Bird talk
If the bIrds
by GeorGe kramer
could talk
Looking for another source of bass information?Seewhatotherinhabitants are doing on your local waters.
A clear indicator of bass activity, where multiple
species of grebes help the bass keep the bait
cornered against the bank.
A
s much as we rely on our experience
and the latest and greatest in sonar
and GPS technology these days, what
shouldn’t change are the basic tenets of reading the water. in conjunction with observations
regarding terrain, wind and/or current, light
conditions, terrestrial or aquatic growth, none
of these cues is as animate or universal than the
presence of several species of birdlife inhabiting
Western waterways.
it makes sense because the birds share the
same predatory inclinations as black bass, which is
important to us. We laugh, but it’s true. Most of these
birds are professionals—they fish for a living.
For that reason, wouldn’t it be great if they would
stop and talk, or maybe offer a little seminar for our
benefit. of course, birds can’t really share, but they
often demonstrate a keen awareness of present
conditions. Thus, it’s through our understanding of
their foraging instincts, tendencies and actual behavior
that we garner keys to finding and catching bass.
But let’s not get too technical. Birds are kind of
like grass. You don’t need to be a botanist to know
the right stuff to punch. You don’t need to be an
ornithologist to figure out which birds really are trying
to tell you something. let’s talk about a few and see
how they help.
8
SENTINELS AND SCOUTS
Common to most waters are the big shore birds, among them common egrets (tall and white) or their smaller snowy cousins (white, skinny with a fluffy do) as well as blue herons (most look gray to me) and the stubbier night herons (some call ‘em Hitchcocks, stooped over like the horror movie maker).
These guys all eat shad, and the bigger models will also take a shot at bluegill, bass fry, frogs and when pickings are slim, you’ll find them in the nearby fields waiting for careless mice or lizards. When the egrets (actually, all these are of the egret family) are lined up on the bank early, you can be pretty sure the shad are running the banks heavily.
Yet the fundamental difference in behavior between the white and blue foragers is their relative fear of intruders. egrets hate to leave when food is plentiful; herons almost always take to the air squawking, no matter how thick the bait may be. if the egrets are stubborn to leave, you’ve found an area with great bass potential.
Conversely, it’s been my experience that when the bait leaves, so do the egrets. But sometimes, it’s the herons that will take up a location that either produced earlier in the day, or it’s one they know will produce later. either way, it never hurts to note where you saw those lone, gray sentinels.