There are a lot of conversations and opinions on the topic of fish vision, and there are even very interesting publications by authoritative experts. The fact that fish perceive ultraviolet rays as colors, distinguishing them from others, is already a proven fact. If we remember that ultraviolet penetrates deeper than other rays, it turns out that fish eyes are able to identify most geometric shapes. The choice of food baits by fish is significantly influenced by their shape and color. But if the shapes are more or less clear, it’s enough to find out what kind of forage fish is present in the reservoir, then how to choose the right color of the bait is a little more complicated. To think about this topic, here are a few tables from research by American experts.
How water depth affects the % visibility of baits with several contrasting colors. 
How water depth affects the visibility of different lure colors 
Comparison of color visibility in calm and waves 
Best Lure Color Selection for Use in Dirty Water 
If you believe these studies, in a nutshell, fish see better in descending order of depth in blue, light blue, charteuse, yellow and combinations with contrasting colors. But if you haven't noticed that the white (eyes) looks increasingly noticeable at all depths. White is actually a great color for many lures!
And here are Scandinavian surveys in the Baltic waters and a visual photo of the visibility of different and even well-known colors of baits at depths of up to 6 m, taken under normal lighting conditions. I apologize for the quality of the photo, I took it from a magazine there, it is exactly the same... You yourself understand that the color pictures would change if they were taken in the same way different conditions transparency or, for example, when the sea is rough.
In any case, for those who fish or are planning to go fishing in the Baltic, it would be useful to take a closer look, I assure you it will help with the choice of bait...
And one more useful picture from the Internet on the topic of vision of fish, specifically pike....
It is believed that among vertebrates, all bony fish, bright colors often rival the colors and plumage of tropical birds, some amphibians (tropical frogs, toads, axolotl) and reptiles (agama, turtles, lizards, geckos, snakes).
A number of patterns in the functioning of the color receptor were studied specifically in the study of the retina of fish (very similar to the retina of primates) and reptiles, and not on the retina of humans. Previously, work on the study of color vision in fish was carried out using multi-colored feeders, colored stripes, etc. Then, special spectrophotometric equipment came to the aid of ichthyologists, which immediately confirmed that fish really distinguish colors! Moreover, the color of surrounding objects is important for fish. Therefore, from a scientific point of view, those fishermen who claim that, for example, the color of fishing line or bait is not important for fish, are fundamentally mistaken!
Although not only fishing enthusiasts, but also scientists are not entirely unanimous in their assessment of the color vision of fish. Some researchers have found that fish perceive color in exactly the same way as humans (only fish, unlike us, do not know that red is red, etc.). And another part of the researchers believes that fish have an even greater range of perceived color waves compared to humans! So, no matter how fishermen try to choose the ideal color of the bait, the human eye is still no match for a fish’s and, perhaps, we do not perceive the most optimal and attractive color for fish at all...
Fish of some species can perceive polarized light, which contains ultraviolet rays; many birds and insects perceive such light, but humans do not notice it. But this is very useful for fishing practice important point. Let's remember what polarized light is? Normally, natural light waves oscillate in all directions, but often, after reflection from some surfaces, most of the light radiation oscillates in one direction, such light is called polarized in that direction. So far, there are preliminary studies that in turbid water, perches (experiments were carried out on largemouth bass) can see objects at a distance three times greater than the human visibility zone!
It should be noted that not all fish are able to see polarized light. In fish that do not have this feature, the visibility range and ability to distinguish colors in muddy water is approximately the same as for humans - about 40 cm in muddy water. And if a fish distinguishes polarized light, then its visibility zone in muddy water can exceed one and a half meters! Moreover, fish that perceive the polarization of light can navigate by the sun even on cloudy days. The reason for the debate about the ability of black and yellow perch, trout and salmon to see polarized light was the ability of these fish to navigate during long-distance migrations.
Research has shown that largemouth bass see colored objects at much greater distances than humans. Fishermen have long known that predatory fish with developed vision bite perfectly on bait at night or in very turbid water. Why is this happening? Perhaps this phenomenon is associated with the ability of perch to determine the polarization of light? If so, this would explain why perch find prey in unfavorable conditions. It has been proven that the green sunfish sees polarized light. And the structure of the black perch's eye is similar to the structure of the sunfish's eye. We have little information, but perhaps pike perch also have the ability to perceive polarized light. And, for example, pike and some other fish have a different eye structure, but they can also determine the polarization of light. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have designed a device that uses polarized light to locate objects in murky water. But research into the ability of fish to perceive colors, polarized light, and ultraviolet rays is technically difficult to implement. We don't expect evidence to emerge soon about whether fish see ultraviolet, polarized light, etc.
