How about a fish photo puzzle?

[Fish_Eye]

I'm known for letting my photos do the talking for me.

Each photo tells a story. However, until the fish start talking, you can
watch all the videos, look at all the photos, and even observe them in
the wild, but what determinations you make about their behavior is speculation.

It's still a lot of fun to theorize what's going on in their pea sized brain (one they manage to out fox us with).

Here is a snapshot look at what was going on off the shoreline of Block Island last Wednesday.

They say every picture tells a story.

What story do you get out of this image?

[Back Beach]

The fish is thinking, "That guy with the camera follows me everywhere."

[chrisjoe13]

"I'm so full of sand eels that I don't have to eat for a week"

[ecduzitgood]

Where have all the pogies gone?

The fish to the left looks well fed though.

[Raven]

there's got to be a crab around here somewhere

[Rmarsh]

There are no small fish mixed in with what look like all over 20#.
They are in water about 10 to 12' deep with a rocky bottom, midday sun shining through, fish swimming together in a group but not the same direction. No bait visable. I dont know what else?

[cow tamer]

Fish is thinking "It's too crowded here. See ya guys, I'm takin' a little vaca from you'all. I'm heading for the Rhody shore. "

[derf]

dam , where the hell is that dunkin donuts at ??
i knew i should have written down that address .....

[MAKAI]

Where the "F" is the cold water ?

[Rmarsh]

Ok... after thinking about a little more. It tells me that large fish don't neccesarily stay in deep water during midday sun. They seem to be staying put rather than all moving on to another locale. Also, the find the bait, find the fish theory doesn't seem to apply here.

[Redsoxticket]

This BP oil is getting to my gills, goodbye cruel world.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Fish_Eye]

Rmarsh, I like the way you think. You are right on all counts. It was shallow water, high noon, no bait and lots of bass up to 25 pounds were shoaling and starting to look for a meal. Occasionally one would scrape his sides on the rocky bottom in an attempt to dislodge lice.

There are still a few more factors to this equasion.

Mike

[WoodyCT]

If I wait around here long enough some minners will come along to eat all these little amphipods or crab larvae that are making the water look grainy and sparkly...

[Rmarsh]

If I were fishing a spot like that, lets say from a kayak, I
would try to approach an area like that stealthaly so as not to spook them then fish a live eel close to the bottom and adjust my trolling speed and weight accordingly. A florcarbon leader might help in such clear water, I don't know that for a fact.

[BassDawg]

Mike,

could they be herding bait and these are the outer ring sentries

while a sheet load of schoolies(out of frame) are forcing them closer to the shore and mawing-down as the front line of attack? these bigger fish could be looking to corral/prey upon any bait that tries to make a run for it.

one of my first blitzes 5yrs ago was not unlike this, on a much smaller scale, off of Deer Island. little guys tight to the shore beaching bait, and engulfing wild eye storm shads ~~~while the bigger swirls were just out of reach of me white Wally World Shakespeare noob stick

[BassDawg]

Low tide, daylight scouting the environs for an available

ambush point that they will hold til darkthirty~~~



and these ^^^^^ lyrics tell THIS story.

[ProfessorM]

can't a girl pee in private

[striperjerk1]

Could be slack tide and just waiting for something to come out or come in.

[Fish_Eye]

This photo reveals sand particles and clumps of weed, moss and kelp. I’ve digitally cleaned the area around the two stripers and left the adjacent water showing the degree of sand that was being kicked up by a building sea.

With a ground swell you get breaking waves on the shoreline that creates an area of strong surge and undertow. Linesiders patrol the edge of the intertidal zone ready to ambush disoriented bait.

Here are a couple of marauding striped bass.

This fish is all fired up (dorsal fin at full salute) and ready to bolt.

[eskimo]

Do they still feed while just being camped out there? Have you seem them pass on bottom critters before?

[BassDawg]

VERRRRY COOOOL, Mike!

as always thank you, immeasurably, for your

wisdom, perspective, from the FishEye view~~

[Raven]

i was wondering if seals were close by

[SurfCaster413]

They where really thinking why is this guy watching me I really gotta go but can go while some one is watching and the other one is telling him just go for it he wont notice