Do Fish See Color - Bluegill - Big Bluegill2024-03-29T01:05:23Zhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/forum/topics/do-fish-see-color?groupUrl=fly-tying-for&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks, Dick. You have it spo…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-22:2036984:Comment:3450622013-01-22T23:32:14.834ZDavid, aka, "McScruff"https://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/david553
<p>Thanks, Dick. You have it spot on.</p>
<p>Ages ago, when I was a new member at BBG, one of my first questions was about color and lure selection. I got all sorts of responses, of course, which started me down the rabbit hole. In time I learned there is far more data available about bass and their color perception, than there is about sunfish. That is where the money is, of course, so the bulk of the research into fish vision has been applied to bass. It is a serendipitous stroke for us that…</p>
<p>Thanks, Dick. You have it spot on.</p>
<p>Ages ago, when I was a new member at BBG, one of my first questions was about color and lure selection. I got all sorts of responses, of course, which started me down the rabbit hole. In time I learned there is far more data available about bass and their color perception, than there is about sunfish. That is where the money is, of course, so the bulk of the research into fish vision has been applied to bass. It is a serendipitous stroke for us that the two fish are in the same family and see essentially the same in the spectrum. So what works for the one, also applies to the other.</p>
<p>In time, I think I found some common ground and here are the results. There is nothing but a lot of research (and some actual fishing) to back up these selections, so make of them what you will.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Essential Lure Colors</span></p>
<p>Black</p>
<p>White</p>
<p>Chartreuse</p>
<p>Orange/yellow (red, brown)</p>
<p>Blue/green</p>
<p>You can mix and match to your hearts content, of course. Pink is fun, for example. "Electric Chicken," if nothing else, offers some laughs. And on some days, the fish are like Chuck Norris - they decide what they like. But these "categories" cover the practical palette in so far as the eyes of fish are concerned.</p>
<p>NOTE: Most of this range applies only in fairly clear and shallow water, too. Let either the turbidity (muddiness) or the depth (or both) increase and most of it goes out the window.</p>
<p>If you wish to go even further into whittling down the colors, I'd suggest you get down to the first three and perhaps, yellow.</p> Thanks David for your input.…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-21:2036984:Comment:3447072013-01-21T16:17:05.064Zdick tabberthttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/dicktabbert
<p>Thanks David for your input. It is a fact that in our minds fish may see color and personally I believe that to be true. I also know that light presentation through the water column changes the colors. You may be fishing a nice sunny day and catch fish and a cloud may block the sun and you see your bite quit. That's because your bait has changed color to the fish and may no longer be visible just because of the suns rays and light penetration has changed at the depth your fishing. It don't…</p>
<p>Thanks David for your input. It is a fact that in our minds fish may see color and personally I believe that to be true. I also know that light presentation through the water column changes the colors. You may be fishing a nice sunny day and catch fish and a cloud may block the sun and you see your bite quit. That's because your bait has changed color to the fish and may no longer be visible just because of the suns rays and light penetration has changed at the depth your fishing. It don't take much to change your presentation even the angle of the sun. There is so much to it and a very interesting topic to say the least.</p> That most fish are endowed wi…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-21:2036984:Comment:3446452013-01-21T15:49:33.563ZDavid, aka, "McScruff"https://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/david553
<p>That most fish are endowed with the biology to see color is well known. Depth and water are the factors that determine how well they see the color that is before them.</p>
<p>That most fish are endowed with the biology to see color is well known. Depth and water are the factors that determine how well they see the color that is before them.</p> You know I use to believe tha…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3440892013-01-18T22:54:43.855Zdick tabberthttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/dicktabbert
<p>You know I use to believe that also. But think about it your catching fish and all of a sudden they turn off. So you change up the color and again the bite picks up ( this is another topic all together as to why) and I do have some thoughts on that . For many years people thought that fish don't see color and some still believe that and I'll be the first to say I've never seen through a fishes eyes so I really don't know what they see but so many times a color change up changes everything.…</p>
