Trapped!

Message

#1 Post by **Drew** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:33 am

From a Young age I've spent a lot of time hoking about a Tidal Man made lagoon we have here in my village, I've seen many things swimming about it, Coalies, Pollack, Dabs, Flounders, Mullet, and even a newly hatched Ray. Yesterday I came across a Huge shoal of fish balling in the centre of the Lagoon, and after a lengthly descriptive conversation with my marine biologist (Yes, its great to have one of those on the phone), He said it must have been Herring, The Fish were approximately 6 - 8 inches Long, and were 'balling' like Pelagics of this sort do! I watched them for a good half another before the Shoal went deep and disappeared.

Suppose the question is, has anyone else seen large shoals of fish trapped like this? It was truely amazing to watch as they were right on the surface, sometimes even breaking the surface.

x · #2 Post by x » Fri May 26, 2006 11:45 am

Many pelagics exhibit balling as a defence mechanism agains predators. The question you ought to be asking was what had them in a panic and how you could get a line down to them. Bass perhaps?

#3 Post by **blaker** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:53 am

theres a similar type situation in Courtmac whereby small mullet up to about a pound or so are trapped in a smallish pond on the way into the village. Its an excellent way to introduce kids to fishing, not unlike a man made coarse lake.

#4 Post by **Drew** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:58 am

Sandman wrote:Many pelagics exhibit balling as a defence mechanism agains predators. The question you ought to be asking was what had them in a panic and how you could get a line down to them. Bass perhaps?

The day there's a Bass in Millisle is the Day that hell gets Chilly, George Bush starts to wise up, and Leeds win the Premiership. :lol:

#5 Post by **pete** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:19 pm

I've never seen fry 'balling', I'd say it was a really cool sight.

Livid · #6 Post by **Livid** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:08 pm

Drew wrote:
Sandman wrote:Many pelagics exhibit balling as a defence mechanism agains predators. The question you ought to be asking was what had them in a panic and how you could get a line down to them. Bass perhaps?

The day there's a Bass in Millisle is the Day that hell gets Chilly, George Bush starts to wise up, and Leeds win the Premiership. :lol:

You know it's a possability then? And you're an asshole, you live right beside a few nice looking beaches, at least one of which is quite surfy and you never fish them, meh. :twisted:

#7 Post by **Drew** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:08 pm

I stood there in awe for about half an hour mate! lol

#8 Post by **stevecrow74** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:52 pm

it could be:
sandeel, sprat, herring, mullet fry, herring (which i doubt), school of bass (ha ha ha)... they would be the main suspects....

my guess is mullet fry seen them hold tight balls for ages...

#9 Post by **Drew** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:55 pm

Didn't think Mullet would 'ball' in such a way... :shock:

#10 Post by **stevecrow74** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:56 pm

neither did i until i saw it happen...

#11 Post by **Ronald** » Fri May 26, 2006 3:13 pm

Could have been herring . thet normally appear of blackhead (co. antrim) this time of year as they pass through while heading to the isle of man area to spawn.

#12 Post by **Drew** » Fri May 26, 2006 3:20 pm

I should really have had the Feathers out.

ray · #13 Post by **ray** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:25 pm

when out on the boat i've seen mackeral inside a wave on strangford, as the wave came up to the boat and you can sort of see into it well it was a solid mass of mackeral.

i've also seen mackeral beaching themselves on the rocks at the old slip at killybegs, hundreds of them slapping and flapping between the rocks.

Livid · #14 Post by **Livid** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:57 pm

A bait Oasis!

glengormley-gavin · Sat May 27, 2006 12:53 am

I've seen sprat balling like this at Portmuck, they were being forced up to the surface by a shoal of coalies.

We stuck the feathers on and caught over 40 coalies in around an hour, the coalies were spitting the sprat out as we were unhooking them :shock: :shock:

It was an amazing sight to see the water come alive with all the fish.

Jude

#16 Post by **hairyconger** » Sat May 27, 2006 1:01 am

Drew wrote:
Sandman wrote:Many pelagics exhibit balling as a defence mechanism agains predators. The question you ought to be asking was what had them in a panic and how you could get a line down to them. Bass perhaps?

The day there's a Bass in Millisle is the Day that hell gets Chilly, George Bush starts to wise up, and Leeds win the Premiership. :lol:

No Bass for then :cry: .......leeds win the premership dont make me laugh it will never happen they will be bbankrupt soon

#17 Post by **corbyeire** » Mon May 29, 2006 3:09 pm

yea saw macks ball the sprats up against the rocks in blackhead co.clare

the sprats litterally hopping onto the rocks and the odd mack too after them

some sight to see - the boiling sea of fish

Irish_Shamrock · #18 Post by **Irish_Shamrock** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:14 pm

Seen it at St John's point in Donegal bay - a "bait ball" being hearded by what I think were minke whales. Mother Nature at her best.