V wakes - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

JohnR · 05-05-2005, 11:50 AM

What various fish, insects, wind etc will make vwakes in Flat A$$ Calm tidal estuaries?

I was looking over some areas for a prominent baitfish

and I noticed some V-wakes just out of range of seeing what is underneath. I'm looking for your thoughts on what else beyond herring are likely to scoot at a few miles per hour and leave a wake on the surface....

Thanks

Clammer · 05-05-2005, 11:53 AM

my eel getting chased by a @#$%^& BLOOOOOOOOOOFISH who,s getting chased by my M-80 ><><><

DZ · 05-05-2005, 12:11 PM

John,
Squid - noticed quite a few in last nights calm conditions. They will appear singularly or in pods of 4-12. I noticed some in schools of 100 or so last night.
DZ

Flaptail · 05-05-2005, 12:23 PM

Like Dennis said, it could be squid but then again as we enter the full first week of May the worm spawn could start happening and they leave little V wakes all over the place.

Mr. Sandman · 05-05-2005, 01:09 PM

Not to sound like a wise ass but from a hydrodynamic standpoint just about anything moving beneath the free surface leaves a wake...has to. Even at very deep depths...the waves may be so small or masked by wind-generated waves so you can't visually pick them out but they are there. As a body gets closer to the free surface the waves become larger in amplitude and more visible. Wave generation is primarily a function of vessel speed and depth below free surface. When the body is within a couple diameters of the free surface it causes significant forces on the body below making it difficult to maintain a near surface depth without active control (fish are good at this).
Below is an image of a simulation I did of a submerged spheroid at a Froude number (a non-dim speed number) of 0.6 and depth to Length ratio of .245. The colors are wave height above (blue) or below (purple) the mean free surface.

End of today’s hydro lesson...

Flaptail · 05-05-2005, 01:13 PM

Tuna fisherman know that equation. Bluefin do it all the time being that thier body mass displaces so much water when near to the surface. The old wake without the boat thing.

JohnR · 05-05-2005, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

Not to sound like a wise ass but

End of today’s hydro lesson...

OK wise ass

- actually, pretty informative. However, I will venture a guess that a Virginia Class SSN won't ever be lurking at this spot - depth - 2 feet

even if it could make it under the 5 foot bridge

Mr. Sandman · 05-05-2005, 01:23 PM

A cormorrant leaves a heck of a little wake when he is chasing fish. Sort of funny to watch the wake zig zaging around the harbor with nothing in sight.

spence · 05-05-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

However, I will venture a guess that a Virginia Class SSN won't ever be lurking at this spot - depth - 2 feet

You've obviously never been to NUWC

-spence

Raven · 05-05-2005, 04:06 PM

its NESSY on an American holiday....

JohnR · 05-05-2005, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spence

You've obviously never been to NUWC

-spence

The key word in that acronym is "Underwater". The water I'm talking about would barely get my knees underwater when standing up ...

The Hunley would have been stuck in the mud

capesams · 05-05-2005, 04:39 PM

Only fish god's can skate on water like that..u were being checked out.

Jenn · 05-05-2005, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capesams

Only fish god's can skate on water like that..u were being checked out.

tynan19 · 05-05-2005, 07:03 PM

I have seen this in freshwater many times. Little v wakes that just shoot all over the place. Sometimes they go right on to shore with nothing under them. I thought it was just a little wind.

MakoMike · 05-06-2005, 06:36 AM

I've seen this happen at the dock quite often. Its some type of insect that can swin both on the surface and below the surface, when they swim on top they leave a little v wake. The damn things bite too!

Saltheart · 05-06-2005, 08:07 AM

There's a lot of possibilities. This time of year i would say , herring , squid , even stripers? My bet would be herring.

Mr. Sandman · 05-06-2005, 08:10 AM

ever see a cormorrant swimming under the water chasing something?...funny as hell to see a boat wake with nothing in the water.

Fishpart · 05-06-2005, 08:22 AM

John, no talk

of where subs can and can't go.........

I always thought it was small/invisible tornados blowing across the water, see it all the time in fresh water.

slapshot · 05-06-2005, 09:01 AM

I see herring doing that just when twilight sets in, in the slower sections of the CTRiver. You know its herring when you see a bigger wake come up behind it, and the chase starts. I have had nights where you see the two wakes zig-zagging around all over the place until one gets away or the other gets it meal.