MOST of us hone our skills learning the essentials of fishing… I’m talking essentials such as knots, rigs, casting, seasons and species. While all of those are important skills, it can be a waste of time if you scare the fish before you have the chance to even wet a line.
Fish aren’t all that smart, but they do have finely tuned instincts which sense danger. Once a fish senses danger, catching them can be near impossible.
Hunters understand the importance of stealth. Using wind direction, silence and camouflage, a hunter can sneak up on an animal without it being a aware of their presence. The consequences of a bad approach means a spooked animal. It’s obvious. Unlike hunting, most of the time we don’t technically stalk our fish. The exception of course is sight fishing. More on that later. However, for argument’s sake, many fishos are oblivious to the reactions of fish long before they approach them. So how do improve our odds by being more stealthy and is a stealth approach always needed?
SHORE BASED
I’ve found fish in the more populated areas react differently to those off the grid. You should recognise these areas and adjust your approach accordingly. I recall fishing a North Coast bass river a few years ago. It was midday and we gained access to a stretch of a remote river which was seldom fished. We were 10 hours from Sydney and 2 hours from the closest sealed road. The bass hadn’t seen a human in months. We approached the river quietly and watched as several large bass fed in the clear running water. For someone more familiar with the heavily fished and more turbid urban rivers, it was a real surprise to see these bass swimming around without a care in the world. Even so, the bass wouldn’t eat. We threw everything at them without a single hit. It goes to show, despite the lack of fishing pressure, fish have natural enemies and even mature fish sense the smallest signs of danger.
What could we have done different? Movement plays a big part in a stealthy approach. Traditionally, hunters would walk very slowly and could approach animals incredibly close. There are trees all along the river bank, and even other animals, but it’s the sudden and uncharacteristic movements which makes a fish nervous. Another factor is walking softly. It’s debatable whether fish can hear our voices, but they sure can feel movements through the ground or rushing the bushes and trees. If possible, keep and low profile, and if you’re really serious, wear camo clothing.
Many trout fishos wear olive or camo colour clothing. It helps when targeting these notoriously flighty fish. Likewise, shallow sandflat fishing is another place where fish can be easily spooked. Clothing brands such as Simms sell blue camo clothing for blending in with the open sky background. Who knows if it works? I guess it can’t hurt and may make all the difference when you stumble on a fish of a lifetime.
BOATS
It’s harder to remain stealthy when you’re fishing from a boat. You have several problems on your approach, mostly noise and size. There’s no camouflage when you’re in a boat. The boat presents an unwanted silhouette, and that’s hard to hide from fish.
In many cases it’s difficult to avoid, but for some species and types of fishing, a smart approach can make a world of difference. Firstly, understand where your target fish live. Are they sitting at the base of a marker buoy? Maybe a deep water snag, or fallen timber along a river bank? Or they could be sitting on a reef or shallow sand flat? If you know where they are, you have an option to position your boat further away and cast or drift a bait towards the fish.
All this may sounds basic, but I regularly see fishos approach fish holding structure too close. Not only are you scaring the fish and making them nervous, but your bait or lure will most likely not reach its intended position. You’re best off taking note of the current and the wind and positioning off the structure so your bait or lure drifts into prime position, at the structure, and without spooking the fish.
Schooling fish present another challenge; they’re never stationary. I prefer to sit back and get an idea of the movements of the school. If you know where they are heading, often into the wind, you can drive around and position yourself in their path. Always do this slowly and keep a distance from the school. This is as much about courtesy to other anglers as it is about stealth. You can choose to keep your engine running or switch it off.
On that note, your choice of engine plays a big part in the noise factor. These days the choice is more simple. Old technology two stroke is being faded out and most of us are using four stroke outboards. The exception is some smaller size engines and older model boats. There’s nothing wrong with an older two stroke engine, but you should make adjustments when you’re approaching fish.
While modern fours strokes are incredibly quiet, it’s still hard to beat an electric motor. There’s plenty of info around about choosing the best electric motor for your boat and I encourage you, if you don’t have one, to do your research and make this worthwhile investment.
Most electric motors are very quiet and the best use GPS technology to “anchor” you in position while you cast. You can also steer a course and integrate your electric with your onboard electronics to set a course via waypoints. If you can afford it, this type of technology is really worthwhile and will assist you on your stealthy approach.
Other accessories such as “Power Poles”, a type of electric pole which lowers into the water silently to pin you in position, are well worthwhile of the budget allows.
In the US, flats fishos would be familiar with push poles. Guides operating shallow water boats chasing fish such as tarpon, bonefish and permit, prefer to maneuver the boat with a long pole while standing elevated on a platform. It’s deadly silent, far superior to an electric motor, and essential for sneaking up on spooky fish in the shallows. Which brings me to sight fishing…
SIGHT FISHING
I love sight fishing. Nothing beats stalking a fish, presenting a lure or fly, and watching the take. In theory, knowing the whereabouts of your fish should make things easier. You can watch them and ensure you don’t get too close, right? It’s not that simple. Firstly, fish aren’t always easy to spot, especially in cloudy weather. Clouds create unwanted reflection and that means fish are often too close and already spooked by the time you see them. There’s not much you can do about this other than slow down, keep a low profile and don’t make any sudden moves. Whether you cast a fish after spotting them comes down to the species. Many fast moving saltwater species only give you one chance. Aim a cast well ahead of the fish and ensure your lure or fly is in its “zone” when it swims past. Freshwater fish on the other hand often behave differently. Trout in still water, for example, often have a “beat”. If you spot one and you’re not in the position to make an accurate cast, don’t worry, just note the beat and wait. More often than not, the trout will return and next time you’ll be ready.
Running water is different. Trout will often “lie” in wait for their food. This makes things a little easier. Always approach from downriver. That way the trout is facing away.
While sight fishing is great fun and knowing the exact location of your fish makes stalking them easier, it also pays to understand if you can see them, they can see you.
EXCEPTIONS
All of the above can be meaningless sometimes. We’ve all had experiences where fish defy the odds and break all the rules. I’ve had guides “wake up” barra by bumping the boats into snags. It really works! I also recall a Christmas Island fishing guide doing the “GT dance”. The guide would literally jog alongside a deep drop off on the sand flat. Within minutes a school of GT would show up, mistaking all of the commotion for a school of flurrying baitfish. So yes, not all fish are scared of human activity. That’s why it’s important to understand the behaviour of the fish you intend to target. Adapting your approach to a particular species will produce the results.
OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
In conclusion, with the exception of a few species and locations, a stealthy approach usually catches more fish. Just remember, keep a low profile, move slowly, cast or troll further back, and reduce noise. In other words, remain invisible and the fish will be far more willing to accept what you throw at them.
