if you leave your fish finder running, can bass hear the sound waves it produces? and does it spook them?

Idk but when I used to dive in japan, our depth finder used to hurt ping ping ping all up on your face.... haha idk if they can or not..

You can hear the fishfinder clicking, bass can certainly can hear it too, I 'd say most of the times they don 't care.

I've fished with a few dudes that will turn their depthfinders off once they've marked the structure they want to fish with bouys.  I would personally say that it probably doesn't matter unless it's REALLY tough fishing.  Then I'd say take every advantage that you can get away with.

Yes; the instant the hear it they know there are anglers in the area and change lakes

Mine is on the instant it hits the water and stay on until it clears the water on the trailer  

I believe Doug Hannon recommends turning it off....

Well, the Tennessee is a commercial river and very noisy.

A trolling motor has no effect, but a big barge stimulates

every fish in the river. When a barge comes by, you better

be ready, you're goin' to get bit!

8-)

If you've never tried it, fire up the sonar with the boat out of the water and stick your ear up to the transducer, you can hear it clicking.

Nope - What Catt said. It goes on when launched and never goes off until I leave. Usually have at least 2 going most days. Bass have a much lower hearing threshold than humans. Just because you hear it doesn't mean a bass can, too. They might hear the ping getting energized, but they don't hear the frequency wave. A lot more things to worry about when it comes to catching fish than whether or not your depthfinder is on.

Ever watched a bass on your depthfinder swim up and eat your dropshot?  

-T9