[loonzter]

I'm never sure where to post a specific question, here or on the boating anglers forum? anyway there goes:
I got a chance to venture offshore to one of the canyons, we had caught some live snappers to bring along for Tuna baits. One of the guys happened to drop several of the live baits overboard. Now this is my question, if this happened in 70' of water outside any inlet those fish would have disapeared in a flash, however being 80 miles offshore these fish hung together tighter than a clams a$$ and never went more than 5' from the boat. How do they know? Do they sense or feel the water depth from the surface and recognize where they are?? Any guesses or facts

 

[togmaster]

Sounds like a shark >>>>>>>

I think that maybe they may have been in shock from the water temp change? If not the only other thing is they may have sensed a shark or something looking to eat them. Fish stay in schools so they will stay together. But you also mentioned it was night did the light from the boat hold them there also? Good question? I'm stumped but the reasons I gave must be one of them . All right guys fire away?

 

[bulletbob]

hmmmm... if you take most any fish from its natural element and put it in a featureless pool of water it will swim randomly.... if you place a brick in the water it will usually relate to it.... I feel these snappers were taken from "fully featured" water with structure,food, boats,docks,rocks preferred temps etc,and were relating to the closest structure.... the boat.... they were also totally disoriented being in a livewell for hours... think of this... A cat is a "higher functioning" creature than a fish.... BUT my two cats SHREIK,WAIL,SCREAM and CRY pitifully when placed in thier kitty carrier for a trip to the vet, clawing and scratching at the cage in a DESPERATE effort to escape.. when released out of the cage and into the vets examination room they wander about a bit and then make a beeline RIGHT BACK into the cage from whence they were released.... just an observation on the way Gods creatures relate to the familiar and the unfamiliar.... bob