Westernbass Magazine October 2011, Page 8

Westernbass Magazine October 2011, Page 8

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.