| Subject: Regs, What Fish See |
Author:
Randy Jones
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 06:46:45 04/26/01 Thu
Im writing you to discuss a fish's visual cone in slow, deep, clear water and how it is enhanced to a point where a 4 foot tippet would not be applicable. There by
excluding myself and many other ethical anglers form fishing certain area's.
As an angler and guide on the Salmon River who helps teach countless anglers how to fish correctly, I feel the 4 foot tippet law would exclude myself and other
anglers, guides from fishing certain area's where the fish tend to become educated and equate wieght-main line with a negative reaction. These are area's where the
water is deep, clear and slow and their visual cone is so great that a six to eight foot leader is more applicable. Some of the pools on the Salmon River are as long as
a football field and 200 feet wide which only enhances the clarity of the water and the fish's field of vision.
HOW FISH SEE
Books of interest:
Through the fish's Eye
or
Dry Flies by L.T. Threadgold
or
What Fish See
or
The Trout and the Fly
Some high lights from different books and studies to help all of you understand what a fish can see. This is not rocket science or something new or made up. This
information has been around a long time. I feel some of you in favor of a 4 foot tippet or less have not realized that many of us fish deep, slow, clear water over
educated fish. I hope the below helps.
Vision is an important sense for fish particularly predators such as trout which must be able to catch active prey and to separate prey items from debris passing by
them in the current. However the properties of water are such that fish see very differently to terrestrial animals and have adapted their vision to the underwater
conditions.
Different types of vision are needed for differing situations. The eyes of a trout are situated on the side of the head which give it a large field of monocular vision
(approximately 160 degrees) on either side of its body.
Like our eyes, fish eyes have a cornea, an iris, a lens, and a retina full of rods and cones, but many functions of the fish's eye are modified to deal with a water
environment. and produce excellent underwater vision. Trout are extremely sensitive to movement which is reflected in the large numbers of rods found in the retina.
Although naturally farsighted, fish vision has a good depth of field being able to focus on near and far objects simultaneously. It is likely however that due to diffusion
of light by the water and the presence of suspended particles that fish are unable to see further than 20 feet or so even in ideal conditions
Another factor to take into account particularly for fishermen is the fact that the deeper the fish is the more it can see.
In rivers where the current is strong a fish may have only a very short period of time in which to decide whether an item is food or an inanimate object. It also
explains why it can be so difficult to catch trout on artificial flies in slow, deep, still water.
Unlike humans, fish do not have general binocular vision, but they do have nearly complete peripheral coverage in separate visual fields of 180 degrees.
The most curious thing about a fish's sense of sight has less to do with the animal's physiological capabilities than the the physical properties of light and water.
Probably few fishermen understand that the unique interplay of light and water gives the fish an interesting visual advantage.
A fishes world is indeed an interesting place to survive and attempt to find food. Very much like the outfielder I mentioned above. He must be shagging grounders
(nymphs on the bottom), line drives (nymphs and fry in mid-stream current), long fly balls (nymphs emerging), and moon-balls (flies directly overhead). A fish gets
very used to how things should be, but will investigate odd things occasionally. I have seen them remove objects, out of a redd for instance, just to get it out of there.
Steelheaders benefit from this action often.
If, in a restaurant, the waiter brought a steak to your table, but the meat was floating eight inches above the plate, you would think perhaps something might be
wrong. So it is with an improperly presented streamer, nymph or dry fly. Fish live by getting it right, all the time, every time. J. Castwell
Sensory structure and physiology, as well as taxes and more complex behaviors, are usually quite similar in different species within the same genus or family. This
similarity reflects the fact that these biological attributes were inherited by this closely related group of species from a common ancestor, and that, for most of these
attributes, little divergence has occurred.
Through conditioning experiments and other behavioral and physiological research, we have determined that these fishes seem to have sensitivity across a broad
range of wavelengths in the visible spectrum.
The pupil of the trouts eye has a slightly triangular shape that enhances its forward vision.
Within their forage territory, they feed on drifting invertebrates, primarily insects, by visually spotting and approaching the prey as it drifts through their territory.
It can be very difficult for a fish to sort out a meaningful visual image from the excessive background visual stimulation unless the source of the visual image is very
close to the fish or the water is very clear.
The visual field of a trout is quite a bit wider than ours, because our eyes are directed forward and those of a fish are directed to the sides. Most fishes have a visual
field that is nearly hemispherical on each side, it extends almost all the way back to their tail.
Fish eyes, because they are directed to the sides, are well situated for wide fields of view underwater.
Dependence upon sight varies among fishes, and a general clue to the use of the eye is its relative size. Sight-feeding diurnal fishes such as trout and bass have
prominent eyes with a diameter equal to about one fifth or one sixth the length of the head.
Experimental study has credited many fish species with exceptionally acute vision and a good ability to recognize a variety of shapes.
I sincerely hope that this information will help in your decision's regarding this proposal.
Just about any species of fish, anywhere in the world is easier to catch when disguising what your lure, bait or fly is tied to. Having guided for 20 years for many
different species of fish, I have a very clear and precise understanding of the above statement, especially when it relates to educated fish.
Disguising what your fly, bait is tied to is done in two ways. Lengthening it - to separate your main line, weight form your fly, bait, lure or by thinning the diameter of
your fluorocarbon - mono leader. I change my leader length and diameter numerous times through out the day depending on the following simple equation.
1. Fast, turbulent, off color water, uneducated fish (lower river), or a short drift (pockets) equals a shorter - heavier pound test leader. (2-3 feet) In this equation the
fish's visual cone is small and main line and weight are not a critical factor.
2. Slow, deep, clear water, educated fish and a longer drift equals a longer leader (6-8 feet) and also a smaller diameter leader. In this equation the fish's visual cone
is so large that weight and main line become a critical factor and need to be disguised.
Sometimes I change the color, weight, egg sack, fly, size of hook, length of leader and pound test in each location we stop at.
Here is what many other concerned anglers (fly/spin), guides, New England buisness owners and myself stand for.
1. C and R
2. 1 fish limit
3. Enforcement of the laws that are on the books and any that are added.
4. Outlaw J-plugs on the river totally.
5. If a leader law was enacted we would be in favor of a 2-8 foot leader.
In closing I would say a 6-8 foot leader used in the wrong type of habitat would catch you less fish then a 2 -3 foot tippet. And also just the opposite. Simple, nuff
said.
If nothing else comes of this at least the powers that be, will have a refreshed idea on what the majority of sportsman want. No J-plugs,
Enforcement, 1 Fish limit.
Sincerely,
Randy Jones
---------------------------
To voice your concern, email or call all of the below:
Regional Director
Ken Lynch 315-426-7403 kplynch@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Les Wedge 607-753-3095 Ex 212 lrwedge@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Fran Verdoliva 315-298-7605 fjverdol@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Dan Bishop 607-753-3095 Ex 203 dlbishop@gw.dec.state.ny.us
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 