View Full Version : I Hate Coots
Cartman
11-02-2013, 07:41 PM
I have a friend who likes to throw out a little sweet corn to attract the carp, but not anymore. Sometimes I like to put a few kernels of sweet corn on my hook as bait for carp, but not anymore. All summer I could cast my bait out where I wanted it to be, and it would pretty much stay there, but not anymore. The coots are back. :Death2Above:
old pudd fisher
11-02-2013, 07:59 PM
And they poop all over the place.
jarheadbill
11-02-2013, 08:06 PM
What is a coot??
old pudd fisher
11-02-2013, 08:29 PM
Its a black duck like water bird.
Stinkbait
11-02-2013, 09:21 PM
In other more rural states hunters wackem like vermin.
cutbait
11-02-2013, 09:24 PM
AKA mud hen..
Stupid birds migrate at night, flying into power lines and dead all over California.
Gums up casting zones and scares off fish
parkermann2
11-03-2013, 09:09 AM
I was at Prado bass fishing last year and some crazy old meth head was shooting them with a pellet gun
AngryAgent
11-03-2013, 09:41 AM
I was at Prado bass fishing last year and some crazy old meth head was shooting them with a pellet gun
Did you at least thank him..
Cartman
11-03-2013, 11:35 AM
In other more rural states hunters wackem like vermin.
When I was a kid growing up in Mississippi, my uncle would take me to a bayou to shoot them with a .22. It was easy and fun. Looking back I have felt more than a little guilty for killing such defenseless little creatures, but not any more. Sometimes I wish I could shoot them.
The coot is the most commonly counted bird in the annual California bird count. They nest communally (all care for all eggs), and there are too many of them. I have caught coots on my line six times, and every time it was a nightmare. When you try to help them by taking out the hook they lay back on their backs and start tearing at you with the long green claws. The first time I tried to help get a hook out I got myself all cut up. Now I throw my fishing vest over the coot and hold it down til I can get to the hook. They're little monsters in disguise, and they take your bait and stir up the water and scare the fish away. I hate 'em.
parkermann2
11-03-2013, 12:56 PM
haha I was going to but when the pellets started to land right by me in the water I decided it was time to move along
Best way to deal with a bird caught on you're line is to toss something over their head, it calms um down. I've done it with hawks even and you really got to be careful with a hawk!!!!
drifter023
11-03-2013, 06:05 PM
Wait till you hook a comarant you wont mind the coots...
fishmounter
11-03-2013, 07:34 PM
Seal is right, when birds cannot see, they calm way down. (And what are you doing that to hawks for?) Just to let everyone know, water birds, especially ducks, geese swans, and yes Coots ("Mud hens") do not scare away the larger game fish. Now if you come up to a large flock of Coots on shore, and you scare them all out into the water, that is going to scare the bass somewhat. I've caught bass from right under ducks at some lakes. I've even seen them follow ducks and geese to stay in their shadows! By the way, Cormorants are an entirely different thing! Kind of like fish-predator dinosaur birds. They will go after any fish that swims, even smaller water birds like grebes. I've seen that at Perris.
Fishbreath
11-08-2013, 11:26 AM
Eagles appreciate the easy meal. You can't see the coot well, but I watched this guy catch one on shore. I saw a bobcat catch one just a few days earlier.
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa24/Fishbreath92028/NewImage_zps17abc469.jpg (http://s202.photobucket.com/user/Fishbreath92028/media/NewImage_zps17abc469.jpg.html)
gogreeenz4
11-08-2013, 12:34 PM
Wait till you hook a comarant you wont mind the coots...
amen......
DarkShadow
11-08-2013, 01:40 PM
I have a friend who likes to throw out a little sweet corn to attract the carp, but not anymore.
I didn't know you could chum in freshwater.
Cartman
11-08-2013, 08:13 PM
I didn't know you could chum in freshwater.
That's the whole point. You can't because it attracts the coots who will take your bait and get caught on your hook.
CraigH
11-09-2013, 05:41 AM
That's the whole point. You can't because it attracts the coots who will take your bait and get caught on your hook.
I think DarkShadow may have been refering to sections 1.32 and 2.40 of the sport fishing regulations ...
1.32. CHUMMING.
Placing any material in the water, other than on a hook while angling, for the purpose of attracting fish to a particular area in order that they may be taken.
2.40. CHUMMING.
Chumming is permitted only in:
(a) The Colorado River District, but only the approved bait fishes for this District may be used as chum (see Section 4.15) except in the Salton Sea where corn may also be used.
(b) Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay and their tributaries and saltwater tributaries.
(c) Sacramento River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 80 bridge.
(d) San Joaquin River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 5 bridge.
Cartman
11-10-2013, 09:54 AM
I think DarkShadow may have been refering to sections 1.32 and 2.40 of the sport fishing regulations ...
1.32. CHUMMING.
Placing any material in the water, other than on a hook while angling, for the purpose of attracting fish to a particular area in order that they may be taken.
2.40. CHUMMING.
Chumming is permitted only in:
(a) The Colorado River District, but only the approved bait fishes for this District may be used as chum (see Section 4.15) except in the Salton Sea where corn may also be used.
(b) Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay and their tributaries and saltwater tributaries.
(c) Sacramento River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 80 bridge.
(d) San Joaquin River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 5 bridge.
I tell my friend all the time, but "you can lead a horse to water but..." well, you know. Even his hair-rigs don't meet the regulations, so whatchya gonna do?