What color of fishing line is better to choose?
However, many manufacturers of fishing lures claim that their products reflect ultraviolet and polarized light. Such statements play a role when anglers use transparent fishing lines, which often act as a kind of light guide. So far there is little information, but most likely various perch should respond to “reflective” baits and fishing lines. different fish, salmon, trout and many other fish species, which have so far been little examined in this regard.
Well, now we will analyze specific colors and the attitude of fish to them in order to make the problem of choosing the color of the fishing line less painful... We must take into account that representatives of the Pisces class have significant morphological and anatomical differences among themselves, including in the structure of the visual analyzer (in other words, in the structure of their eyes). So, fish “generally” see colors, but compared to humans, their eyes are more sensitive to warm colors, that is, yellow, orange and red. And if you are going to attract fish with the color of the bait, then these colors are, of course, welcome. But a fishing line of this color will simply scare many fish. Here the color of the surrounding background also plays a role in fish, just like with us, the red fishing line will merge with the reddish surroundings, for example, in reservoirs where timber rafting is carried out, or on peat lakes. It should be clarified that everything written concerns primarily freshwater fish, since for marine fish the color of the fishing line is much less important.
In freshwater bodies of water, red, yellow and orange fishing lines are clearly visible to fish even in very turbid water, since the red-yellow color corresponds to light with a longer wavelength and is less scattered by turbidity (suspension) particles. Green, blue, bluish fishing lines are less noticeable, since, depending on the illumination of the reservoir, they often merge with the water and the sky reflected in it. Fish, as a rule, are less wary of such colors and will pay less attention to your fishing line. But this applies to pelagic and coastal fish. If you fish at great depths, where there is little light, then any line there will be less noticeable, and this must be taken into account. The perception of red fishing lines by fish extends to approximately a depth of 5 m. According to ichthyologists, a white fishing line will be clearly visible to fish both at depth and at the surface; this color frightens fish, and they can identify it perfectly. The only exceptions are very cloudy days.
The next factor that you need to pay attention to when choosing the color of the fishing line is the season. In winter, in reservoirs that are covered with ice, the vision of fish is more sensitive to multi-colored and bright fishing lines. And in the open water season, in conditions of poor visibility (cloudy weather, muddy water, etc.), fish are well attracted by any light and bright bait, but such a fishing line is scary. Thus, in winter season, taking into account the peculiarities of the color vision of fish, a regular monofilament fishing line, transparent, colorless or slightly bluish, would be preferable. With such a fishing line in winter, you will most likely catch perch, roach, and silver bream.
If you are going to catch fish that live at greater depths (for example, pike perch), then for them braided line(excluding bright fluorescent) will not be noticeable. In summer, conditions are more varied, and it is difficult to give clear recommendations on the choice of fishing line color. In summer, the fishing line is selected based on the color of the water of the reservoir, the presence of vegetation, the color of the bottom, etc. In muddy water, the color of the fishing line is not decisive for camouflaging the gear, but this is not always an axiom. Therefore, in the summer, be sure to focus on the specific fish you are going to catch.
So. bream and other shy fish will take the bait more easily if the fishing line is transparent and colorless (but does not transmit light from the surface of the water). Dark fishing lines in muddy or cloudy water are hardly noticeable for ide, silver bream, white bream, perch and some other fish. And for fishing for carp and carp, a dark, even black color of fishing line is preferable!
These were all peaceful fish, which are more sensitive to color perception in general and fishing line in particular. Although visual acuity itself is predatory fish an order of magnitude higher. But here other biological laws already come into force, primarily different feeding strategies, when “peaceful” fish have the opportunity to examine their prey, while predators are more spontaneous, moreover, they are less timid and cautious. That is, when catching predatory fish, you may not choose the colors of the fishing line so carefully, but only if you are not looking for asp (except for periods of fattening). This cautious fish has very sharp eyesight, and the asp can be caught only with the thinnest fishing lines that do not stand out in color against the background of the reservoir.
