Fact or Myth: Bass hate sunlight because they have no eyelids

[Tennessee Boy]

Roland Martin said in his book 101 Bass-Catching Secrets

"Bass have no eyelids, so most of the time they seek deep water in most reservoirs."

 

This is a widely held belief among anglers but is disputed by biologist.  What's your opinion on the subject?  Fact or Myth?

[roadwarrior]

Really?

 

[Russ E]

Bass are sunfish.

Here is my personal opinion

1:Bass seek shelter to avoid overhead predators.

2: Bass are ambush predators, so they stay in the shadows to hide from prey.

3: Bass prefer shallow water, but will seek deep water according to climate, prey, and cover availability.

 

deep is relative to where you are fishing. The lowland reservoirs, here in Kansas, are usually stained. I rarely fish deeper than 15 feet. I consider 20 feet deep water.

[Tennessee Boy]

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

Really?

 

It's winter isn't it.  

[MN Fisher]

I have to agree with @Russ E. As someone who studied Aquatic Biology back in college (oh those many decades ago), fish...any fish...not having eyelids makes no difference as to whether they seek the shadows to keep out of the sunlight. Their habits are based on their food preferences, seeking the shadows lets an ambush predator hide from it's prey.

[Choporoz]

41 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Roland Martin said in his book 101 Bass-Catching Secrets

"Bass have no eyelids, so most of the time they seek deep water in most reservoirs."

 

This is a widely held belief among anglers but is disputed by biologist.  What's your opinion on the subject?  Fact or Myth?

I don't have one.  Oftentimes is certainly is good to know the 'why'....in this case, how might knowing better facts on the issue improve our fishing?

[WRB]

It's a widely held belief bass vision is similar to humans, so if we need eye lids bass must need something to protect their eyes from bright sunlight. Folks forget bass live in water and are sight predators, sunlight actually gives them an advantage seeing prey.

The reason I prefer to fish in low light conditions is the bass is more likely to mistake my lure for prey.

Tom

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

so if we need eye lids bass must need something to protect their eyes from bright sunlight

Actually, the reason most land species have eyelids is for moisture control. Blinking is an automatic reflex in any animal with eyelids, to distribute moisture across the eye surface. Bass live in a liquid environment, so don't need eyelids for that purpose.

[A-Jay]

55 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Roland Martin said in his book 101 Bass-Catching Secrets

"Bass have no eyelids, so most of the time they seek deep water in most reservoirs."

 

This is a widely held belief among anglers but is disputed by biologist.  What's your opinion on the subject?  Fact or Myth?

 I am in no position to make any attempt to discount anything Roland Martin subscribes to.  

The man's reputation & tournament record speaks for itself. 

However anyone willing to look at it - my personal picture gallery contains quite a few submissions of respectable bass (both brown & green) and the sun is shining rather brightly in most all of them.

YMMV.

A-Jay

 

[WRB]

21 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Actually, the reason most land species have eyelids is for moisture control. Blinking is an automatic reflex in any animal with eyelids, to distribute moisture across the eye surface. Bass live in a liquid environment, so don't need eyelids for that purpose.

The fish eyed don't need to dilate like animals with eyelids.

Tom

[MN Fisher]

Just now, WRB said:

The fish eye need to dilate like animals with eyelids. 

Tom

That's part of the internal structure of the eye, not an external part.

 

The exterior of simple eyes (octopus through human) needs to be kept moist. For water dwelling creatures this isn't a problem. For land animals, they either need eyelids to distribute the moisture across the surface, or in the case of some lizards - like geckos - they lick their eyes to distribute that needed moisture.

[TnRiver46]

Just because fish like the dark depths doesn’t mean they hate sunshine. Where I’m at they just follow shad. A lot of folks say that fish hate sun because results can be so good in overcast rainy conditions . I usually just attribute this to incoming fronts that put fish in a feeding mood. The post front bluebird days can be tougher, probably leading people to assume that bass “hate sunshine,” where in reality, they just eat...... then rest....... then eat....... then rest. Reminds me of me 

[12poundbass]

Problem solved!

 

[Team9nine]

Has to be myth because "hate" appears to be a human evolved emotion 

[Choporoz]

4 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Has to be myth because "hate" appears to be a human evolved emotion 

My ex-wife had a Lhasa Apso that is the exception to prove that rule

30 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Just because fish like the dark depths doesn’t mean they hate sunshine. Where I’m at they just follow shad.

Do shad hate sunlight because they don't have eyelids?

[TnRiver46]

21 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

My ex-wife had a Lhasa Apso that is the exception to prove that rule

Do shad hate sunlight because they don't have eyelids?

All I can say for sure is that shad hate to be eaten! Ironic because it seems to be their sole purpose

[Mike L]

I really don't care. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike 

[scaleface]

52 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Problem solved!

 

My Mama told me the reason bass are so ornery is because they dont have sunglasses to protect those bulging eyeballs .

[12poundbass]

5 minutes ago, scaleface said:

My Mama told me the reason bass are so ornery is because they dont have sunglasses to protect those bulging eyeballs .

She's right! Does the one in the picture look ornery? Nope!

[Heartland]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

The fish eyed oesn't  need to dilate like animals with eyelids.

Tom

You are correct that fish do not need to dilate their eyes, in fact they have no pupils which is the part of the human eye that would correspond to dilation. Fish rely on different chemicals in their eyes that respond to light differently, one chemical reacts to a small amount of light and recharges slowly, this is important for night vision.  Another chemical found in the eyes of fish requires larger amounts of light and recharges quickly, this is important for color vision.

[N Florida Mike]

I dont think they avoid sunlight except that in the summer temps would have to be considerably warmer out in the open as opposed to them being under cover. Esp. in the south ! I have not caught many fish in the summer out in the open from 10-4 unless its a deep hole with cooler water. Otherwise, theyll be under cover. Cooler temps !!

[lo n slo]

5 pages minimum ?

[Sam]

Myth.

[Tennessee Boy]

I guess if fish had eyelids they could feed in the sun with their eyes closed.  What does this myth say about fishermen?  Even the great ones like Roland Martin fall for a good narrative.  His book was published in 1980 but I doubt this started with him.