Why Do Fish Jump?

While at the ocean, lake or river, have you seen fish jump out of water" Did you wonder why? Fishermen have asked that question for a long time, and still ask each other today. Here are some of their ideas about why fish jump:

• They like to tease fishermen.
• They want to shake the sea lice off their belly, which has been proved not to be true.
• They jump for food when flies hover just above the surface of the water.

Some marine biologists think female salmon jump to loosen their skeins before they spawn. Does that mean that male salmon don’t jump? Not likely! A better explanation for salmon comes from Richard Stoll, a certified member of the American Fisheries Society. He says the fresh water from rivers  floats on top of the salt water coming in from the ocean. The salmon jump to the surface to find the scent of their native stream. Then they float on top of the water to find their way home.
The truth is fish jump for lots of reasons, just as we walk or run or jump for lots of reasons. One of the biggest reasons fish jump is because it’s fun. Think about it. Animals and humans enjoy the feeling of running and jumping and playing. Does it make sense that fish feel the same exuberance from physical exercise when they swim fast enough to raise themselves out of the water? Sure it does.

So the next time you are at the ocean, lake or river with your mom or dad or friends and they ask you why you think fish jump, you can say:

·         They like to tease fishermen. LOL.

·         They are shaking sea lice off their bellies.

·         They are jumping for food.

·         They are getting ready to spawn.

·         They are finding their way home, or you can say,

·         They are just having fun.

What will you say?