Ichthyologists have found that pike perch perfectly recognizes and identifies all objects of yellow color (and most likely colors of a similar spectrum), so when catching this fish, avoid yellow fishing lines, even on reservoirs with a yellow sandy bottom. Another important point for both predatory and peaceful fish. Regardless of the color of the fishing line, it is important that it does not reflect the sun's rays in the water and does not scare away the fish. It would seem. Transparent fishing lines, which are ideal from the point of view of being invisible to fish, on the contrary, can frighten them with their reflection of light from the surface of the water. That is, on bright and especially sunny days, the transparent fishing line acts as a light guide, which is very sensitive to the vision of fish of almost all species.
Now the Japanese have begun to produce transparent fluorocarbon fishing lines that have a refractive index similar to the refractive index of water (for example, fishing lines from Kureha). These monofilaments are practically invisible to most fish. The dark (more like nickel-black) color of some fishing lines (for example, Nexave Extra strong from Shimano) also helps to get rid of the “light transmission” of the fishing line. However, they will be clearly visible to fish in clear water in the coastal zone and near the surface, but for deep fishing this is a very good option. In addition to color, the diameter of the fishing line is also important for the visual perception of fish. The rule here is this: the thinner the line, the less the fish eye notices it.
We must not forget that coloring affects the strength of the fishing line. The most difficult color in this regard is black. Therefore, when choosing black fishing lines, try not to save money, but to buy proven products from well-known manufacturers. Unfortunately, so far ichthyologists have studied the color spectra of a limited number of fish (and most of the species studied in this regard are very exotic for us). So the recommendations of our scientists are often based on fishing experience too. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the color of the fishing line, comparing and analyzing factors such as season, lighting, color background of the reservoir and bottom.
Although their sensory experiences are different from ours, they are no less interesting and varied than those of higher vertebrates. And, of course, the full development of these organs is associated with the fish’s habitat - water.
1. Vision.
The importance of vision is not so great in aquatic inhabitants compared to terrestrial ones.
It's connected Firstly, with the fact that with increasing depth the illumination decreases significantly, secondly, very often fish are forced to live in conditions of low water transparency, thirdly, the aquatic environment allows them to use other senses with much greater efficiency.
Almost all fish have eyes located on both sides, which provides them with panoramic vision in the absence of a neck and, as a consequence, the impossibility of turning the head without turning the body. Low elasticity of the lens makes fish myopic and they cannot see clearly at long distances.
Many species have adapted their vision to highly specific living conditions: coral reef fish have not only color vision, but are also able to see in the ultraviolet spectrum; some fish that collect food from the surface of the water have eyes divided into two halves: the upper one sees what is happening in the air, the lower one - under water, in fish living in mountain caves, the eyes are generally reduced.
2. Hearing.
Oddly enough, fish have well-developed hearing, despite their lack of external signs. Their hearing organs are combined with the balance organs and are closed sacs with otoliths floating in them. Very often the swim bladder acts as a resonator. In a dense aquatic environment, sound vibrations travel faster than in air, so the importance of hearing for fish is great.
It is a well-known fact that fish in water hear the footsteps of a person walking along the shore.
Many fish are capable of making various purposeful sounds: rubbing their scales against each other, vibrating various parts of the body and thus carrying out sound communication.
3. Smell.
The sense of smell plays a significant role in the life of fish.
This is due to the fact that odors spread very well in water.
Everyone knows that a drop of blood falling into the water attracts the attention of sharks located several kilometers from this place.
In particular, salmon going to spawn use their sense of smell to find their way home.
Such a subtle sense of smell is developed in fish due to the fact that the olfactory bulb occupies a significant part of their brain.
4. Taste.
Flavoring substances are also perfectly distinguished by fish, because perfectly soluble in water. Taste buds are located not only in the mouth, but also throughout the rest of the body, especially on the head and antennae. For the most part, the taste organs are used by fish to search for food, as well as for orientation.
5. Touch.
Fish have ordinary mechanical receptors, which, like the taste organs, are located mainly at the tips of the antennae, and are also scattered over the skin. However, in addition to this, fish have a completely unique receptor organ - lateral line.
This organ, located along the middle on both sides of the body, is capable of perceiving the slightest fluctuations and changes in water pressure.
Thanks to the lateral line, fish can obtain information about the size, volume and distance to distant objects. With the help of the lateral line, fish are able to go around obstacles, avoid predators or find food, and maintain their position in the school.
6. Electrosensitivity.
Electrosensitivity is highly developed in many species of fish. It is an excellent addition to the already listed sense organs and allows fish to defend themselves, detect and obtain food, and navigate.
Some fish use electrolocation for communication, and thanks to the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field, they can migrate over very long distances.
