To Be Seen Or Not....??

[Crow Horse]

While fishing I've always felt most comfortable blending in with the environment. Being that I'm in a yak (sit in) I'll choose my camo top of the day depending on the weather and how I plan to fish my local pond. My yak is OD and overall, I blend in pretty well. Sometimes so well that my GF on the other side of the pond (14 acre) can't see me. Either way, I'll continue to do the same but was wondering if others feel the need to blend in....

[tracker01]

I would say no. To me it’s a safety issue. If your GF has a problem seeing you sometimes, how about a first responder.

[Paul Roberts]

Absolutely. But, not necessarily bc the fish might see me. I simply do not want to leave so much as a track.  

 

As to the bass, they see everything anyways. They are hyper-aware, but alarming them enough to affect your fishing is entirely contextual. Fish are pretty sophisticated critters. They know their waters very well, and are hyper-vigilant both for food, and for predators. This near-dichotomy essentially runs their lives. At least the parts anglers are mostly interested in.

 

 

[Crow Horse]

33 minutes ago, tracker01 said:

I would say no. To me it’s a safety issue. If your GF has a problem seeing you sometimes, how about a first responder.

Both of us have 2 way radios, so if she can't see me she can always shout me on the radio. I'm not sure in what context you mean regarding first responders. Can you expand on this?

[N Florida Mike]

I wear a blue shirt on a sunnier day, and gray shirt on cloudier days. I dont know if it helps but it seems to. I also try not to fish with the sun at my back unless its a bait that will cast a long way.

I really want a couple of blue and gray camo type shirts.

[Darren.]

Not me. I'd rather be seen when on the water when kayaking.

But you're on a small body of water, I'm not so sure it matters

much there. But even on the reservoirs I fish - electric only - I'd

rather be seen than not seen. Guess it's in-grained safety switch

hard-wired into my brain  .

[Scott F]

I’m not sure a kayak, no matter how it’s colored, is going to sneak by a bass unnoticed. 

[TnRiver46]

I just grab whichever shirt I see first laying on the bedroom floor........

[Harold Scoggins]

For the most part, glitter boats stay away from me. Although, I'm not sure why.

[Glaucus]

Some fishermen: fluoro, camo, walk around the pond hunting wabbits 

 

Other fishermen: braid with no leader, using the atrocity that is the Tokyo rig 

 

Everyone catching fish. 

 

Moral of the story : doesn't matter it's in your head

[scaleface]

I had big un-pressured smallmouth follow my canoe around like dogs . After introducing them to fishing pressure that type of behavior stopped . 

[Crow Horse]

I have a copy of "What Fish See" and although I haven't read it in it's entirety, I might add another dimension to this...

 

[Bluebasser86]

I have a bright chartreuse shirt that says "If you can read this, you're fishing too close", in big, bold, black lettering. Also wear black, and orange shirts pretty often. I don't really put much thought into it. 

[Choporoz]

My PFD is yellow.  I always fly an orange flag and/light from my yak and I only use paddles with bright white or yellow blades. 

[Crow Horse]

I should have been clearer. Safety first, always. But when safety won't be an issue, maybe a stealthy approach could be advantageous.... I always felt more comfortable in doing so.....

[WRB]

If the lake or pond is remote you want to blend in, on a public reservior blending in could get you run over, it can be dangerous in a white bass boat at times! Clothing I wear what is comfortable and SPF 50 unless it's raining, then my outer wear is navy.

Tom

[MassYak85]

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

If the lake or pond is remote you want to blend in, on a public reservior blending in could get you run over, it can be dangerous in a white bass boat at times! Clothing I wear what is comfortable and SPF 50 unless it's raining, then my outer wear is navy.

Tom

x2, usually in my Yak I am fishing remote ponds with very few motor boats. But on larger lakes I have a neon orange flag sticking up behind me for safety reasons. 

[BoatSquirrel]

All of us old deer hunters know camo is IMPORTANT!

[deadadrift89]

2 hours ago, Crow Horse said:

I should have been clearer. Safety first, always. But when safety won't be an issue, maybe a stealthy approach could be advantageous.... I always felt more comfortable in doing so.....

I use to do same when going in my canoe, mostly white or blue shirts. But after owning two different  red bass boats and a white center console I don't think it makes any difference. I fish muddy to gin clear water and it doesn't seem to change my catch rate using canoe vs red bass boat. Fish can see you quicker standing on deck vs sitting in canoe/yak but at casting distance to bass it makes no difference in my opinion. Off topic regarding safety I was coming back to ramp in dark after sunset and two yaks were in middle of lake with no lights never saw them until right on them, thankfully I wasn't running and just at idle or it could've been tragic--something that still scares me.        

[Gundog]

I don't prescribe to the adage of blending in. I have had bass follow my canoe, swim right towards my canoe and I have even caught bass directly under my canoe in gin clear water. Sight fishing works well and if you can see them, they can see you. 

[NYWayfarer]

When Kayaking I want to be seen by other boaters. My kayak is lime green, rods are bright colors as well as my paddle. I have a ultra loud whistle around my neck for colorblind boaters. Bright unnatural colors have had no effect on my fishing while kayaking in gin clear waters. I have had Bass chase lures right to the side of my kayak.

 

Bank fishing I wear colors that blend into my surroundings as I have spooked shallow Bass at times. I think it was from noise and vibration from my walking more than what I was wearing.

[JustJames]

As a lot mentioned, for safety purposes I wear bright color long sleeves shirt when im in water, because I share water with all those speed boats. 

When blank fish I also where color (a lot of color from blue, green, yellow, red you name it just to be in fashion ?. ). The color I don’t wear is black or nevy blue.

[Catt]

6 hours ago, tracker01 said:

I would say no. To me it’s a safety issue. If your GF has a problem seeing you sometimes, how about a first responder.

 

My thoughts exactly!

 

I've been involved rescue searches, I've pulled guys out of the water after wrecking, flipping, or sinking, I pulled a guy out of the water after being thrown from a bass boat & ran over by said bass boat, the damage from a prop is unimaginable, & I've pulled a dead body out after it been underwater 3-4 days.

 

It would be nice if y'all would help make it easier!  ?

 

[tracker01]

13 hours ago, Crow Horse said:

Both of us have 2 way radios, so if she can't see me she can always shout me on the radio. I'm not sure in what context you mean regarding first responders. Can you expand on this?

The people called upon to preform a water rescue.

[fishwizzard]

I want to be as visiable as possiable. It helps that Chartreuse Green is my favorite color, so that’s the color I picked for my yak and starting next season, my pfd.   My paddle has orange blades and if I ever rememeber I will put reflective tape on it.