Bass Eyesight

[a_cajun_2]

I'm new to bass fishing and wonder if a bass can tell colors in dark or brackish water or at dusk? Is a bass attracted to a bait more on color or on sound or movement? Why will a bass hit a solid color watermellon Zoom worm but won't hit the same size Zoom with flecks of color in it?

If movement is important, is it better to slowly raise your rod to 12 o'clock and wait to take in the slack or to just slowly reel in a worm?

I see some great responses. Bass fishermen are great teachers.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

I use buzz baits A LOT during low light conditions, and personally believe sound has alot to do with drawing that bite. I find baits that squeek, gurgle and slowly crawl to get a variation. I have thrown a black squeeker for an hour, then switched to a black gurgler and gotten a bite first cast, or visa versa quite a few times.

NGaHB

[Fishing Rhino]

Movement, also known as presentation is important. However, there is no one best "movement" that fits all situations. Sometimes they want a fast retrieve, other times they want to take it on the drop, or as it sits motionless, or nearly motionless on the bottom.

The beauty of fishing is that it's like a puzzle. You need to figure out how the pieces fit together. Some days they'll hit anything while on other days they seem to have lockjaw. Every day is different. Heck, some days the fish are fickle wanting one thing now, and something else an hour from now.

[BigEbass]

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thebbz.com/articles/color%2520blind.html&sa=U&ei=cnHKTrTcOMTg0QH_xvki&ved=0CBUQFjAC&usg=AFQjCNFpjx853IDpioDXNZlkNhVyjX-Nsw

well, for me from time to time I feel as though color may matter, but in most occassions I think it is not the big driver for bass fishing success...the first things as a beginner to stress as far as variables go: location, casting angle, depth of presentation, type/speed of retrieve...then perhaps down on that hierachy you can then figure out what type of bait will do the job, then what color...(of course depending on some of the previous questions it will dictate to some degree type of bait you use)

If you are in the right spot, the right depth, the right speed or type of retrieve with a given bait, in more cases than not, you will be doing everything right to get a bite...and color likely will not be a large factor by a mile.

The trap for beginners is when you get hung up on lure selection and/or color and forget the other principles...I have only been fishing in my spare time for 3 years at this point and I STILL catch myself doing this!! I think this happens to the best of us innexperienced folks because we havent put enough time on the water and lack the confidence in choosing good fishing locations and presenations...thus the only thing us new-b's feel like we can control, is say lure color..THAT MUST be what I need to change, the purple worm to the pumpkin worm...granted sometimes that may be why we are not getting bit...but I doubt it is most of the time.

I do certainly switch up lures as I go along, but that is only after thinking about the other questions, covering those bases and just giving the bass something different at that level in hopes of that being the difference...but I suspect most of the time the color is not the difference...as I learn more about fishing, I realize more and more it is about the choice of the spot, the depth of presentation, and focusing on what kind of retrieve is doing it that day...but I am still learning and it is a struggle..

Hope these thoughts help...I think a clear mind in the beginning with a focus on simplicity as far as bait selection is key to build confidence...

[BigEbass]

"If movement is important, is it better to slowly raise your rod to 12 o'clock and wait to take in the slack or to just slowly reel in a worm?"

For me (and I will be interested to see others' responses), I get just a tad nervous with the thought of getting a bite with my rod at 12 o clock...especially if I am fishing with a low gear ratio reel..ill need to reel up slack fast and then hit them...I usually dont go much higher than 10 or 11 o-clock personally when I am doing such a retrieve. I vary up my retrieve with a worm, I will most of the time hop it a bit from 8-9 oclock up to 10-11 o clock...I may also drag it up from 9 to 11 oclock slowly...other times I may snap it up violently off the bottom 1-3 feet...and sometimes I do steady reel it on the bottom really slow...and of course let it just set there for a while from time to time...who knows what will work best on a given day.

But it is also worth mentioning about in worm/jig fishing you have to be a "line watcher"...cannot tell you how many times I didnt feel a bite, but saw that line moving a bit in one direction and that was the only indicator of a strike...I have wondered how many fish I have missed when dazing off into the horizon or something waiting for a bite, and didnt see that line move

"Why will a bass hit a solid color watermellon Zoom worm but won't hit the same size Zoom with flecks of color in it?"