I decided to take a look at the topics on the Internet The color of the bait or what the fish sees in the water. This is what I found, I’m putting one topic for you to review, if there is an opinion from other authors, we’ll be happy to get to know them.
What is visible in the water or does color matter?
There is probably no fisherman who would not ask himself such a question. Really, what do we know about this? Is it worth going to so much effort to accurately depict on the bait the scales, fins and various spots characteristic of the species that it is intended to imitate? If so, how and with what effectiveness does its color influence the predator’s interest in it? In other words, are the huge number of colorful artificial lures on the shelves of our fishing stores just a trap for our wallets or are they really necessary?
Each of you, dear colleagues, has probably heard the following stories: on this lake the pike takes only the yellow “wobbler”, on the other - it reacts only to the silver one, and, for example, on this section of the river the wobbler must have a blue back - to the blackback You'll never catch a decent chub here.
As a bait manufacturer, I often get asked questions in this regard and expect professional feedback. Let me comment on these stories, but from the position not of the manufacturer, but of an ichthyologist who has tested such assumptions in practice and believes that from a scientific point of view they are completely justified.
Scientists have been studying fish vision for over 100 years, and fishermen often encourage their research by providing interesting, practical information. But, nevertheless, this process is still only partially studied, and it is unknown whether the time will come when our knowledge will allow us to accurately imagine what image appears in the pike’s brain when it sees our bait.
And yet we know quite a lot about it, for example -
What happens to the light afterits penetration into the aquatic environment
Everyone knows that white light is made up of a spectrum in which specific colors correspond to waves of specific lengths. The human eye detects the following components of white light, in order from longest to shortest wavelengths: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, indigo and violet.
Light behaves differently in water and in air. Water is said to “filter light.” Firstly, you should know that light, when penetrating deep into the water, loses energy. This is due both to the reflection and scattering of part of the waves from the surface, and to their late absorption. Individual colors are absorbed as depth increases. As they penetrate into the depths of the water, warm colors fade and change to gray-black. At a depth of about 3 m, first the red color disappears, then the orange, and the yellow begins to fade quickly. At a depth of about 20 m, the yellow color looks like green-blue, and only blue, indigo and violet remain unchanged to the eye. At a depth of 40 m, violet disappears.
It should, however, be remembered that these data are approximate and relate to the waters of a crystal clear lake. Any cloudiness of the water caused by organic substances, which are often present even in clean reservoirs, as well as the ripples of the water surface dramatically change these numbers.
Light energy disappears with increasing depth, so the yellow color at a depth of 10 m is still perceived as yellow, but its intensity will be much less than at a depth of 3 m. In a clear lake at a depth of 3 m, the red color will still be noticeable, but in a muddy river it will “turn” black already half a meter from the surface.
The discussion on whether (and to what extent) the color of artificial baits affects fishing results should begin with a brief analysis of our knowledge about fish vision. I have heard many times that anglers doubt that the effectiveness of lures depends on their color. Therefore, we are interested, firstly,
Do fish see the world in different colors?
Since we already know that even dogs have great “problems” in distinguishing most colors (they see yellow and blue best), then fish, which are at a lower stage of development, most likely should not distinguish any colors . Well, this is not true at all! Ichthyological studies have irrefutably proven that most fish species distinguish all the colors that a person sees, and some even more! Of course, different species of fish have completely different abilities to distinguish colors; this also depends on the natural conditions of the habitat (water transparency and light intensity). The eye of a fish is designed similarly to the eyes of other vertebrates. The retina plays the main role in the process of vision; it contains receptors that respond to light. These are two types of photoreceptor cells that consist of so-called rods and cones. Rods receive signals of low intensity, and cones act in strong light. Cones are responsible for distinguishing colors, just like in vertebrates. Humans, for example, have three types of cones, which are responsible for recognizing the three primary colors - red, green and blue. The retina arranged in this way allows us to distinguish more than 300 thousand shades of colors.
The structure of the retina of a fish eye depends on environmental conditions.
Diurnal fish have many more cones in their retinas, so they are much better at distinguishing colors than nocturnal species. Fish that live in shallow and well-lit areas have four or even five types of cones (for example, trout), and can therefore capture more colors than humans (for example, ultraviolet light). In fish whose eyes have two types of cones, the ability to distinguish colors is correspondingly more limited (for example, pike perch).
Fish living in low light conditions have only one type of cone, their retina is characterized by large number rods and a small number of cones. For example, in burbot their ratio is 200:1. Deep sea fish, as well as some known to our anglers river species(for example, catfish) do not have cones at all. The eyes of these fish are very sensitive to light. They have little discernment of details.
