bucktail colors..and why not ?

[baldwin]

Q: Why do some colors appear black when they're in the water? I know it has something to do with wavelengths, but I don't really understand it.
A: Water transmits light of every color and, therefore, looks clear. The clearness enables you to see colors of an underwater object near to the surface. Water is clearest for colors of shortest wavelengths%$the blues and greens. That's why water looks greenish-blue and the deeper the water, the more greenish-blue it looks. This effect is most noticeable in the water looking up. Looking down into the water, reflections and refractions on the surface can interfere.

Water isn't perfectly clear, though, especially for colors with longer wavelengths. It strongly absorbs infra-red (heat) radiation and weakly absorbs colors in the red and orange part of the spectrum. White light consists of red light plus its complement, greenish-blue light. So absorbing orange and red colors from white light leaves greenish-blue, the intrinsic color of water.

This also means that orange and red colors in deep water look black if illuminated by surface light. Think what a "red" fish means. The fish looks red, not because it emits red light, but because it reflects red light. If, at depth, there's no red light left, then a red fish will look unlighted or black.

Water molecules absorb red light weakly and infra-red strongly because the molecules vibrate greatly in the infra-red frequencies. They resonate%$that is, they vibrate a greater amount at that frequency like a gong vibrates and "bongs" when hit with a hammer.

The vibrating molecules get hotter due to their motion, like those in a bowl of water warming in the summer's sun.

Occasionally water molecules absorb visible red light. Since the effect is faint, it takes many molecules%$about nine feet of water depth--to absorb enough red light so the blue of the water is noticeable. That's why a glass of water looks clear.

[STRIPER77]

"You want the truth? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!!!"
WTF---Just tie on a freakin bucktail and fish!!!!!

[Strider]

"You want the truth? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!!!"

hahahaha....too funny!

Professor Baldwin (just kidding with ya) thanks for the lesson, it's all good info and I thank you. However, I assume when one is bouncing a bucktail jig in 10' or more of water at night, the spectrum of light thing is pretty much n/a? My guess would be that light colored jigs are pretty much gray/black and darker colors simply black. To me what are fish friends are looking for or at, is profile and contrast. Any thoughts or comments?

[Nebe]

I only use white- heres my theory- it works

[NIB]

Ya thats true.Its ok to pigeon hole urself into thinkin that way U gotta draw the line someplace.I think if u applied the same theory to plug fishin it would work most the time also.I know for fact though.there are times in the canal in 35 ft of water where black an red outfishes white big time.

[Strider]

pigeon hole urself

now that's got to hurt!

Nebe was taking a little friendly jab and I know he throws some different colors in soft plastics w/jig heads. All in all though, its amazing how they see the dang jig coming and then pounce on it.

Nice meeting you at the MSBA, Andy had nice ball of hooks there.

[NIB]

I know.
Looked like something out of hellraiser when Slip picked the whole box up, without the box.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by NIB

Ya thats true.Its ok to pigeon hole urself into thinkin that way U gotta draw the line someplace.I think if u applied the same theory to plug fishin it would work most the time also.I know for fact though.there are times in the canal in 35 ft of water where black an red outfishes white big time.

I dont fish the damn canal

[baldwin]

Yea, profile is more important. Black, white, or something in between all have their times, though. Probably less important at depth after dark, though.
Also, don't rigidly follow the white on light full-moon nights and black on dark nights thing. Vary your plug selection until you find what the fish are in the mood for.
I've done well with black plugs on bright nights, or even during the day, and I've done well with white plugs on very dark nights when a lot of people slinging black were coming up empty-handed.
We read about a lot of rules in fishing, but the fish don't read the books that we read.