Fish movemet

    I would like to learn information on fish movement. What I mean by this is patterns of behavior that fish have which cause them to be in one place at one time and another place in a later time. It's a mystery to me why I can go to a spot and it can be full of fish and then devoid of life on the next dive. I'm not talking about obvious cycles like spawning months. I'll give an example.


    Since the weather is bad, I'm out of fish and the urge to capture something is starting to make me crazy, I went to a shallow spot yesterday where I'm usually guaranteed a few barracuda. I went late, got in the water around 5pm. There was no fish around. This was frustrating and I tried to figure out why. I reasoned that the previous times I've been there was always earlier in the day. So I decided to confirm whether time of day was the factor. I went there again this morning and the result was the same. I went without a speargun just to see if my idea was correct and then I'd add this to the fish sense library in my head. I was wrong and no conclusion could be made as to the reason why the fish are gone. Logical would be to associate the scarcity with the weather conditions, turbulent water due to the storm and bad viz.


    I'd like some tid bits from you guys, things that you've come to realize about fish movement through a particular personal experience, this kind of thing stays with you forever and is very valuable. I realize this is asking a lot because really this is what spearfishing is all about. Finding a fish is first, sticking a spear in it is secondary.

    Regarding fish movement, I'll relay my experience. It is rather odd, but all the fish I spear seem to just shutter or vibrate initially and then suddenly cease to move and remain flaccid on the spear. Some call this "stoning", but I'm not sure as I tend to shoot them with a spear:)













    Seriously though, the tides have alot to do with fish movements.

    Quote from seahunter49

    OK hablando en serio. What is the effect that tides have on fish. What is the logic behind it and where do they go to and fro?


    Depending on specific areas, incoming tides and currents can affect feeding patterns of fish. For example, there is a spot that Emi and I frequent that if we fish in during outgoing tide, it will be completely void of fish. Incoming tide is an entirely different scenario with life plentiful and bait fish in abundance. I have always found that as bothersome as stiff currents can be, they tend to bring out the fish.


    Again, I will preface that not all species are the same and you surely have your resident straglers that call a general area home. Have you also thought that in Miami, maybe someone else came along and shot all the fish in a particular area or spot?

    This may be a slightly different take, but related. Most of the places I dive consist of small, hollow structures like sunken boats or car bodies, generally with many similar structures nearby. Often, I have dived the same spot several times in the space of a few hours, and found the fish to be present, gone, and present again. I have noticed that often, when the fish appear to be gone, they are actually hiding deep within the recesses of the wreck. With a flashlight, you can just see the tip of a tail, or an eye, etc. My theory is that the fish emerge to feed periodically, when the mood suits them, and then retire to a safe place afterwards.


    Within the small confines of Pensacola Bay, I don't think the fish migrate large distances during different tides, or phases of the moon. They just move from shallow sandy areas, for example, to deep muddy holes. They do migrate seasonally, with the best hunting in early spring, just before snapper season opens . . .

    Barometric pressure also has to do with movement and lunar location.


    Look up solunar tables, it will tell you what hour of the day fish are more active due to the moons positon.


    Also before a front fish are active because they know something is coming. The pressure change makes them feed so after the front passes they are very inactive.


    Could be Gustav passing by that has them inactive.

    Davie Peguero

    Quote from Marco

    According to my limited experience, incoming tides and "cuarto menguante" moon phase are the best for fishing.


    Y eso lo aprendiò de mi, el careguante! :laughing3:
    De un italiano que pesca en Cuba, si no ni se le hizo caso. :nono:


    un dia se lo voy a esplicar bien.

    Quote from seahunter49

    Por favor explica bien hoy :) "cuarto menguante", "el careguante" :confused1:


    el careguante es su nombrecito :D:D:D: creo que sea "cara de guante", o almenos yo oy esa expresion asì en Cuba.
    Cuarto menguante es la fase lunar, la con los 2 tarritos pa' arriba: en ese tiempo, y exactamente los 2-3 dias antes, hasta los 2 3 dias despues, se mueve una pila de pescado hacia la orilla, o de toda forma, hacia las aguas màs bajas. Hay una corrida de pargos criollos mutton, que van a ocupar cuevas nuevas donde antes no se veian casi. Hay un general movimiento de pescado en cada sentido: gallegos-ojo gordo, palometas-permits, chernas del tipo nassau, pargos aguadera-jocuses, se mueve toda la cadena alimenticia.
    Cuando se acaba ese tiempo el mar regresa a su ordinariedad. marco eso no lo sabìa, pero es verdad que en Venzuela no se nota tanto. A mi me lo enseno mi amigo Ernesto, a Cuba. Y luego Marco hizo caso que pasaba asimismo hasta en P.Rico. Calculen cuando sera el proximo menguante y veran.
    Aqui en el Mediterraneo no pasa igual.

    en la imagen que pusiste yo no la veo; de todo modo es la fase across the new moon: 2-3 dias antes y 2-3 dias despues.

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