The maximum sensitivity of a fish's eye to light depends not only on its species. This parameter can vary greatly within the same species when adapting to specific conditions (for example, living in the dark).
So, we found out that fish, for the most part, distinguish colors better than people. How important is this for us fishermen? In other words -
Will using baits of different colors increase the chances of a good catch?
Based on studies of the biochemical processes that occur in the retina, as well as experiments involving training fish, you can try to imagine how different fish see our baits (see figure).
In order for a predator to “buy” our bait, he must first capture this bait with his eye. To do this, it is necessary that it stands out against the background of the environment. This is especially important in low light conditions.
At great depths, where only remnants of light penetrate, white and silver will be more contrasting against a green-blue background. Good effect It is also obtained by using textured foil, which reflects the remaining light in different directions.
Surely, some special color or color combination, clearly visible, for example, against the background of a sandy bottom, will not be as clearly visible against the background of a dark bottom or at depth. And, probably, this is what we should be guided by when choosing bait, because most predators detect the presence of a potential prey not far from them precisely because they see a contrasting object that stands out against the background of the environment. This depends on several factors: time of day, type of bottom, water transparency, amount of light entering this place, etc.
As we have previously defined, color is important factor, affecting the detection of bait. Is it the most important? We must remember what fishing with artificial bait is based on.
The bait imitates the food familiar to the fish; the sight of it mobilizes a feeling of hunger in the predator. Is this the only motivation for the attack? One of the famous Polish writers (a passionate fisherman!) once wrote that some baits are so beautiful that fish, grabbing them, thus express their admiration for the skill of human hands. Fish don’t have hands, so they “applaud” with their mouths!
Whether a predator attacks the bait or ignores it is based on a number of factors. Fish evaluates the size, shape and method of movement of an object. The sound emanating from the object and its smell are also important, and quite possibly some other factors that we have no idea about. The more of these factors the predator evaluates as attractive, the more often he decides to attack the bait - that’s what matters to the fisherman.
However, we must remember what senses, besides sight, are used by the predators we are interested in. Most of them - pike, perch, asp, trout - have good visual memory. Others, such as catfish, are used for hunting more feelings. However, the sideline is very important for everyone. It is known that even the pike, which by virtue various reasons(mainly due to the human factor) is completely deprived of vision, hunts well, detecting its prey only with the help of this hypersensitive organ.
Therefore, without a doubt, the use of colored baits can help deceive a predator if fishing takes place
In clean water
Clean and well-lit water is a serious challenge for anglers who want to deceive predators with artificial baits. In this case, the color and model of the bait become even more important.
However, will success always be guaranteed to us if we choose colors depending on our own preferences? One of the American fishermen describes an interesting case of the inexplicable effectiveness of the color of oxidized lead in the clear water of a mountain stream. The fact he discovered was later investigated. It turned out that for unknown reasons, trout living in the stream saw and attacked baits of gray and lead colors that were hardly noticeable to us much better than, for example, shiny nickel or polished silver colors.
It is possible that fish see these colors completely differently than humans. This poses big challenges for bait manufacturers. It is necessary to copy the color of oxidized lead, although in principle it is not known what it should actually look like...
AND scientific research, and fishing practice show that white and transparent baits work well in clean water. Delicate shiny designs based on the use of sparkles or holographic foil work well. Perhaps this is how shiny scales are imitated. The blue color is also clearly visible to fish. Nothing surprising - for example, in the waters of the Baltic for many years, the most effective combination when hunting predators has been azure, silver and white.
So, it turns out that it is quite enough to use only the appropriate colors and their shades in order to successfully catch predators with artificial baits in clear water?
This question often arises in conversations between fishermen. Many of them believe that a hungry pike (and usually it is hungry) attacks everything that moves. When making a bait, does it make sense to pay close attention to the image of scale patterns, fins and spots characteristic of an imitation species?
It turns out that fish, which have a more complex retina than humans, have no problems recognizing even the smallest objects, and therefore our baits too. In the pike retina, for example, there is only one cone for every 3-4 large rods. This structure leads to the fact that the eye of this predator has low sensitivity to light and at the same time is able to perfectly recognize and distinguish various little things.
The low threshold of sensitivity to light intensity does not interfere with the pike, since, as we already know, it usually hunts from dawn to dusk.
