I was doing some research for an article recently and I found some fascinating information on the specifics of how stripers view their world.

Thanks to the work of Virginia Institute of Marine Science graduate student Andrij Horodysky and faculty advisor Dr. Rich Brill, we now know that the stripers has evolved to see swiftly moving prey in daylight while others, like weakfish, are adapted to see small, sluggish prey at night.

The striper’s color-sensitive cone cells move toward the surface of the retina during daylight hours, and retreat to make room for the contrast-sensitive rod cells at night. This “circadian rhythm” also changes with the seasons.

Horodysky’s research shows that striped bass are most sensitive during daylight hours to a wide range of colors from blue to red, with a peak at chartreuse. They have a flicker fusion frequency of around 50 (similar to the shutter speed in a camera), relatively fast for a fish, which allows them to track large, quick-moving prey like menhaden.

Compared to striped bass, weakfish have slow vision (around 25 cycles per second) and are more sensitive to contrast than color.

Horodysky states, “You’ve got two animals that are competing
for the same food. How do they do it? Stripers use color to see and feed during the day. Weakfish use contrast sensitivity to see at night.”

Another fascinating aspect of Horodysky’s research is that he and his collogues hypothesize that striped bass are often living in a visual world very different from the one that evolution prepared them for. History indicates that bay systems that stripers thrive in have gradually gotten murkier due to the runoff and the demise of oysters, mussels and aquatic vegetation. This means that although they are adapted to see—large, fast-moving fish like menhaden—they’re actually feeding on crabs, lobsters, and shrimp because they can find them easily in turbid water. The fact that menhaden have been over fished must enter into this equation as well.

In dark or dirty water, I always go for a chartreuse colored offering, now I know it’s effective because it's a color that is right in the middle of a striper’s visual range and it can easily be seen.

Pass me the pearl bomber.

I was doing some research for an article recently and I found some fascinating information on the specifics of how stripers view their world.

Thanks to the work of Virginia Institute of Marine Science graduate student Andrij Horodysky and faculty advisor Dr. Rich Brill, we now know that the stripers has evolved to see swiftly moving prey in daylight while others, like weakfish, are adapted to see small, sluggish prey at night.

hey mike,
anyway i can get a link or a push in the right direction to finding this research?
I would be interested to read more.:thanks:
that is very interesting about the color, i guess it plays a role more then most people thought.
For now...I'll stick to eels at night:musc:

Very interesting. Maybe I'm misunderstanding this but slow retrieves that most everyone uses may not be as effective as fast, especially during daylight hours?

I think fisherman discovered all that years ago. Maybe they don't know how to translate it into big words or explain the sceintific reasons but it seems like that isn't that big of a break through. example: isn't red & blue heads on poppers a go to color for the last 30 years now? just my .02

I think fisherman discovered all that years ago. Maybe they don't know how to translate it into big words or explain the sceintific reasons but it seems like that isn't that big of a break through. example: isn't red & blue heads on poppers a go to color for the last 30 years now? just my .02
if thats true then what was the point of this thread...
http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=33922
seems that a lot of folks from this site don't seem to think color matters....its interesting to see the difference from a scientific stand point versus fishermen who are consistently on the water trying to fool these fish.
thats why i wanted a little more information about the study, i think that people who spend a lot of time on the water while maybe not publishing papers, have a pretty good handle on what is going on with fish, relative to feeding patterns, conservation, migration and other issues.

Theres alot to learn in that thread but the statments above doesn't strike me as break through, thats all.

Charturse peak...most defidently, one of my favorite colors, esp for fall.

Goose, the breakthrough is the fact that we now have an understanding of how the striper's eye functions, not just a “generic” fish eye. The fact that they have measured its sensitivity to light and color perception gives us a better understanding of how a striper’s eye functions. Sure red headed lures or a blue headed Atom have been proven striper killers for years, however, I think it’s interesting to now know that stripers can see those colors very clearly, and while I always used chartreuse in dirty water I find it rewarding to know that it’s dfinately one of the easiest to see colors for stripers. Chartreuse is one of the easiest to see colors for humans as well, and that’s why they’ve gone to chartreuse as the color of choice on safety jackets for road workers.

Nightprowler, when I posted the question “How important is the color and detail on the top of a surface plug? I was looking for the “conventional” wisdom that comes from anglers that have made up their own minds based on countless fishing trips and their own observations. What I found interesting was the fact that the stripers could see a mirror image from down below and therefore they could ascertain the color, shape and even make out the eyes from under the lure. The fact that stripers have taste buds on the outside of their lips and on their snout is captivating scientific information, but any fisherman that’s ever worked a chum line will tell you stripers can home in on a bunker slick in no time flat – they didn’t need to know that stripers can taste the water with their mouth shut. We all learn from first hand experience, from sharpies willing to pass down their secrets, from books, videos and yes, even from the laboratories.

