BUZZBAIT [TACK LE]
CLICKS, CROAKS AND GRUNTS CALL FISH TO THE HOOK BY BRAD WIEGMANN
A
GOOD VIBRATIONS
re you putting out good vibrations? When choosing a lure, most an- glers consider how it looks and performs, but what about the sound it makes? Fish use sound to hunt their prey. Anglers should do the same. Sound travels four and a half times faster underwater than through the air—that’s 5,000 feet per second. Fish take advantage of this with two different sensory systems that detect vibrations in the water: hearing and lateral line. To hear, fish have an inner ear with sensory cells and small bones called otoliths. The lateral line running down the side of a fish’s body is more than decoration, it’s a thin channel filled with small follicles that detect vibration in the water. In the dark, murky depths where fish live, sensing vibration is key to locating prey and predators. Many lure manufacturers produce both silent and rattling versions of their lures. The silent models work best in areas with heavy fishing pres- sure. To get the attention of sluggish or scattered fish, switch to a rattling and chattering lure. The shape of a lure also affects the signal it sends. A large, wide wob- bling lure creates strong vibrations while a small lure with a hydrodynamic shape produces more subtle vibrations. For the best results, choose a lure that imitates the way the main forage looks and sounds. Recently, lure designers have taken sound technology to new lev- els. Livingston Lures’ (
www.livingstonlures.com) new hard bait actually houses a small battery-operated speaker that sends out croaking sounds proven to attract fish. Livingston Lures inventor, Robert Castaneda, ex- plains, “Baitfish make a distress noise by forcing air into their bodies that is similar to the electronic croaking emitted from the sound chamber on our lure.” Combined with lifelike design, advanced rattles and a pulsating red light, Livingston Lures ring the dinner bell. The folks at HydroWave (
www.hydrowave.com) have taken another ap-
proach to calling in fish. Their device sends out fish-attracting sounds through an omni-directional speaker that hangs in the water. Inventor Gene Eisenmann worked with scientists, engineers and professional an- glers to develop a system of sounds proven to attract fish. Capitalizing on how fish hear, HydroWave utilizes two different sound
technologies. “Lateral Reactive Technology applies wave technology that a fish can feel through its lateral line,” Eisenmann explains. “Vibration Re- active Technology utilizes vibration waves that interact through the fish’s inner ear.”
NOISE AND COMMOTION THAT TRIGGERS A FISH’S SENSE OF HEARING AND
MOVEMENT. PHOTO: BRAD WIEGMANN
LARGE-BODY, WIDE- LIPPED LURES MAKE
HydroWave units come in both saltwater and freshwater models. An- glers can choose from pre-recorded sounds that imitate shrimp snaps, shad clicks, gill flairs, swim bladder pops, regurgitation and fleeing noises. Anxious to test the theory, I installed a HydroWave unit in my kayak us-
ing a RAM fishfinder mount that holds the control box, a RAM Transducer Arm that extends the unidirectional speaker over the side of my kayak and a 12-volt battery to power the unit. The results speak for themselves. For me, sound and vibration are two of the most powerful tools helping me fool more fish. When professional fishing guide Brad Wiegmann isn’t tournament fishing or shooting photographs, he’s imitating shrimp snaps, shad clicks, swim bladder pops and gill flairs.
www.bradwiegmann.com.
[CLOWN FISH] 1KAYAK ANGLERS ANONYMOUS
1. You insist that kayak fishing is not a problem. 2. You call in sick to go fishing. 3. You post on kayak fishing forums while at work, church and school.
4. You have more than three fishing kayaks because, “I need them!”
THE FIRST STEP TO OVERCOMING KAYAK FISHING
ADDICTION IS ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. PHOTO: BEN DUCHESNEY
30 …KAYAK ANGLER SUMMER/FALL 2013
5. Your only friends are other kayak anglers. 6. You customize your kayak with household items. 7. Your kayak has a name. And a nickname.
2 SIGNS YOU ARE ADDICTED TO KAYAK FISHING BY BEN DUCHESNEY
8. Kayak fishing pictures grace your computer screensaver, Facebook profile picture, Christmas cards and wedding invitation.
9. The only time your family sees you is when they go fishing with you.
10. You’ve eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner in the kayak…all in the same day.
11. You snicker at people who don’t kayak fish. 12. You have every back issue of Kayak Angler magazine.
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