ChrisJ 0 Posted August 15, 2005 Is it ok to use fish/critter bait, such as fishfood to "lure" fish into a shot? Does anyone use them? I know I wouldnt want to have chum stuffed in my BCD just to get shots of sharks. The reason I am asking because I saw some online, that looks like a cookie that will attract fishes to you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TimG 62 Posted August 15, 2005 DMs in the Cayman Islands used to use cans of Cheez-Whizz attached to their BCs to attract fish! Happily I havn't seen anyone fish feeding - other than organised shark/potato cod feedings - recently Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giles 1 Posted August 15, 2005 I wouldn't use anything .. feeding fish is good for entertainment but not so hot for photos they tend to make a mess which looks nasty on the photos and its more of a frenzy. Just get near a fish and sit there patiently they will pose for you much better that way. Being in the Caymans here too one of the coolest tricks i saw was cracking and egg open underwater. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thatporchdawg 0 Posted August 15, 2005 And there is the fact that feeding fish alters the natural behavior of the fish. Once the fish get used to having handouts from divers, then it gets more difficult to observe/photograph the natural behavior of the fish. Back when I was just a snorkeler, I was snorkeling off the beach in Paradise Island, Bahamas. Oddly the sargeant majors followed me around. I was later told that they have been nick named "Bahamas Piranas" because divers/snorkelers were feeding them. It was very disconcerting to someone that was just getting used to snorkelling in the ocean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carib-blu 0 Posted August 16, 2005 There are some shops here that sell packaged "pellets" to feed fish with. As Ben refers to them, Bahama Piranahs, I witnessed St. Majors peck skin tags off a snorkeler's back! Needless to say, the guy was in serious pain and was admitted into the hospital. The resemblence of the food confused the fish and they just thought it was the pellets. I don't believe in feeding them for a shot or otherwise. The fish seem to find enough to eat without our help. Seems to me, Alex never had a problem getting some of the finest Sting Ray shots at the Sandbar without squid! Just fishfood for thought. Aurabest, john Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carib-blu 0 Posted August 16, 2005 Sorry Ken for the typo john Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bandula 0 Posted August 16, 2005 I think that feeding fish is not ok because it changes the natural behaviour when its done regularly. I must omit that it is sometimes interesting to watch big fish at a short distance during feeding but it is not right and for sure not a good scene to take pictures. It is like in a zoo or in one of the growing numbers of aquariums: It is nice to watch the fish, but I always feel sorry for the animals taken from their natural habitat into a prison with artificial "seawater". By the way,- I read about a trick to attrack sharks with a waterbottle. Does anybody know how to do that? I think they take a small PET bottle partly filled with water and shake or rub it. How does it work? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
segal3 0 Posted August 16, 2005 By the way,- I read about a trick to attrack sharks with a waterbottle. Does anybody know how to do that? I think they take a small PET bottle partly filled with water and shake or rub it. How does it work? The crackling sound mimics the sound of the shrimp in the reef. Sharks are attracted to the noise. ~Matt Segal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alex_Mustard 0 Posted August 16, 2005 I too am not a big fan of fish feeding. But it is hardly the worst thing in the world and there are very few places that do it too excess these days. Snorkelling sites are often the worst - but fish don't become as dependant as you might think. As a believer in optimum foraging strategy most reef fish with shift diet to an unusally abundant food source and then switch back afterwards. It is ironic that divers who are religious about not touching or feeding marine life will quite happily eat lobster, grouper or snapper for their tea! In general marine life is very approachable compared to other types of wildlife - and we should be thankful (how many lions have you seen shot with a fisheye?). Food can be useful to attract some creatures (such as ). And IMO generally doesn't do a lot of harm if used (in small quantities) to attract animals rather than feed them. Alex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeVeitch 0 Posted August 16, 2005 It is ironic that divers who are religious about not touching or feeding marine life will quite happily eat lobster, grouper or snapper for their tea! Alex <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That always makes me laugh as well, (mind you normal folks call it dinner ). Guess i am the polar opposite as i love a good shark feed but eat nothing that comes from the sea (unless you include ice cream...) Cows and chickens are sustainable...tuna and sharks are not! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dmoss 0 Posted August 16, 2005 The manager of my local dive shop reports that a few years ago, while she was on a dive trip to Grand Cayman, one of the DM's was taking down frozen peas to feed the fish. That is until one of the female divers in the group was wearing a white swim suit that had little green dots all over it She got a trip to the hospital...and a shopping trip to get a new swimsuit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giles 1 Posted August 16, 2005 Peas can be cool to slip into a partially flooded mask .. the fish come and peck at your mask .. it's funny ... and how come Grand Cayman is getting a slagging here ... theres not even half as much feeding goes on here as in other places ... apart from as Alex pointed out on Snorkel sites .. even then ... its more controlled amounts than you may think. We dont like getting bit either! Even though I agree with both sides of the feeding no feeding arguement .. it's not really answering the original question ... and i stand by my answer of i odnt think it will improve your photos infact i think it will make them worse. I'd rather have a photo of one fish than 20 fish making a mess in the water. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bandula 0 Posted August 16, 2005 The crackling sound mimics the sound of the shrimp in the reef. Sharks are attracted to the noise. ~Matt Segal <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ok, but how is the technique to get that sound? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeVeitch 0 Posted August 17, 2005 Put it between your hands and rub your hands back and forth quickly like you are trying to keep your hands warm. Or you could also rub the bottle with a metal object such as a pointer or reef hook... Evidently a guy got bit in the face by a Silvertip a couple of years back whilst doing this so do so at your own discretion... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ssra30 0 Posted August 17, 2005 Evidently a guy got bit in the face by a Silvertip a couple of years back whilst doing this so do so at your own discretion... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Alright Mike, so when I am in Yap, I will let you demonstrate this while I have my camera ready, just in case Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisJ 0 Posted August 18, 2005 So from all the response, NO...dont feed/lure the fishies (unless you are diving an ACTUAL shark feeding) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
