Colors that Bass See?

[spiritgide]

It's a little hard to know how bass see colors, but they certainly respond to differences in color- so however they perceive it, color shades do make a difference.

And... they may be nearsighted, but I've had them spot a lure coming in the air, clear water and catch that lure before it hit the surface on many occasions.  That takes pretty good vision, not to mention fast reactions, targeting accurately while looking through the surface plane of the water and excellent timing.

By the way- water also serves as a color filter, taking out warm colors first.  By 30 ft. there is NO red left in the available light spectrum at all, regardless of water clarity.  

[RI_Bass_Guy]

Ripping a chartreuse spinnerbait just under the surface over deep water for smallie's is a standard practice in the notheast. I have won tournaments doing this.

[CraigBaugher]

First, we know without a doubt bass see color, as every study conducted in the past 8-years have clearly proven.  Berkley (fishing not the University) has funded a number of studies, with the most recent for its Crystal Line.  Now while this study was to be limited to how bass see various shades of white, those conducting the study expanded it to include color more for establishing a base.  Nevertheless, it was indicated that from this test that bass can see subtle differences in hues and that they can do this at night as well (or should I say, LOW LIGHT) conditions.

Second, http://fishingbass.home.comcast.net/images/colorband.jpg the color grid, is based on 1-foot increments.  So each box = 1-foot.  In crystal clear water color is visible to 300-feet.  From this illustration, Green, Blue, and Voilets can be seen the longest.  The color red fades out in 15-feet and its the first to wash out to BLACK.  Chartreuse is only good to 34-feet before it is totally turns black.  But in muddy water, those 1-Foot boxes = 1/4"  roughly speaking

thrid, Strike Zone distance changes based on activity.  A active bass MOVING/Cruising will strike a lure up to 30-feet.  NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! Because it is cruising, it focus is STRAIGHT AHEAD +/- 3-feet.  SO its attact CONE is 6-feet wide. An Active Bass moving slowly will attack upto 12-15-feet with a 20° attack cone.  An Active Bass sitting still strike zone is roughly 6-8-feet, but has 320° attack Cone.  Netrual bass are half the distance of an active bass.  A Negative bass, is half that, or roughly 18" 180° cone.  ANYTHING coming from behind a Negative bass will SPOOK IT!

Foruth, and this is BIG!!!  YA'LL NEED TO WRITE AND THANK BERKLEY PRODUCTS FOR ALL THE MONEY THEY INVEST IN FRESHWATER RESEARCH!!!  Because 99% of all fishing related companies DO NOT!!!

Berkley

Pure Fishing USA

1900 18th Street

Spirit Lake, IA 51360

Tel: 1.800.237.5539

Email: berkley@purefishing.com

[onebigfish]

Speaking of Berkley, there is an AWESOME book from a Berkley researcher named Keith A. Jones ( PhD ) that is related to bass and their senses.

TITLE: Knowing Bass, The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish.

I am on my second pass through the book now.

Who is Keith A. Jones, PhD???

Keith A. Jones, Ph.D. brings a unique professional perspective to the task of illuminating bass senses and behavior. For sixteen years he has studied bass intensively as Director of Fish Research at the Berkley Fish Research Center in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The Center is dedicated to the study of bass and other gamefish, most notably their attack behaviors, for the purpose of designing improved lures and baits.

What is the book about???

Bass, especially largemouth bass, are easily the single most popular freshwater gamefish in the United States. Knowing Bass is a book about the science of bass fishing, with particular emphasis on the bass itself: What bass can sense, how they use their senses to feed, how they relate to fishing lures, and ultimately how they interact with anglers. Understanding why bass behave as they do will greatly improve your chances of being a better and more successful angler, no matter your present skill level. And that's the purpose behind this book, to improve everyone's chances of success at catching bass, no matter where or how they fish.A renowned aquatic biologist and expert in the field of bass behavior, Dr. Jones has made the finest and most up-to-date scientific research accessible to everyone who loves these great gamefish. Whether you fish with bait-casting, spinning, or fly tackle, the more you know about bass, the more and bigger fish you will catch. Topics covered include bass biology; life history; the bass's organs of vision, hearing, smell, and taste, including the smells and flavors bass like-and don't like; how smell and taste control feeding behavior; the best kinds of lures to trigger the attack response in various situations; what factors will make bass strike your lures and baits - and what might make them shy away.

***DISCLAIMER: The beliefs and science-based information in this book may not necessarily be LAW...and they may not promote YOUR sponsors products...they may simply be trying to sell more Berkley products...but, who knows?

I still find the book VERY VERY informative and interesting.