Do bright colors attract fish?

[Ashpalo]

I heard somewhere that if you wear a brightly colored bracelet when you snorkel it will attract the fish to you. Is this correct?

 

TIA,

Ashley :-)

[scubaran]

I heard somewhere that if you wear a brightly colored bracelet when you snorkel it will attract the fish to you. Is this correct?

 

TIA,

Ashley :-)

 

It's possible. I don't know if you're asking because you WANT to attract them or you DON'T. There have been cases where things like silver medical bracelets have attracted baracudas or eel attacks but these are really exceptions (remember a lot of fishermen successfully use spoon lures to get game fish). But if you're just snorkeling around with your hands against your side, they won't see a bracelet (think about the yards of swim materials people wear with bright dies and designs). Remember, if you are flashing around a bracelet you're advertising that this is something a fish might be interested in but you can't really determine which fish will be interested. I might recommend you keep your bracelet on the boat and take your chances seeing fish by going to them, not the other way around.

 

Randall

[Ashpalo]

It's possible. I don't know if you're asking because you WANT to attract them or you DON'T. There have been cases where things like silver medical bracelets have attracted baracudas or eel attacks but these are really exceptions (remember a lot of fishermen successfully use spoon lures to get game fish). But if you're just snorkeling around with your hands against your side, they won't see a bracelet (think about the yards of swim materials people wear with bright dies and designs). Remember, if you are flashing around a bracelet you're advertising that this is something a fish might be interested in but you can't really determine which fish will be interested. I might recommend you keep your bracelet on the boat and take your chances seeing fish by going to them, not the other way around.

 

Randall

 

Thanks. I hadn't thought about attracting "unfriendly" fish. I was considering getting brightly colored bracelets to attract the fish so that we could see lots and lots of fish. But - if there's a possibility of attracting unwanted fish - then I better not do it.

 

Thanks again!

 

Ashley :-)

[huskypup]

My foot was bitten quite badly by a fish while snorkeling in Cuba - had to seek medical attention as it had paralysed my foot, the doctor and the life guard said the fish had been attracted by my toe rings - now I always wear water shoes.

[John Y]

Thanks. I hadn't thought about attracting "unfriendly" fish. I was considering getting brightly colored bracelets to attract the fish so that we could see lots and lots of fish. But - if there's a possibility of attracting unwanted fish - then I better not do it.

 

Thanks again!

 

Ashley :-)

You might consider "chumming" the water a bit with some food to attract fish. I hear that spray cheese whiz is a fish magnet. (I haven't done it (yet!) but I hear spraying some on your dive buddy or in his pockets gets him swarmed by the fish.)

[scubaran]

My foot was bitten quite badly by a fish while snorkeling in Cuba - had to seek medical attention as it had paralysed my foot, the doctor and the life guard said the fish had been attracted by my toe rings - now I always wear water shoes.

 

Sorry to hear you were injured. Hopefully you fully recovered.

 

I had an occasion where I was snorkeling with a silver pendant on a chain around my neck and had a lot of fish come up (got a bit scary based on the number and size of the fish). I thought it was the dangling necklace until I put my head up out of the water to catch my dive buddy who was tossing fish food from the boat right behind me laughing his head off. We had words. :mad:

 

Randall

[scubadiver888]

I heard somewhere that if you wear a brightly colored bracelet when you snorkel it will attract the fish to you. Is this correct?

 

TIA,

Ashley :-)

 

I was told that some fish are attracted to shiny things. So if you have a shiny watch or rings it can attract some fish. Basically, some fish are shiny. Some other fish eat shiny fish. If you wear something shiny those other fish might think you are food. I was told for example, barracuda are attracted to shiny things. This is just stuff I've been told and could be old wives tales but last time I saw a barracuda it was chasing a school of shiny fish.

 

On the other hand, I wear a shiny watch and rings and see a barracuda two or three times in a week of diving. I've never had any incident with one.

[Ashpalo]

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

I am taking my 3 daughters (10, 8, &7) snorkeling for the first time at Chankanaab in Cozumel. I had thought about buying them bracelets to attract the fish so that they would get to see LOTS of fish. But now I'm a little worried that by doing that, I might put them in danger.

 

Do any of you experienced snorkelers have any advice on what I can do to "maximize" their snorkeling experience?

 

TIA,

Ashley :-)

[scuabacruiser]

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

I am taking my 3 daughters (10, 8, &7) snorkeling for the first time at Chankanaab in Cozumel. I had thought about buying them bracelets to attract the fish so that they would get to see LOTS of fish. But now I'm a little worried that by doing that, I might put them in danger.

 

Do any of you experienced snorkelers have any advice on what I can do to "maximize" their snorkeling experience?

 

TIA,

Ashley :-)

The fish are already curious at Chankanaab. We had several small ones (hand size or smaller) follow us around most of the time, looking for a hand out I'm sure. If you want to attract a few more. take a couple pieces of bread/rolls and have them break them up into small pieces. They will have a good time, enjoy. :)

[Gayle V]

Dog treats ! I always pack a few baggies of dog treats for snorkeling. The fish will swarm by the hundreds. It's amazing. I've never felt there was any danger in it. At least not to us. Some islands say their fish are "protected" and therefore we were not allowed to feed them anything in those locations.

 

If you forget the dog treats, try bagels or mini-wheat from the breakfast buffet. They don't disolve in the water as quickly as the bread. the fish like them both.