Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations fish shocker for $169.00 is it any good?

Are these shockers any good?

http://www.amazing1.com/fishing_aids.htm

http://www.amazing1.com/download/FISH80IN.pdf

See the above link...has anyone every bought our used one of these?

Battery operated device intended for identifying and tagging of fish as they float to the surface. Works excellent on bottom feeders. Built into a plastic cylindrical housing with external controls and water conductivity indicator. Operates from boat battery or other 12 volt source. Shows several methods of drag chains and selective stunning probes.

FISH8 - Plans...$15.00
FISH8K - Kit/Plans For 12 Volt DC..$129.95
FISH80 - Assembled and tested......$169.95


Lower Power Catfish Unit
FISH1 - Plans.......$5.00
FISH1K - Kit/Plans ........$39.95
FISH10 - Ready to use.......$59.95

Al,
This device is inadequate for appropriate sampling.

Thanks Bob!

al

It may not be inadequate for 'appropriate' sampling, but you have to look at what you want to use it for and bang for the buck. If you manage several small ponds as a hobby, you probably cannot afford professional sampling.

Also, if you have Tilapia, they are very difficult to catch. This may be a good way to harvest some of them before they die from the cold. It would be nice to hear from someone who tried it, to see if it is useful at all.

It sounds dangerous to me and the fact there there are no control settings corresponding to conductivity tells me you could do permanent damage to your fish rather than just stunning them.

I'll stand by the recommendation. Plus, I'll add this. Electricity and water do not mix. Don't do it. I make a living electrofishing and managing lakes. Electricity in water is dangerous. The device in question has no safety devices, no controls for conductivity. If not professionally trained to use electrofishing equipment, don't use it. It ain't a hobby, even if someone's ponds are. A few amps in your body can't be undone. It ain't worth it.

Just a little something I learned in shop class: it takes one tenth of one amp to kill you, something about the same amperage of your nerve impulses or something.

No argument from me on need for safety. Personally, I would not take the risk of selling that device. Having said that, let's actually look at what the device claims:

The unit is shock protected.

It uses floating output, meaning that you would have to touch BOTH wires to get electrocuted. (OK, not so hard for some of us)

It does have water conductivity indicator (maybe just a light)

It has power adjustment and pulse duration adjustment, but the pulse frequency is set at 25 Hz (pulses/sec)

The 'View Instructions' link on the website takes you to more detailed description of the device. It also has 7 pages on 'Biological Applications of Voltage Impulses in Electrical Fishing' The document gives settings for targeting certain species of fish, but bass, crappie or tilapia are not included. White bream, stone perch, carp and catfish are. It acknowledges that pulse frequency is 'decisive for efficiency' because it takes different frequencies to get different species of fish, or even different sizes of the same species. (frequency not adjustable on this unit)

I sent them e-mail asking some clarifications.
I sure could use this device.

Ah, Ed, come on.... Don't tell us that you still haven't caught that mammoth catfish that got away a couple of years ago!!!

Hi Kelly,

no, I haven't caught it, but I have bunch of good excuses;-) Right now I am more concerned with the small, bullhead catfish and Tilapia. The Tilapia have good meat and provide good forage during the year. I would just like them to provide good forage for me at the end of the year. Being vegetarians, they are very hard to catch. The bullhead cats just took over my pond and they steal the bait before my channel cats can get to it. The upside to that is, that they bite even on a slow day and that keeps the kids happy. My friend's son came on his first fishing trip last week and he caught two, 1' bullheads. I caught about an 8" one later. When we were sitting by the fire later on, he leaned to me and in a confidential and understanding voice expleined to me: "You know, Ed, the big ones, they looove ME" His dad and I could barely keep from laughing, but I think we got a little guy hooked on fishing that day.