Of course the question assumes causality, in many instances the cause that we may assign as such may be misplaced? I could ask the question "why will a bass hit either color on a given day"...or even different baits alltogether on a given day? I think your question is a perfectly valid one as this absolutely can happen and it does, but it is I believe in most cases the exception to the rule?

Again, I am just raising questions really for discussion rather than making strong assertions...hopefully this will generate useful discussion for us all

[Sam]

Cajun, you need to do some reading during the commercials and half times of the LSU games and I have a great suggestion for you to consider.

Dr. Keith Jones' book, Knowing Bass: The Scientific Approach to Catching More Bass, is a great read and you will learn all about your foe.

It is like what The Hat does to prepare the Fighting Tigers for their next game - he studies the opponents so he will know how to attack them. Not like the Great Satan of Bamasux who blew the "biggets game of the century so far."

The book makes a great Christmas present.

And to answer your query about bass seeing colors, etc., here is my input:

I'm new to bass fishing and wonder if a bass can tell colors in dark or brackish water or at dusk? - They see outlines and profiles. Dark colors for dirty or stained water.

Is a bass attracted to a bait more on color or on sound or movement? - In dirty or stained water the sound gets their attention but they need to see the profile to hit the bait.

Why will a bass hit a solid color watermellon Zoom worm but won't hit the same size Zoom with flecks of color in it? - Who knows? The fish can be picky at times.

If movement is important, is it better to slowly raise your rod to 12 o'clock and wait to take in the slack or to just slowly reel in a worm? - Depends on the water temperature. Cold water move the bait slow. Warmer water you can move it faster. The bass will have to tell you how they want the bait presented.

Now go and put on your purple and gold and get ready to rumble this weekend when the Hogs attack Tiger Stadium. And I hope these cheerleaders bring the Ar-Kansas football team with them, too.

[WRB]

I'm new to bass fishing and wonder if a bass can tell colors in dark or brackish water or at dusk? Is a bass attracted to a bait more on color or on sound or movement? Why will a bass hit a solid color watermellon Zoom worm but won't hit the same size Zoom with flecks of color in it?

If movement is important, is it better to slowly raise your rod to 12 o'clock and wait to take in the slack or to just slowly reel in a worm?

I see some great responses. Bass fishermen are great teachers.

1. LMB are sight feeders if the water is clear enought for them to use thier eyes to advantage.

2. Bass have a very highly developed sense of feel; they use thier lateral line like a giant ear to determine what is moving in the water within several feet. I have watched bass swim over 50 feet to look at a lure that had landed on the water surface, they didn't see it land they felt the vibrations from the water surface disturbance.

3. We don't know much in regards to how bass see colors underwater; we do know that color can be very important at times and not at other times.

4. Think of a bass as you would a cat; both are predators and react to unexpected movements. The bass either reacts instantly or you may need to tease it into striking...trail and error. A fast reaction can mean other bass are nearby and the strike is a competitive reaction.

Tom

[a_cajun_2]

Cajun, you need to do some reading during the commercials and half times of the LSU games and I have a great suggestion for you to consider.

Dr. Keith Jones' book, Knowing Bass: The Scientific Approach to Catching More Bass, is a great read and you will learn all about your foe.

It is like what The Hat does to prepare the Fighting Tigers for their next game - he studies the opponents so he will know how to attack them. Not like the Great Satan of Bamasux who blew the "biggets game of the century so far."

The book makes a great Christmas present.

And to answer your query about bass seeing colors, etc., here is my input:

I'm new to bass fishing and wonder if a bass can tell colors in dark or brackish water or at dusk? - They see outlines and profiles. Dark colors for dirty or stained water.

Is a bass attracted to a bait more on color or on sound or movement? - In dirty or stained water the sound gets their attention but they need to see the profile to hit the bait.

Why will a bass hit a solid color watermellon Zoom worm but won't hit the same size Zoom with flecks of color in it? - Who knows? The fish can be picky at times.

If movement is important, is it better to slowly raise your rod to 12 o'clock and wait to take in the slack or to just slowly reel in a worm? - Depends on the water temperature. Cold water move the bait slow. Warmer water you can move it faster. The bass will have to tell you how they want the bait presented.

Now go and put on your purple and gold and get ready to rumble this weekend when the Hogs attack Tiger Stadium. And I hope these cheerleaders bring the Ar-Kansas football team with them, too.

Thanks for your fishing input and your Geaux Tigers remarks. Both are appreciated.