Fish Watching
By ruzz
For distribution to all my icthyolgical and lymnolgical commrads.
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Bird watching is enjoyed by many people. Wildlife watching by a few. Fish
watching seems to have a following only in Ruzsland. For our purposes
these are wildfish not aquarium fish.

Understand that most fish are very leary creatures. They usually have to
keep an eye out for predators above them. Thats where your likley to be.
Another trick they have is the light bending habit of water. This makes
them seem higher than they actually are. The other thing that happens is
that the depth of the fish determines how much it can see above water. It
sees more the deeper it is. So if your standing near the bank and watching
a sunfish 2 inches deep and a trout 4 feet deep the trout will spot you
before the sunfish does.

Another thing that fish have going for them is that they can feel or here
you walking along the bank. Water carries sound better than air. A fishes'
lateral line picks up sound waves and other like disturbances and
transmits it to the ear. Kind of like an amplifier along it's body.

Now that you have basic starter knowledge on fish senses that apply to
you, you can begin fish watching. This will help your fishing skills wich
can help you in a survival situation (Like an elimination fishing derby!).
You'll want polarized sunglasses and binoculars. Not necessary but their
convienent. If you are rich/powerful/resourceful/contructive, and have a
boat I suggest getting an AQUA VIEW. This will open up even more worlds.
Start saving up today. (Honestly, theyre not paying me a thing!)

To get started, you'll need a place with fish. Streams cricks rivers
brooks creeks ponds lagoons lakes oceans seas swamps marshes etc bogs, and
estruaries. You may want to go to rivers or streams in winter, as they
wont freeze up as fast as ponds.  Next, approach calmly and slowly and
queitley. You should approach from somewhere with alot of cover.
Incidentally wear natural colored clothes. If you can gather intel on the
species of the pond that would greatly help. Most commonly you see carp,
sunfish or a large school of small minnows hanging around. You may see a
bass, trout, pike or other large gamefish may be cruising around. Dont let
your shadow hit the water, this will scare fish every time. It takes time
and practice, but soon you will be able to discern even the faintest
movement of fish. A great help to bowanglers. Try early in the morning or
evening. Many fish start foraging then and can be made out by the small
light. Also like most animals they are more bold at night. You might even
see a big bass or catfish or sturgeon you otherwise would never see. If
you have a light or night vision try at night. Most fish are unfazed by
flashlights.

Its very hard to identify fish in the water. So you might want to figure
out what they are doing. You can make an inferance of a species you have
caught before. I just say bass whether its large or small, sunfish if its
like that walley or pike or carp or bullhead if it meets those
descriptions. Oh while im at it, let me distill a myth. That of trash fish
and their existance. I say they dont exist. Some of my best battles have
been waged with a carp. Far as im concerned a carp can fight just as good
as a bass. Off the soap box.

As I said, behaiviour is more fullfilling to study, for me anyway. Be
careful when they are in packs, cause they can bust ya like nothing.
Except maybe the catfish family, which dont relly on sight too much. What
are they doing? Why are they doing it. Why else (come on fess up!). Are
there any other species that are keeping an eye on them, predators or
prey? Where were they, were are they goin? What time is it. After a while
your notes may show patterns. With the right species, you can make a
killing from these notes if you give them to anglers. Make copies of
course. It is risky but you can interact with them to some extent. Perhaps
throw a worm or pebble out in front of them. But if you really want to
interact with them you'll porobly disturb them. Try fishing or catching
them in a trap and raise them in an aquarium. If you want to do something
constructive, and helpful to fish after awhile you can construct a shelter
for them. you dont need much, perhaps even just a branch will do. This may
also give you a nice place to start watching them. Be careful to be sure
that whatever you put in wont cause any pollution, make sure its clean.
Also be extremley careful if your not on your property. Most gamewardens
and landowners will be leave you be if your just sitting there minding
your own business and watching fish. They may even be cool with you
fishing (have a lisence), but most are (rightfully, sometimes) jerks about
trapping and transporting fish to an aquarium and many will go at your
throat if you modify their waters.  Oh by the way, when you are done with
watching you fish, return them before November. Otherwise it will be too
cold and they wont be able to survive the winter. More importantly NEVER
EVER put them in a different body of water. This has lead to so many
bio-nightmares its not even funny. Even letting them out in an outlet from
a pond you got them from is a inaccesptable and inexscusable. If you cant
walk back to at least the same bow (body of water) let alone the same
spot, dont take them.

Also it may be fun to keep a note book as I said earlier. The more 
detailed you have it the more patterns and fun you can have. Try
temperature-air and water-, sunlight, waterclarity, depth, date, current 
speed, etc.
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