Fishing Report 1/27 And 1/28

[Indiana Trout]

Quick question........What is the deal with night fisherman and red headlamps in the outlets? I have been told that the fish are accustomed to seeing standard white lights as a sign of a fisherman. I can understand this. I just seem to be seeing more and more fisherman fishing with red headlamps on instead of off. Simple explanation?

-Jerod

Red light helps preserve night vision. Your eyes adapt to dark quicker.

[Micheal Kyle]

He is talking about leaving the red light on while you fish. I would like to know the answer to this as well. But yes you are right about preserving your night Vision. I used to use a blue and a red light for night time but my Vision went south and now I still cant see at all when it is on. Thats why I went to the light that I now have the Princeton Tec apex it is bright. I am sure you guys have seen me down there when I have it on.

If they are trying to sight fish at night wouldn't that be A little on the un ethical side. I would think that would think that would be like spot lighting deer.

Plus on the indicator I can see where they would need to see them. But everybody that I know uses a glow stick with them.

Any body else have any thoughts about this.

Michael

[jscheetz]

Simple explanation to me is something that I have brought up here before. With the red light on it doesn't bother anyone, but they can see you. When it is dark you can't see where everyone is like in the daytime and there is nothing worse than walking all the way down to the big hole and finding 10 people there. So for guys like me who can't see in the dark, I am grateful when someone flashes a light occasionally so I can see where to go. This didn't used to be a problem, but this fall there were nights that seemed almost as crowded as normal days used to be.

JS

[Flextime]

Have also heard that fish don't see the red spectrum of light as easily....??

Any fish optometrist out there to verify?

[Micheal Kyle]

yes you are right fish can not see the red light.

this past fall several nights looked like a christmas tree.

[Thom]

Red light has the longest wave length and is the easiest to be dissapated by water.....the deeper the better.

Water absorbs light energy, the longest wavelengths go first: red, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Thus red is good camouflage. In deep water or at night, red appears gray.

The gray tends to blend into the water colors and objects.

The problem is that with the back and forth movement of the head when casting etc the reflections of the gray appears as movement and may spook fish eventually. Kind of like hearing footsteps behind us so it might be best to leave even the red lights off when possible.

As it is true that fish cannot see red light they do see the effects just as we cannot see wind we see the trees and water that is moved by the wind.

[fishmore]

I was there Sunday night and fished #2 for a short time before moving on. I use a red light but only when I change or retie. I think I changed two times.....but I'm old and slowwww. Even with the red light I still try to do as I've read on these forums, turn my back to the water and face the bank.... Sorry I didn't stick around Leonard, I was chipping ice off my rod at about 11:45 and gave it up.

gary

[Flextime]

Good answer Thom!

Do have to ask myself though (which I did following the send button on my previous post) why fish are so turned on by RED on flies and lures (blood)??

[Thom]

Good question. I use red hooks for crappie and think they are better. I am not so sure now.

Check this info from an itchyology book:

Most fish can see in color. As in people, the retina of a fish's eye contains two types of cells, rods and cones. Cones are used for day vision and are the cells used to see colors. Rods are used for night vision and cannot distinguish colors, although they can judge light intensity. The eyes of most freshwater fish contain both rods and cones, though day feeders tend to have more cones, and night feeders more rods.

In theory, then, day feeders like bass, trout, and salmon are more sensitive to color than night feeders like walleyes. Studies have shown that rainbow trout and Pacific salmon have color vision similar to that of humans. They can distinguish complementary colors and up to 24 spectral hues. Other studies have shown that brown trout are capable of sharply focusing on near and far objects at the same time and that they can clearly see different colors at different distances.

[Trav]

You have a point there Thom with browines.

In my experiance the color blue has been a key to my success. No matter how suttle.

In lower taney anyway. I even use blue sharpies to highlight my lures.