When it comes to understanding fish behavior there is no definitive rule book, no absolutes…I know the more I learn about fish, the more questions I have. If fishing wasn’t an enigma shrouded in a mystery it would have lost its appeal a long time ago.

Just yesterday I was reading an article on how fish see in Sport Fishing magazine. It was a very interesting article and it suggested that if you want a game fish to see a lure from below, you should consider painting the bottom dark and the top light, just the opposite of how bait fish have evolved with counter shading that is light on the bottom and dark on the top. But then the writer hedged his bet and suggested that the predator might see the lure from greater distance, but when it gets up close and sees the unnatural color pattern it might be reluctant to eat it. :hs:

Goose, the breakthrough is the fact that we now have an understanding of how the striper's eye functions, not just a “generic” fish eye. The fact that they have measured its sensitivity to light and color perception gives us a better understanding of how a striper’s eye functions. Sure red headed lures or a blue headed Atom have been proven striper killers for years, however, I think it’s interesting to now know that stripers can see those colors very clearly, and while I always used chartreuse in dirty water I find it rewarding to know that it’s dfinately one of the easiest to see colors for stripers. Chartreuse is one of the easiest to see colors for humans as well, and that’s why they’ve gone to chartreuse as the color of choice on safety jackets for road workers.

Nightprowler, when I posted the question “How important is the color and detail on the top of a surface plug? I was looking for the “conventional” wisdom that comes from anglers that have made up their own minds based on countless fishing trips and their own observations. What I found interesting was the fact that the stripers could see a mirror image from down below and therefore they could ascertain the color, shape and even make out the eyes from under the lure. The fact that stripers have taste buds on the outside of their lips and on their snout is captivating scientific information, but any fisherman that’s ever worked a chum line will tell you stripers can home in on a bunker slick in no time flat – they didn’t need to know that stripers can taste the water with their mouth shut. We all learn from first hand experience, from sharpies willing to pass down their secrets, from books, videos and yes, even from the laboratories.

When it comes to understanding fish behavior there is no definitive rule book, no absolutes…I know the more I learn about fish, the more questions I have. If fishing wasn’t an enigma shrouded in a mystery it would have lost its appeal a long time ago.

Just yesterday I was reading an article on how fish see in Sport Fishing magazine. It was a very interesting article and it suggested that if you want a game fish to see a lure from below, you should consider painting the bottom dark and the top light, just the opposite of how bait fish have evolved with counter shading that is light on the bottom and dark on the top. But then the writer hedged his bet and suggested that the predator might see the lure from greater distance, but when it gets up close and sees the unnatural color pattern it might be reluctant to eat it. :hs:


I have a therory I 've been workin on for yrs.
Striper like beaches with naked women on em.
My colleagues an I hypothesize that bass can see women an like the smell when they get in the water.
Thats why I fish i was hoping to be lead to em.
Through yrs of study I have found this to be true in some instances.Although I must admeit it is still a work in progress.
'

Mike really, how do they do this with bass flash cards.
I always considered animal studies to be Kinda Funny..
Now with a fish ur talkin a whole new ball game when u add the element of water to deal with.How old is this study?an why wasn't this breakthrough info made available.Who sponsered it?
Berkley?
Ya thats it those dudes in the white jackets from Berkley that came up with Gulp are the same dudes...
I knew it...
Mike Thanks for the info Really.I love ur post's

Good info. Links to the original research articles would be nice.

I just read this same article in a mag with a little more info. I can't remeber if it was SWS or what.

Knowledge is power,whether it comes from a scientific study or a grumpy old phart who has caught more fish than we could dream of.Use it ALL! :musc:

http://www.vims.edu/newsmedia/pdfs/fish_vision82.pdf#search=%22Andrij%20Horodysky%20V IMS%22

This should get you to the report.

I have a therory I 've been workin on for yrs.
Striper like beaches with naked women on em.


NIB, you obviously fished Moonstone in the old days and Devil's Bridge recently...I know a lot of captains that go trolling for hooters at the bridge...they even catch fish while doing it.

I once heard that the mad scientists from Bekely had actually invited some writers to their lab where they had a bass with its brain exposed with electrodes and wires leading into it. They would then graph the amount of stimulation produced from one of their scented offerings. The writer who told me this story felt that they had gone over the top with their Frankenfish exhibit...you bet!

The striper’s color-sensitive cone cells move toward the surface of the retina during daylight hours, and retreat to make room for the contrast-sensitive rod cells at night.



Mike, is this change over from cones to rods the reason they usually, in most conditions, turn off at dark and then start feeding again later, as their eyes need time to adjust to the dark?

Great read, Mike. Thank you for posting.

