The Physics Of Fishing

[IndianaFinesse]

Don't know if this would count as physics or not, but this thread has some interesting research on line stretch/elongation/wet/dry etc. A good read even if you don't use it in your project https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/171709-annual-line-stretch-test-updated-2016/

[Sifuedition]

25 minutes ago, jbmaine said:

You cast a lure with all your might. It goes X distance. You immediately feel a tic,pull, or see a fish rise on it. You set the hook with all your might, and miss the fish. Your lure comes sailing back at you, and goes past you to land on the other side of the boat in the water. This = X + distance past you. Given that X + distance past you is greater than X than by the law of fish physics, would we all cast further if we cast backwards? 

Actually, it is the resistance of the water and/or fish gripping the bait that allows it to travel further towards you than it did away from you. The resistance "loads" the rod tip more than it did with the weight of the lure alone when you casted. Newton's third law.

 

Edit: Sorry, didn't know if you were being facetious to be funny or if you were actually curious.

Edited October 9, 2017 by Sifuedition
Clarification

[jbmaine]

3 minutes ago, Sifuedition said:

Actually, it is the resistance of the water and/or fish gripping the bait that allows it to travel further towards you than it did away from you. The resistance "loads" the rod tip more than it did with the weight of the lure alone when you casted. Newton's third law.

 

Edit: Sorry, didn't know if you were being facetious to be funny or if you were actually curious.

It's fine, When it comes to fishing I never take it too serious. To me being too serious takes the fun out of it. When my wife and I go fishing, if we catch fish or not, so long as we can laugh and enjoy each others company, it's a good day.

                                              Jim 

[thinkingredneck]

There are a couple of interesting books out about color absorption and depth of water.

[J Francho]

I'd take the easy way out and stick to something simple, like showing the different class levers we use when fishing, and which class would be better in each situation.  Like, a class 2 would be better when fighting a fish.

[Deleted account]

Here's a couple of suggestions for your paper,

 

-infinite number of Quantum mechanics and they still can't get this POS reel to work right.

 

-string theory applications for copolymers.

 

-non repeating, non ending number of lure purchases and their effect on space time. (The space in your garage, and the time your wife said "more tackle?!")

 

[Fishing Rhino]

Physics deals with forces, movement, and resistance.  There are three machines, pulleys, levers, and inclined planes.  Think of the rod as a lever, and go from there.  Where is the fulcrum, where is the force, and where is the resistance.

 

A class one lever has the fulcrum (pivot) in the middle like a see/saw.  The second class lever has the fulcrum at an end and the force at the other end, and the resistance in the middle.  The third class lever has the fulcrum at one end, the force in the middle, and the resistance at the other end.

 

The problem with fishing, be it casting or fighting a fish is that the type of lever, and the forces are constantly changing and moving.  For instance, in casting the fulcrum can be the wrist(s), or the elbow, or possibly the shoulder, or a combination thereof.  The length of the lever (rod) changes as it flexes.  The fulcrum can change as well.  Most of the time the wrist or elbow will be the fulcrum.

 

Pick up your rod, and go through the motions of casting.  Try various types of casts to see where the fulcrum is, wrist, elbow or shoulder.  Because these are linkages, the fulcrum may change.  The length of the rod will change as it flexes (shortens) or straightens out (lengthens).

 

Then put a weight on your line and imagine fighting a fish.  See how the arms, hands, wrists, move.  Some levers are static, where things move but the fulcrum, resistance, and force are always in the same place on the lever.  

 

Fishing is dynamic, in a state of flux.  An interesting assignment.

 

 

[J Francho]

^ Exactly why I thought lever would be a good starting point.  Thanks for that write up, Rhino!

[HookRz]

I've always thought the physics of jig fishing is important to understand. That is how line diameter and type, jig weight, skirt/dressing or not, trailer type, distance of cast, affect fall rates. Add speed of retrieve when swimming a jig. Vital stuff to understand and applicable to everything from flipping and pitching to swimming a crappie jig. 

 

Ive always found the right fall rate, swimming speed and depth control to be far more important than things we obsess over like color. 

[Fishing Rhino]

1 hour ago, HookRz said:

I've always thought the physics of jig fishing is important to understand. That is how line diameter and type, jig weight, skirt/dressing or not, trailer type, distance of cast, affect fall rates. Add speed of retrieve when swimming a jig. Vital stuff to understand and applicable to everything from flipping and pitching to swimming a crappie jig. 

 

Ive always found the right fall rate, swimming speed and depth control to be far more important than things we obsess over like color. 

 

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

^ Exactly why I thought lever would be a good starting point.  Thanks for that write up, Rhino!

You're welcome.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, HookRz said:

I've always thought the physics of jig fishing is important to understand. That is how line diameter and type, jig weight, skirt/dressing or not, trailer type, distance of cast, affect fall rates. Add speed of retrieve when swimming a jig. Vital stuff to understand and applicable to everything from flipping and pitching to swimming a crappie jig. 

 

Ive always found the right fall rate, swimming speed and depth control to be far more important than things we obsess over like color. 

I'm on the other camp. The less you think about it and let it happen, the more you will get to the desired effect. Geese navigate expertly, and draft behind each other forming echelons, even taking turns at the front in order to successfully migrate, haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure none have degrees, understand aerodynamics, or attended fighter pilot school. All Ravens are black. Or are they? Now I gotta go stare at one of those Mandelbrot set colidascope thingies...

[BobP]

Like NHbull said, you need to dial down the scope of your research and pick a smaller topic or you will be overwhelmed.  I could see a 100 page master’s thesis written just about the physics of casting distance.  Fishing info is chock full of anecdotal information based on personal experience, which is not a reliable basis for drawing scientific conclusions.  It may be interesting.  It might even be correct.  But it ain’t science.

[Ratherbfishing]

To warm up your audience, tell them this joke:

 

Did you hear about the nuclear physicist who went on vacation?  He put a sign on his door which said "Gone Fission."

[The Bassman]

A body at rest tends to stay at rest and a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Now there's a physics lesson to apply with winter coming. 

[Pro Logcatcher]

Do the speed of the lure flying at my face when I set the hook on a rock. 

[BCline]

You could look at wind speed and direction as a function of the speed of lure fall for common plastics with varied slip weights.  I am certain I get more hits on the fall when fishing a cross-wind than during a head or tail wind due to this effect.