But trout are not only better able to distinguish colors and the smallest details of potential victims - unlike humans, they can also simultaneously see near and distant objects, as well as distinguish colors from different distances. These data once again confirm the fact, well known to anglers, that trout is a very serious opponent. When fishing, they should carefully camouflage themselves; every careless movement on the shore usually threatens to leave them without a catch in that place.
Experiments conducted by one of the German ichthyologists, who fed small pikes with male guppies, proved that predators after short workout could distinguish victims that differed slightly in color.
Simple experience based on training fish shows that they quickly learn to distinguish basic geometric shapes. In addition, predators were interested in certain graphic patterns. These were two concentric elements with contrasting colors.
The greatest activity and even aggression was caused by a figure consisting of two concentric circles, with the inner one supposed to be darker than the outer one. But this is a typical graphic symbol of the eye!
It turned out that at the last moment before an attack, predators aim precisely at the eye of a potential victim.
This is usually due to a slight “correction” in the direction of the attack - towards the eye. In other words, the predator anticipates that at the last moment the prey will turn to the side on which the eye is located.
Nature made sure that some fish could deceive their pursuers and created a dark spot, like an “extra eye,” on the sides of the body or on the tail. So there is a rationale for putting big eyes on artificial baits. But, naturally, for fish that are active at night, such as catfish, this does not matter.
Now let's try to understand whether it makes sense to devote a lot of time and attention to the colors and patterns of our lures,
When everything turns gray
Of great importance, of course, is the maximum intensity of lighting at the time of fishing. On a cloudy day, colors fade much faster than on a sunny day. At dusk, when the light falls, the fish's eyes readjust and begin to see with rods. Colors are perceived at this time as faint shades between white and black. To attract the attention of a predator at this time of day, you need to use a color that will contrast with the surface of the water, so if you are fishing in clear water, red is the best choice.
Six years ago, my friend and I were fishing for pike in the Swedish Baltic skerries. It was a wonderful, sunny day. The fish bit well, and the attack was clearly visible in the crystal clear water. Predators attacked our jerkbaits from afar. A friend was then learning to fish with a slider and often changed baits. As a result, at the end of the day I had many more fish caught on my account.
Before evening fell, we decided to drop into a small bay between three small islands overgrown with tall pine trees. There were pikes here too. For short time I caught three pike weighing 2-3 kg. I fished with a SALMO slider in Real Perch color. When the sun went below the horizon, the bites stopped. My friend decided to try fishing with a red slider (Red Tiger). At dusk, only this color was visible from afar and made it possible to observe the work of the bait.
I probably would never have believed what happened then if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Over the next fifteen minutes my friend pulled out 7 beautiful pike weighing about 5 kg! Meanwhile, when I tried to fish with the same natural-colored bait, I didn’t even see a hint of an attack!
Fish that hunt in low light conditions - at night, in turbid water, at great depths - adapt to this in different ways.
The pike perch's eye has two types of cones. The big ones are responsible for yellow and orange, and the small ones see green. The effectiveness of these colors can be confirmed by anyone who has caught pike perch. In addition, the cones of this predator are exclusively large sizes, due to which they are the object of research by physiologists who study the process of vision not only in fish.
An additional improvement in the vision of pike perch is the layer of guanine lining the inside of the eyeball, which reflects light. Thanks to this, it passes through the cones twice, thereby enhancing the signal passing to the brain. This is why the eyes of pike perch sparkle silvery even in very dim light. A similar effect is produced by the eyes of some mammals that hunt at night.
Thanks to this eye structure, pike perch has incredibly sensitive vision and sees perfectly even in cases where other fish, not to mention people, see absolutely nothing! Anglers should remember that when fishing for this predator it is worth paying attention to the smallest details of the bait, and the best color combination is yellow-green.
A pioneer in fish vision research is Professor Dwight Burkhardt of the University of Minnesota. The professor began researching the retina of pike perch more than 30 years ago. The current created in cones under the influence of light stimuli was studied. Walleye cones, although very large, have a diameter five times smaller than a human hair. In order not to disrupt their normal functions, electrodes with a diameter of 0.0001 mm were used!
The catfish retina is structured completely differently. It has no cones at all. They use sticks exclusively, and this leads to the fact that the catfish sees bright light as white, and the rest of the illumination of the catfish’s eyes is recorded as all shades of gray.
Catfish vision, compared to human vision, is much more sensitive at low light levels. On a dark, cloudy night, the catfish can clearly see what a person can hardly see under the full moon!