<p>You know I use to believe that also. But think about it your catching fish and all of a sudden they turn off. So you change up the color and again the bite picks up ( this is another topic all together as to why) and I do have some thoughts on that . For many years people thought that fish don't see color and some still believe that and I'll be the first to say I've never seen through a fishes eyes so I really don't know what they see but so many times a color change up changes everything. Why I don't know but I have to assume that the change in the color had something to do with it so if a fish can't see color why. Some people say that different color give off different shadows and to this I feel there is some merit to only because when we fish muddy waters we choose our dark baits not that they can see the color but the shadow the darker the bait the darker the shadow and this has worked for me for many years.</p> I believe that they do, espec…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3439832013-01-18T21:49:35.482ZTony Livingstonhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/TonyLivingston
<p>I believe that they do, especially in shallower water. I nearly always lead off with a red, or a red/black jig. And while I will change colors to suit the fish, I do tend to favor red.</p>
<p>I believe that they do, especially in shallower water. I nearly always lead off with a red, or a red/black jig. And while I will change colors to suit the fish, I do tend to favor red.</p> Ditto!tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3440812013-01-18T21:41:47.660ZBruce Tomasellihttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/BruceTomaselli
<p>Ditto!</p>
<p>Ditto!</p> there is no truer defination…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3436772013-01-18T21:29:35.457Zcarl hendrixhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/carlhendrix
<p>there is no truer defination on this subject! rick you explained it perfectly! also in consideration;; crankbaits; jigs; plastic baits of all types come in different colors;; made by manufactures that have gone thru extensive study . how many times have we; used one color;; and no results;; changed to a different color;; and slayed them!!</p>
<p>there is no truer defination on this subject! rick you explained it perfectly! also in consideration;; crankbaits; jigs; plastic baits of all types come in different colors;; made by manufactures that have gone thru extensive study . how many times have we; used one color;; and no results;; changed to a different color;; and slayed them!!</p> Great topic, but confusing, I…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3437662013-01-18T20:50:50.467ZBill Wischhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/BillWisch
<p>Great topic, but confusing, I watched an episode of in-fisherman with Doug Stange and a biologist who insisted fish did not see color and have read articles as far back as I can remember on the importance of color. Few years ago everyone was switching to red hooks and many are still pushing them while many companies have quit making red hooks since fisherman did not see any difference in amount of strikes and stopped buying red hooks. Then throw in Cajun Red fishing line whose main selling…</p>
<p>Great topic, but confusing, I watched an episode of in-fisherman with Doug Stange and a biologist who insisted fish did not see color and have read articles as far back as I can remember on the importance of color. Few years ago everyone was switching to red hooks and many are still pushing them while many companies have quit making red hooks since fisherman did not see any difference in amount of strikes and stopped buying red hooks. Then throw in Cajun Red fishing line whose main selling point is that red is the first color filtered underwater so it is virtually invisible and fish don't see your line. So leaving out every other color the so called experts don't even agree on red. Use red to attract fish use red to be invisible to fish. Like just about everything else in fishing I guess we go with our gut and use what we are comfortable with using.</p> Yup I'm trying to put a littl…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3438712013-01-18T19:02:46.857ZDAVID L EITUTIShttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/DAVIDLEITUTIS
<p>Yup I'm trying to put a little splash of red on almost all my recent ties now with either sssssssssssmall amount of 2 strand red yarn , or marker......</p>
<p>Yup I'm trying to put a little splash of red on almost all my recent ties now with either sssssssssssmall amount of 2 strand red yarn , or marker......</p> Agreed I think red brings out…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2013-01-18:2036984:Comment:3438692013-01-18T18:55:54.862Zdick tabberthttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/dicktabbert
<p>Agreed I think red brings out the killer instinct of the fish wanting that easy meal of that injured fish. When possible I''m hoping to incorporate the red when ever possible because I feel so strong about it.</p>
<p>Agreed I think red brings out the killer instinct of the fish wanting that easy meal of that injured fish. When possible I''m hoping to incorporate the red when ever possible because I feel so strong about it.</p>