Bass Eye Sight And Temp

[Blue Streak]

I was watching Bill Dance this morning and he made a statement that was all new to me. He says that a bass's eye becomes more light sensitive as the temp increases and from 75 to 90 degrees it is about 8 times more sensitive. Never heard this before.

[Sam]

Blue Streak, I heard Dance say the same thing.

I had never heard this before so I reviewed the chapter on Vision in Dr. Keith Jones' book, Knowing Bass, The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish to try to find it Dr. Jones studied and wrote about water temperatures affecting vision.

Nope. Not a word.

I will send Dr. Jones an email asking him about water temperature on bass vision and let you know what he says.

I am interested in the other members' observations on this subject.

[msolorio]

saw that episode. if Dr. Jones responds let us know what he thinks. i had no clue that happened to bass or if it actually really does.

[Blue Streak]

I think Dance might get a lot of information from Dr Jones, they were pretty tight at one time.

[WRB]

I have a great deal of respect for Bill Dance and I am sure he read or heard this "fact" somewhere.

The facts regarding how predator fish like bass actually "see" underwater is still being researched.

A lot has been written with little proven facts and a lot of unknowns to be clarified.

I also fish for marlin and tuna and the research on how these predator "see" may help lead to how bass utilize their eye sight to successfully catch prey.

Bass tend to avoid water temperatures over 85 degrees for example, doesn't contain sufficient DO levels to support them; the 90 degree part of his statement is questionable. As water get warmer over 80 degrees, it also support lots of suspended organic material that tends to cloud the waters clarity, defuses the light and that can't improve vision underwater.

If Bill is thinking the basses eyes function better and are more sensitive to light in warmer water, doesn't explain that big bass ,with long life experiences, are more aggressive sight feeders in cooler 55 to 70 degree clear water.

The first B.A.S.S. lake Mead event was won with white/nickle spinner baits in shallow clear water by John Powell, nowone believed back in those days bass would be up in gin clear "thin" water becuase the bass don't have eye lids!

The bottom line; Bill's statement isn't supported by experience or facts.

Tom