Of course, all anglers know that vision is not the most important quality of these predators. They often live in very muddy and dark waters and mainly forage for food at night. During the hunt, this predator, in addition to the lateral line, also uses hearing and smell. He is attracted to all sorts of aromatic attractants and sounds. Using a noisy bait - a rattling wobbler or a popper splashing on the surface, the sound of a quok - all these are completely reasonable actions.
However, this does not mean that the color of catfish baits is not important. An excellent choice in this case is fluorescent painting. The most visible bait in the dark is the one that glows green. In normal lighting, it becomes gray-pink and looks very inconspicuous, so anglers often neglect it.
Today, many fluorescent dyes have appeared on the market. It is enough to shine a flashlight for a few seconds on a bait painted in such a way that it releases its accumulated energy for at least an hour. In addition to green, dyes of other colors appeared - blue, red, pink and yellow. It is recommended to use several colors so that you can get the most contrasting composition - for example, a green-red pattern.
Among special dyes, the best known and most popular are fluorescent dyes. It has long been known that the use of these colors significantly increases the effectiveness of artificial lures, and one of the best selling wobbler colors is the so-called Green Tiger, also known as the Fire Tiger.
However, do we know where this comes from?
The mystery of fluorescence?
Under normal lighting, fluorescent paints differ from ordinary ones in a lighter shade. They acquire their characteristics when exposed to short light waves, especially ultraviolet. They seem very bright to us, as if glowing by themselves.
Underwater, their range of action is much greater than that of other flowers. We already know that at depth only the shortest waves are active, that is, ultraviolet. The conclusion suggests itself: baits intended for fishing at great depths should be painted in “fluo”. In studies in lakes with clear water, some fluorescent colors, such as yellow and pink, were clearly visible at depths of more than 40 m!
Low-light conditions aren't just limited to depth. Morning and evening dawns, heavy cloudiness, rain and waves, muddy water - all these factors significantly reduce the amount of light thanks to which the predator sees our bait. Therefore, it is recommended to experiment with these colors precisely when other colors “turn grey”.
We started fishing with the bait that was most effective that day - SALMO Skinner 15 cm long in RGS color.
For the first hour nothing happened. The sky became overcast and dusk fell very quickly. I decided to fish with a Green Tiger colored lure. Over the next hour, I had four bites and managed to pull out two fish, including my record muskie, 131 cm long. At the same time, my colleagues who fished with the RGS color did not bite even once! The color of the GT in the approaching twilight and in the dark water of the lake, as they say, hit the bull's eye.
Maskinong 131 cm long, almost the same color,
like water (the fish’s back is blue-green),
but the fluorescent-colored bait is very visible.
On clear, sunny days and at night, using fluorescent colors does not make the slightest sense.
Additionally, research has shown that the colors that are most visible from long distance underwater, it is yellow and green fluo. This happens because usually the water in a river or lake is green-yellow, and fluo flowers have a slightly longer wavelength than ordinary ones. And fishermen noticed that in conditions of intensive feeding of predators, fluo baits are inferior to baits of natural colors.
As a result, we can draw the following practical conclusion. To lure a predator from a long distance, you should use fluo-colored bait. What, however, needs to be done so that a predator lured from afar, say, by the color fluo yellow and seeing the bait up close, does not hesitate to attack? The easiest way out is to use a natural pattern on the body of fluorescent baits. Therefore, the Hot Perch color is a record holder, regardless of the body of water in which it is used. However, do we know the reasons why fluorescent colors have such an effect on predators? After all, it is very difficult to find forage fish in nature with a similar coloring. An explanation for this phenomenon may be the imperfection of human vision.
As I mentioned earlier, humans see far fewer colors than predators. The fluorescent dye is found in the blood of vertebrates. This fact is used, for example, in forensic science to detect distant blood stains using a UV emitter. It has long been known that predators are very sensitive to traces of blood in their environment. Perhaps they notice it not only with the help of smell. There is a theory according to which this is precisely the magnetic effect of fluorescence.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we can confidently state that the color of the baits we use undoubtedly matters. This is also important in cases where we catch even fish that are not very picky in this regard or those that do not distinguish colors. Several conclusions emerge that I hope will help you choose the right bait and thus improve your catches.
The key to success is the bait's ability to attract the attention of a predator. For a predator to notice the bait from a long distance, a more important factor than its color is its contrast, that is, its difference from the background of the environment.
Most predators watch the surface of the water when hunting, so it is often important how the color of the bait contrasts against its background.
