Diving Birds

[surfstix1963]

Did you ever have birds diving on your popper as you retrieve it pisses you off right well they may be trying to tell you something especially if all the other birds are doing the same thing just not to your plug.This is generally a good sign the fish are pushing the bait up to the surface without you knowing naturally the bird thinks your plug is bait so it will keep diving what I have noticed is the person fishing starts reeling faster to try and deter the bird so next time nature is throwing a hint at ya throw something subsurface tin bucktail etc. and you may be suprised with the result:)

[DarkSkies]

^^ This definitely needs some clarification, bro.
Rumor has it when Speedy and Surfstix paint their plugs, they mix bread crumbs in with the epoxy....so ya gotta take that into consideration as well....;) :HappyWave:

[Monty]

I have never seen birds more determined to get my popper than this past weekend (SurfWalker mentioned this too) . One got a plug and I did not set the hook, he dropped it after flying towards me some 20 yards or so. Unfortunately the only birds diving where at my plug. Years ago I broke a van staal handle yanking a plug away from a bird.
I'll keep this in mind, if unable to hook up with the popper go a little sub surface. :HappyWave:

[rockhopper]

Yeh I noticed that too. To me that happens mostly in the fall, so I would think either there are big blues underneath, but if that were true they would hit the plug. So maybe they could be shad?

[porgy75]

How about when they are all in competition with each other over your lure? Birds do some crazy stuff.

[surfstix1963]

The secrets out now we had everyone thinking it was glitter.:dSometimes even the blues won't hit the popper until they school up the bait to the surface then start slashing through them usually this is small bait.Just a thought
^^ This definitely needs some clarification, bro.
Rumor has it when Speedy and Surfstix paint their plugs, they mix bread crumbs in with the epoxy....so ya gotta take that into consideration as well....;) :HappyWave:

[surfstix1963]

If they all are going for it usually means all hell is going to break loose soon but it also could be the competitive nature of birds you need to check with Darkskies for that answer:laugh::laugh::laugh:

[dogfish]

They have perfect eyesight much better than you or I will ever have. You also have to think about what kind of bird it is. Like you guys said a seagull is stupid it will even dive on a plug if it looks realistic. Gannetts dive on herring, bunker, mullet, just about anything. I have never seen a gannett dive on a plug. When gannets dive I am paying close attention, because there will be times there are no big fish underneath, only forage fish.

[surfstix1963]

Yeah I guess I should have mentioned the terns are usually the crittters that give away the small bait being pushed up w/o a doubt with the gannets sometimes theres no fish just bait.