence of both male and female fish (females are larger than males).

 

As time goes by the size of the shoal is reduced.

 

 

These days large bass are thought to be solitary.

 

They aren't solitary by nature, just the sole survivors of years of hazards.

 

 

In times gone by it was advised that if you hooked a large bass, you should get your bait/lure back out quickly to take another fish of similar size, that rarely happens these days.

[Norm B]

Could well be mullet Jim.

 

When they are feeding on fry, thick lips become pre-occupied feeding on the fry (as they tend to whenever there is an abundant food source available), and will ignore breaqd, but they can be taken on a wet fly, mimicking fry.

 

Thin-lips have a more predatory nature than thicks (and are usually fished for with baited spinners)

 

But then again it could be a shoal of bass (small bass aren't known as 'schoolies' for nothing)

 

Bass do tend to hunt in shoals.

 

In fact they form shoals for life, comprised of fish from the same year group.

 

Different sized fish in the same shoal is explained by the presence of both male and female fish (females are larger than males).

 

As time goes by the size of the shoal is reduced.

These days large bass are thought to be solitary.

 

They aren't solitary by nature, just the sole survivors of years of hazards.

In times gone by it was advised that if you hooked a large bass, you should get your bait/lure back out quickly to take another fish of similar size, that rarely happens these days.

[JRT]

Yes bass definately hunt in packs. I was watching shoals of them round up pin fry and smash into them on friday. As stated it is thought bass stay in shoals with fish of the same year group or similar size. Maybe the big ones are solitary because they are the only ones left in that group?

This was caught on friday as the bass were hitting shoals and shoals of baitfish being swept over a reef.

 

 

JRT

Edited June 18, 2007 by JRT

[Jim Murray]

It was the apparently co-ordinated nature of the strike which was most remarkable. Three hours of nothing but mullet-whelms in the shallows then out of nowhere, starting in a corner(these fish were not "passing through") the sight of 10-20 or more bow-waves all in parallel racing along the shoreline, passing right under my rod-tip then away to the left eventually to subside. Has anyone else seen such behaviour? I'd be amazed if it turned out to be thick-lips.

 

Happened twice one evening then once a few nights later. Have got some bass lures in my bag now

 

Jim.

[Tigger2000]

Asking the question after seeing perhaps 10-20 fish repeatedly charging together through a fry shoal which was in about 3 feet of water in the margin.

 

Couldn't ID them but afaik the only fish present in numbers at this spot would be mullet(thick-lips). Can't imagine the ghosts carrying on like this but could bass be responsible? If not then what...?

 

Jim.

 

Must admit that I have wondered about this too but it would make sense as it would be easier for them to keep a shoal together. On a recent session fron the beach I caught 5 all within the space of about 45 minutes, decent sized fish too. The smallest just over 2.5lbs the biggest over 3lbs, then nothing for the rest of the session. Must admit that this is the first time that this has happened, normally it is just the single fish unless of course you are talking about schoolies.

[MainBassMan]

They normally hunt in Transit vans - camourflarged!!!!

[JRT]

Jim, I misunderstood your original post. No I haven't seen a co-ordinated attack like you describe. Sounds Orca like attack! I wish the Blue Planet would do some programmes on our own fish rather than the usual far-flung species, there is alot we don't know.

[Jim Murray]

Jim, I misunderstood your original post. No I haven't seen a co-ordinated attack like you describe. Sounds Orca like attack! I wish the Blue Planet would do some programmes on our own fish rather than the usual far-flung species, there is alot we don't know.

 

Yes it was an awesome sight. My immediate thought was it was like something you'd see on Blue Planet. Have got camera ready for next time,

 

Jim.

[steve pitts]

It was the apparently co-ordinated nature of the strike which was most remarkable. Three hours of nothing but mullet-whelms in the shallows then out of nowhere, starting in a corner(these fish were not "passing through") the sight of 10-20 or more bow-waves all in parallel racing along the shoreline, passing right under my rod-tip then away to the left eventually to subside. Has anyone else seen such behaviour? I'd be amazed if it turned out to be thick-lips.

 

Happened twice one evening then once a few nights later. Have got some bass lures in my bag now

 

Jim.

 

Hi Jim

They could well have been bass, but they could have been mullet too.

Both species are to be found in close proximity sometimes, especially where there is food to be found, like shoals of fry.

 

A different scenario to your estuary fish, admittedly, but there are mullet and bass in this YouTube clip, around 2 minutes in.

 

Can you tell the difference?

They are feeding on seaweed fly maggots on the surface and the marine woodlouse Idotea which are swimming through the water, which is only 2ft deep.

 

Bass do tend to be smash and grab when feeding on fry or other small fish in groups. They are certainly able to herd fish into shallow water or against structures like piers and groynes to corner their prey and it's been witnessed that some (large) bass will flush out prey, whilst others wait 'in the slips' to cut off any escapees for an easy meal. They do appear to co-operate when feeding in small groups.

 

The bow waves you describe may well have been mullet though. They will come into very shallow water along estuary and river banks and quite often swim in the type of formations as you describe, without their backs breaking the surface.

 

If a small, shallow diving plug (9cm Maria Chase or Angel Kiss are excellent) is ignored then they are most likely mullet. Either way, a ragworm-baited spinner will catch both bass and mullet, so would be an ideal lure to solve the mystery.

 

Cheers

Steve

Edited June 22, 2007 by steve pitts