Mysterious bass sound in South Tampa resurfaces, residents raise money to investigate noise

TAMPA, Fla. - A mysterious bass sound throughout South Tampa has resurfaced, and residents are frustrated about it. 

A scientist believes it's the sound of fish mating in the bay. It's caused such a disruption that some residents are now raising money to figure out what it is exactly.

Residents said not-knowing is what’s so frustrating. It’s caused such a stir that neighbor Sara Healy is now working with a scientist to install underwater microphones in the bay to try and get to the bottom of it and ease some of her neighbors' concerns.

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The sound of Black drum fish mating is the exact same sound Healy said she heard Saturday night.

"That’s exactly what I heard. Identical in tone and rhythm," Healy said.

The sound has been plaguing residents across South Tampa since 2021, but still no one has been able to confirm what it is. That’s when FOX 13 spoke with scientist Dr. James Locascio with Mote Marine, who explained it could be the sound of Black drum fish mating, which are in their mating season right now.

"It’s a low frequency sound, and so they travel much better and go further distances, and they go through dissimilar media more efficiently," Dr. Locascio said.

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As Dr. Locascio explained, the mating sound travels through the ground, which might explain why homes more than a mile from the water can still hear it. 

Back in 2005, he did his dissertation on this topic at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science and helped people in Cape Coral and Punta Gorda solve their own mystery by using underwater acoustic recorders and having neighbors log their observations. 

Healy now wants to do the same.

"I just want answers for the community, for me and just for everyone who is curious," Healy said.

Wednesday, she started a GoFundMe, and within hours, already raised more than $500. It'll cost about $2,500 to install the microphones and potentially more as the project goes on.

"Just having an answer or having a clearer answer or more information would just help everybody as a whole," Healy said.

Once started, Dr. Locascio said they'll keep the microphones likely in the water recording until April. Once analyzed, they could finally get an answer as to what the mysterious bass sound really is.

"Understanding this is satisfying, and it reduces the anxiety about what the source is, but it also offers the opportunity to learn something pretty neat about the natural world," Dr. Locascio said.

If they meet that $2,500 threshold in the next few days, Dr. Locascio said he is prepared to install the microphones later this week.