Super User gimruis Posted March 13 Super User Share Posted March 13 On 3/11/2024 at 5:58 PM, Bird said: What I've observed is Loons are just as efficient as cormorants at catching fish,we have both. They are. The issue is that cormorants can be very abundant, in flocks by the hundreds or thousands. While loons are generally more solitary birds. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newriverfisherman1953 Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 You definitely don’t want to drift under these nasty things sitting in trees. I think they do it on purpose. 💩💩 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 14 Global Moderator Share Posted March 14 38 minutes ago, newriverfisherman1953 said: You definitely don’t want to drift under these nasty things sitting in trees. I think they do it on purpose. 💩💩 That’s exactly how the &&@)#^*! Got me 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAN Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 Many a times I have sat on the bank and got out fished by cormorants(water turkeys). They don't really destroy too many private lakes or farms ponds down here because we still have the take care of business and keep your mouth closed mentality. But public ponds and lakes are full of them things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User FishTank Posted March 14 Super User Share Posted March 14 One lake I go to has bank filled with them. The trees they flock to are partially dead but they stay white all year round from the large amount of bird 💩. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Choporoz Posted March 14 Super User Share Posted March 14 18 hours ago, newriverfisherman1953 said: You definitely don’t want to drift under these nasty things sitting in trees. I think they do it on purpose. 💩💩 Yeah, it's really risky on along some banks here. I now fully comprehend where the word sh***storm came from 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVU-SCPA Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 26 minutes ago, FishTank said: One lake I go to has bank filled with them. The trees they flock to are partially dead but they stay white all year round from the large amount of bird 💩. Weirdly enough I have 2 different lakes where the half dead white tree is the horizon target for hitting certain structure that usually produces. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User FishTank Posted March 14 Super User Share Posted March 14 1 minute ago, WVU-SCPA said: Weirdly enough I have 2 different lakes where the half dead white tree is the horizon target for hitting certain structure that usually produces. By the trees at my lake, catfish are often caught in abundance. There are even catfish lines hanging off of the limbs. I don't know who put them there but they are either brave or really stupid. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Choporoz Posted March 14 Super User Share Posted March 14 Can't recall the source, but I was told some years ago that cormorant crap provides enough nutrients in a concentrated area to affect baitfish population in that area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpinLight Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 On 3/13/2024 at 6:18 PM, gimruis said: They are. The issue is that cormorants can be very abundant, in flocks by the hundreds or thousands. While loons are generally more solitary birds. Right. Loons are solitary birds where I fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 23 Global Moderator Share Posted March 23 I see several loons working together as well as solitary birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted March 23 Super User Share Posted March 23 Loons are usually found in pairs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GaryH Posted March 23 Super User Share Posted March 23 1 hour ago, Dwight Hottle said: Loons are usually found in pairs. Are you referring to birds or bass fishermen 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 24 Global Moderator Share Posted March 24 I saw a YouTube fisherman have a loon grab a plug and while he was unhooking it, 15-20 loons came directly toward his boat. Kind of creepy 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User N Florida Mike Posted March 24 Super User Share Posted March 24 We dont have loons but do have cormorants. I’ve been thinking that them( and otters) are responsible for the reduction of larger bass and numbers of bass in general in my lake. I was telling my neighbor I was thinking about taking care of that by lead poisoning them, and he said he already done that to one of the cormorants. 😉 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 28 Global Moderator Share Posted March 28 Came across a couple hundred of them yesterday. And 6 Osprey as well as countless blue herons gulls and terns 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Brown Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 I didn't get pictures but day before yesterday the bank just out of the wind near the marina with all the snaggy timber was completely covered in Cormorants. We saw them dive and come up with 14"+ gizzard shad more than one time. It was awesome 😎. The bald eagles were out too and also feeding on the big gizzards. Funny thing is you couldn't catch a cold anywhere near them. We went to the opposite end of the lake and loaded the boat with big fish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 29 Global Moderator Share Posted March 29 11 hours ago, Pat Brown said: I didn't get pictures but day before yesterday the bank just out of the wind near the marina with all the snaggy timber was completely covered in Cormorants. We saw them dive and come up with 14"+ gizzard shad more than one time. It was awesome 😎. The bald eagles were out too and also feeding on the big gizzards. Funny thing is you couldn't catch a cold anywhere near them. We went to the opposite end of the lake and loaded the boat with big fish. Those birds never get skunked…….. i saw an Osprey ripping some fish apart today up in a tree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User slonezp Posted March 30 Super User Share Posted March 30 On 3/8/2024 at 4:08 PM, Dwight Hottle said: A classic case of the federal government's mismanagement of an unwanted & unnecessary species. They do more harm than good by killing all foliage where they nest including entire islands on the great lakes. They decimate fish populations. Each bird consumes an average of a pound of fish per day. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and can only legally be killed with authorization from the USFWS. Going to play devils advocate here...and I hate cormorants. I agree whole heartedly with your post. Who are we to decide who's God? The federal government will be killing one owl species so another can flourish. https://www.yahoo.com/news/plan-shoot-thousands-west-coast-212012510.html Nature can figure itself out without legislative interference. Your smallmouth catches are a perfect example of how invasive species have helped fisheries. 7-8lb football shaped smallies in the Great Lakes are because of invasive species. The zebra mussels feed the gobies and the gobies feed the sport/gamefish. Invasive is a negative term unless we are talking about folks crossing our borders illegally. Then it's welcomed with open arms. My home water has a huge gizzard shad population. Every spring, at ice out, thousands of pelicans will spend a couple weeks binging on shad and whatever other fish they can scoop up in their beaks. Why aren't we killing pelicans? Animals will adapt to what nature throws at them, or go by the wayside. I wish humans were as smart. 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbirdsley Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 On 3/23/2024 at 10:48 AM, Dwight Hottle said: Loons are usually found in pairs. yes. generally speaking you will never see more than 2 pair on a lake. on really big lake you may see more pairs. state of michigan has been given the OK to start destroying cormorants by the feds. Problem is there is no funding for it. there is a possible new license an addition to our normal fishing licenses to run as many rods as you want trolling for walleye, salmon, and trout on the great lakes in Michigan waters.the extra $26 per license will go for taking out those nasty birds. the best and most efficient way to do it is to spray down cormorant eggs with some sort oil. They are a huge problem up here but, because they are a migratory bird/duck. it’s all under federal jurisdiction and not with the states. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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