http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1097180

http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/courses/en570/papers_1994/bosio.html

There are two links one talking about bass the other talking about esox

Good stuff, Chris.

That is some good stuff. Now I am just waiting for some bait company to make the claim that they have added an "attractant" that will cause response in large bass mimicking an alarm pheromone reaction. :

Interesting reading and good stuff.

Anyone care to put that article into English or simplify it?   LOL

Tough to follow with the high dollar words in there.

Matt

Well...from what I have gathered from the smaller article, it seems that bait fish excrete certain pheromones upon damaging their skin that cause certain types of predatory or prey behavior in bass. The response differs according to the size class of the bass. When smaller bass detect the pheromone they seem to interpret it as a larger predator is in the area that could cause them harm and leave the area or go into a more defensive attitude, a prey response.  When larger bass detect this pheromone, they interpret it as there is forage available for them and they will begin cruising and searching for said forage, a predatory response. At least I think that is what it has outlined. That is how I interpreted the article.

I have heard similar discussions about how bass react when they are grouped up in a particular area such as a brush pile or ledge.  The discussion has suggested that by releasing fish that were caught right back in the same area, it tends to turn the other bass off and can drive them out of the area.  Is this your understanding as well?

Shad,

I asked D Hannon the same question this morning about bass giving off a phermone that alerts other fish.

Matt

That is a question that I would definitely like an answer to. I have heard reports of people catching a ton of bass of one spot at one time and other reports of folks catching one or two and then the bite just suddenly turning off. I have always wondered if that were due to the ruckus caused by the hooked bass or some sort of hormone or something the bass releases during the fight and after its release. Good question Matt. Look forward to the answer on that one.

My ole fishing buddy and a former pro and now a guide told me that he learned about this situation while he was taking a special guide course in South Carolina.

It is a special program for anyone who wants to learn about bass fishing and to be a guide.

He said that when you hook a fish the urinate in the water which alerts the other fish of danger.

However, I have seen and heard stories from others and also have enjoyed catching more than one bass off one specific structure. And what about those "double headers" when you can catch two bass on the same lure on the same cast with the second bass striking the lure while the first bass has it in his mouth?

So maybe there is some truth in the information. Makes you think that the current may sweep away the alarm material so the remaining fish have no idea of what is going on.

Actually, it demonstrates how much we don't know about our favorite opponent and why the bass seem to be a lot smarter than us on many occassions.

I first heard about this while watching a show on television -- I believe it was Rick Clunn that was catching a number of fish from one brush pile, but after catching each fish, he would walk to the back of the boat to release them.  He said it was because of "something" that they release in the water that would cause the other bass to shut down.  Another guy I fish with on C&R tournaments will always put his fish in the live well and then release them at least 100 yds away from where he is catching them.  I have seen him go back to the same brush pile as many as three times in a day and catch fish, while others were getting one or two from a single spot before it played out for the day.

1.  I would like to hear what Mr. Hannon has to say on the subject.  I have heard theories also.  

2.  In the article, one thing that caught my eye was the referencing to smaller and larger bass in terms of < or > than 50 mm.  Aren't there like 25.4 mm/inch?  So we're talking bass around two inches??!!  I wouldn't consider that adult behaviors.  Excuse if I've misread, always a chance of that.

It looks like I'm going to have to learn to squeeze some dace.  ;D

That some interesting info. I to would like to here Mr. hannons input on this subject.

Chris,

You always manage to come up with amazing stuff but in this case

Bass exhibited no change in behaviour when exposed to swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) skin extract, which lacks Ostariophysan alarm pheromone

I mean like tell me something I DON'T know................sheeeeeeeeeeesh