Justplugit,

I believe the transition happens pretty fast and that it actually gives them an advantage over their prey -- that's why they feed routinely at dusk and dawn.

Justplugit,

I believe the transition happens pretty fast and that it actually gives them an advantage over their prey -- that's why they feed routinely at dusk and dawn.

Thanks Mike, i've always looked for a logical reason why they, in general, turn off the bite after last light when it becomes pitch dark, then turn back on again later. :huh:

Thanks Mike, i've always looked for a logical reason why they, in general, turn off the bite after last light when it becomes pitch dark, then turn back on again later. :huh:

Did u read what he posted?
I have mostly found this to be true also.I think there eyes have to adjust.
Mike replyed to the contrary.Sayin the trasition is fast meaning they have no problem adjusting to dark from mid dark.He said it gives em a advantage over there prey which are probably blindfolded at that time.

Did u read what he posted?
I have mostly found this to be true also.I think there eyes have to adjust.
Mike replyed to the contrary.Sayin the trasition is fast meaning they have no problem adjusting to dark from mid dark.He said it gives em a advantage over there prey which are probably blindfolded at that time.

Thanks Tony, ya i read what he posted. Guess i didn't phrase it right as i mixed up my words ,and didn't make it clear
:huh: What i wanted to say was---

I've always looked for a reason why, in general, they turn off the bite after last light when it gets pitch dark,then they turn back on again

later. That being the statement and :huh: meaning does he know?

Inquiring mind wants to know. :hihi:

Dave, that was my understanding too. Stripers have good vision in the dim light right before dark, while the bait is pretty much blind like NIB said. The thing I found interesting in the article was where it said that stripers use color to see and feed during the day while Weakfish use contrast and sensitivity to see at night. So how come striper fishing is much better at night :huh:

FishEye, some great threads you've started of late. Many thanks!

Jigman

So how come striper fishing is much better at night :huh:

Jigman


Well if the Hypotheses of the scientist are correct.It makes sense to reason why striper's are nocturnal feeders they have a distinct advantage in Darkness over their prey.Why chase em all over creation in the day time when u can just sneak up on em an slurp em down at night.
Lack of daylight also gives em the courage to sneak inshore an blow the house down on the little bait fish taking cover there.Thats when we come in an get em.I think u can get em almost as good in the daylight in some deep water spots.Not as much sun penetration,the picture is not as clear.Bait, preferably live will take good striper's in the daylight.It's much harder to fool em in the day with lures.perhaps they get too good a look at em an determine that it is not food.

Fisherman only can estimate there feeding patterns by how we catch em.If they are just more selective in the daylight we could be lead to believe they are nocturnal feeders.perhaps they are just more selective an feed all the time.

If they are primarily nocturnal how come they take herring like it was thier last meal in first light.? They should be full from a night at the smorgasbord.
As the sun gets higher they become more selective.I can see em come up punch the bait an turn away.But if the bait comes off the hook all u see is a puff of scales an it's gone.I think the line becomes more visible in the high sun illuminated waters.Perhaps thats why Fishing is always better for longer periods in the morning when the sun is blocked from clouds.The picture is not as clear they gotta eat so they just take more chances.
Take a chance try lighter line.Flouro in the daylight.u'll hook more u might not land as many..

FishEye, some great threads you've started of late. Many thanks!

Jigman

Ya Mike, thanks so much, your stuff really is great. :btu: Ya keep us learnin, and the more we know, the more we realize how much we

don't know.:hihi:

Great post NIB, sounds right on the money to me.
Thanks Fisheye for the topic, now where is that dvd???????:hee:

This is the part of that i find most interesting....

"Work by graduate student Kathleen McNamee shows that striped bass have full stomachs during daylight hours, but that the stomachs gradually empty through the night."

I am always surprised when i bring a fish home and it has nothing in its stomach. I hear stories about fish with there stomachs busting out with lobsters and pogy's and all this other bait, yet the majority of my fish have empty stomachs. I usually fish 11p-3 or 4 am, so maybe the fish aren't feeding as heavily at this time.:huh: Even when they are breaking and clearly feeding in the middle of the night.
They always seem to lovean eel though.:drool:
these fish never make sense,:devil: once i think i finally have a perfect tide or a perfect condition, they throw me for a loop and do the complete opposite. guess thats what keeps me going, to learn more, if i always caught would i still be going out nightly? i think so!

Mike, is this change over from cones to rods the reason they usually, in most conditions, turn off at dark and then start feeding again later, as their eyes need time to adjust to the dark?

Ive noticed a change in my rod when theres a pair of cones nearby...



<I am gonna get slapped for that one>

LMAO Mike:hihi:

ya NIB, they use striper flash cards, what else would they use? :nailem:

pretty strange how it's the opposite for weakfish and bass:huh: that is strange