To increase contrast, a combination of contrasting colors helps - black and white, yellow and black, red and white.
Increase the contrast of your lure in muddy water and decrease it by using natural-colored lures in clear water.
Don't forget about black, which is probably the most contrasting of all colors regardless of conditions.
When fishing at night, you should use baits painted with luminescent paints, i.e. accumulating light (for example, using a hand-held flashlight) and visible at any depth.
And finally, the last and most important conclusion. Remember that the most important factor influencing the effectiveness of a bait is not its color, but the correct presentation and wiring, and in general, your theoretical knowledge and practical skills!
Piotr Piskorski: “This pike vomited a couple of fresh herrings into the boat.
Now it’s clear why she grabbed the silver holographic imitation.”
This question is perhaps eternal for those who like to fish. Countless studies have already been carried out, many guesses have been made, many opinions have been listened to, but still no one can definitely answer this question... Except for the fish itself, but it wets :)
Some people believe that the color of the bait in fishing is not at all important, since the fish only reacts to its movement. However, I believe that, regardless of whether it is trout or perch, every fish can distinguish colors to some extent. And I found confirmation of this on the Internet. And it’s not without reason that baits are made in such a wide color spectrum.
So, do trout see colors?
(This time we will talk about the color of the bait, but fishing success, of course, depends not only on this parameter)
What is important to know about color
There are, in my opinion, 3 important points when choosing the color of the bait.
FISHING CONDITIONS
The bait will not reveal all its qualities in neutral conditions - while you are holding it in your hands. The fun begins when you use Primaka in action. Depending on the degree of transparency of the water, the weather and even the place where you are fishing, it will manifest itself in different ways. Of course, with a fishing method in which you need to attract fish with movement, you don’t need to worry too much about which color to choose. However, if you fish, for example, with a spinning rod in reservoirs, or trolling in a lake, then, of course, color plays an important role.
(When trolling fishing (and for any fishing), color does not play a dominant role; you should also take into account the material from which the rod is made, the type of bait, etc.)
WHAT COLOR FISH SEES MOST
Water is said to “filter light.” As they penetrate into the water column, warm colors fade and change to sulfur-black. That is, color in different layers of water will be perceived differently. For example, the red color in shallow water will be the red we are familiar with, but at depth the same color will be perceived as black.
It should also be remembered that the perception of the color of a particular fish depends on the environment in which it lives. Either these are fish that live in conditions of good lighting, which distinguish colors well, or fish that live in the dark - their eyes are more sensitive to light, which means they are less able to discern details.
(Here you should also pay attention not only to the color of the bait, but also to its shape and movements)
ANYWHERE WITHOUT UV rays!
Recently, the topic of ultraviolet radiation and its importance in the life of fish has come up more and more often in fishing literature. And for good reason!
Going a little off topic; Have you ever wondered why the water in the sea is blue?
Sunlight is known to consist of seven colors of the rainbow. The sun's rays, penetrating through the water, are scattered and absorbed. The first to be scattered are the short-wave violet, blue and cyan rays of the solar spectrum, which are weakly absorbed by water.
Green and yellow rays, which have a longer wavelength, penetrate somewhat deeper, while orange and red rays go completely into the depths, being strongly absorbed by water and almost not scattering in it. That is why in clear weather we see the water surface blue or light blue.
Fish are able to see ultraviolet light, which means that a bait that reflects it will be more noticeable to it and, quite possibly, more attractive. This is where science comes into play and does not stand still! Thanks to many years of research, it was possible to create the so-called keimura effect (approx. Translation: This is more popular in Japan than in Russia). Having coated the bait with varnish with this effect, when it gets into the water it instantly turns bright blue due to the polarization of light in the water.
External conditions, fishing conditions and, of course, ultraviolet rays are what I pay special attention to when choosing the color of the bait. However, even taking these factors into account, the fish may ignore it.
Trout doesn't see color, but feels it?
Drawing a conclusion from the above, I thought: “maybe the fish does not see color, but feels it?”
Of course, you can do a lot of research and experimentation, looking for the “perfect” color for a particular fish, but think logically, the fish does not think every time “oh, this is the color I like. I’ll go eat.” Still, the fish relies more on its instincts.
KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Of course, this phrase does not apply to professional fishermen, but for amateur fishermen I advise you to worry less about calculations, such as “here it is better to use such and such a color” or “what color is more attractive to fish?” Take note of the tips that are decrees above, but you should not give them priority attention :)
