Need help with senior project!

[-nick-]

This year I'm at senior in high school and in order to graduate we have to do this huge project and this year they're letting us choose the topic as long as it "challenges" us. So I was thinking about doing it on if color really matters when it comes to catching largemouth bass. I would buy one particular worm and like ten different colors of the same worm and use each for a certain amount of time each day or something. But I also started thinking I could do one on different fish attractants. Like get 5 different fish attractants and use each for periods of time. Which one should I choose? Or is there something else better that I could do?

[BUCKEYEone]

Anytime your doing any kind of statistics or research on something like you mention, you always have to limit the outside variables.  For instance if you fish 10 different worms throughout the day, you may find those that would say "maybe you just had X color worm at the right time of the day and the color didn't matter".  Doing something like that is tough without having a control group and a plan to minimize the extraneous variables.  Tough project, but a good idea to work with!

[-nick-]

Anytime your doing any kind of statistics or research on something like you mention, you always have to limit the outside variables. For instance if you fish 10 different worms throughout the day, you may find those that would say "maybe you just had X color worm at the right time of the day and the color didn't matter". Doing something like that is tough without having a control group and a plan to minimize the extraneous variables. Tough project, but a good idea to work with!

That is what i was thinking it would have a lot of different variables such as time of day/weather/etc. etc. I think I'm just going to hope the judges aren't bass fishermen. ;D  Other than that i think if i do like 10 colors of a 7" power worm it would work. Or get like 5 different attractants use it on a plain worm such as a trick worm and do something there? I'm not sure thank you for your input though!

[Branuss04]

Breaking strenghts of fishing line.

Not sure of the correct equipment you would need but maybe get a few different brands of mono, in the same pound test and see what the actual break strenghts are.  Always thought it would be interesting to do this.  Just a thought.  Good luck on the Senior Project!!!

[Tin]

Breaking strenghts of fishing line.

x2 Your other idea is a good one but just way too many variables and fish don't always go by the book. The part about "Errors in the Experiment" in your paper could be 200 pages long.

[daviscw]

Breaking strenghts of fishing line.

x2 Your other idea is a good one but just way too many variables and fish don't always go by the book. The part about "Errors in the Experiment" in your paper could be 200 pages long.

Yeah, I was gonna say, just copy Daves!

[zbass]

Maybe the scent thing might be easier. Take two rods and cast to the ame area. Scent one bait and not the other. Which ever gets more bites. Just an idea. Good luck. I don't know if that would be "challenging" enough.

[Marty]

I think testing the breaking strength of lines is better because your conclusion would have some validity. Trying to test lures, colors, scents, etc. is near-impossible. With so many variables in fishing, how could you catch enough fish, over a long enough period of time, under controlled conditions, to draw a valid conclusion?

Besides, even if one were to attempt it, it would have to take more time than you will spend as a senior.

[-nick-]

Breaking strenghts of fishing line.

Not sure of the correct equipment you would need but maybe get a few different brands of mono, in the same pound test and see what the actual break strenghts are. Always thought it would be interesting to do this. Just a thought. Good luck on the Senior Project!!!

Yeah thats a really good idea. I just thought those others were both questions i would like to test anyways but line strength would be good too with a lot less variables to consider. I wonder what kind of materials i would need.

[Bassn Blvd]

Breaking strenghts of fishing line.

Not sure of the correct equipment you would need but maybe get a few different brands of mono, in the same pound test and see what the actual break strenghts are. Always thought it would be interesting to do this. Just a thought. Good luck on the Senior Project!!!

Yeah thats a really good idea. I just thought those others were both questions i would like to test anyways but line strength would be good too with a lot less variables to consider. I wonder what kind of materials i would need.

David just did that one and posted it here.  Maybe he can help ya.

[Mattlures]

We as bass fisherman all know color matters. Science has proven that a bass's eye hase rods and cones and can see color. However proving that 1 color workes better then another and have it be a conclusive scientific fact would just abaout be impossible with all the millions of variable. We know color matters but we realy cant prove it. Scent would even be harder to prove. I attempted similar experiments many years ago with scents and rattles at night. My results were inconclusive. Of course that doesnt mean you couldnt do it. I think it would just be very hard to prove. Anyways line strenght could easily be proved along with knot strenght. wet line vs dry live vs line left out in the sun for a week etc. I do recomend doing your scent and color experiments for your own knowledge, just not for a science project.