For years I have heard folks talk about how a salmon will rush through a bait ball slapping bait with its tail to stun them. I have always been skeptical, as its really hard for a relatively large object, such as a salmon's tail, to move through the water to hit a smaller object. I think the bait fish would simply be pushed away from the salmon's tail by the reslutant water preassure. What do you think?

If the salmon passes a mighty gas bubble at exactly the right moment the resulting concussion MAY leave a fish in a trance-like state just long enough for the salmon to turn around and gobble the bait fish.

Other than that....hell no.

Isn't there that one fishing video that shows the fishies sensing lures with their lateral line? The 'tail slap' is more like incidental contact than anything else, isn't it??

I don't know about salmon hitting bait with their tails in saltwater Surecatch, but I bet if you went to any terminal hatchery area right about now, and asked whether they hit a corkie and yarn presentation with their bodies to "stun" it, you'd get a resounding "Hell yes!"

Hey, what could possibly be more scientifically compelling than anecdotal evidence from the "cast and jerk" brigade!

If you have ever sccop netted herring from a bait ball you would see that just looking at them sideways can kill them. Maybe they just have weak hearts:-)

I was at the aquarium in Monterey a few years ago during feeding time. They had salmon and they had large cut-up pieces of herring. And the salmon definetely hit the bait with their tails came right back around and chomped the bait from below as it fell.

It was so cool to witness this cause that is what my dear old papa always taught me. Therefore, when mooching and you feel the hit always give em a little line, fast DAMNIT!!

Aunty, one day I was fishing the 'Sop down around Cook Creek. The water was high after a recent rain and I had to wade out maybe 5 ft. from the shore in order to cast. The chum were running strong and yes, a big old buck decided I was in his way!! He locked on and then commenced the head shakes. 'Bout scared me to death.

IN the video "Blue Planet" put together by Richard Attenborough and shown on the Discovery Channel, there is great footage of salmon attacking a bait ball and slashing with their tails. It is very well documented that salmon attack from beneath and come back around after the intial slashing to pick up the stunned bait fish. In other videos salmon can be seen following a bait for a long time before attacking from the side...that is probably why so many herring come back to the boat with bite marks in between the hooks.

eddie, Did Kujo the (dog) chum salmon slap you with his tail before he locked on and did a headshake ?

Sthldfshn, no he just came right at me, my brown waders must have looked like the biggest chum salmon he had ever seen!!!!

Im willing to bet them waders got a little more brown that day....DJ

I am not sure about salmon. I have hooked steelhead in the tail while I was pulling plugs. I am sure they were slapping at the plugs.

No [Bleeeeep!] DJ, but it was close

2 Years ago trolling warts at the mouth of the wind i hooked a springer in the tail. I thought it almost impossible untill i saw it at the end of my line.