Perhaps the second most important sense for bass is both hearing and feeling. Wait, isn’t that two senses? Well, for a fish, they’re very closely related. In order to understand how a fish hears and feels underwater, we need a quick refresher on physics.
You see, sound is nothing more than energy traveling through a medium. The medium could be a solid, liquid or gas, but there must be the presence of mass in order for sound to travel. When you beat a drum, some of the energy from striking the drum surface is transferred to the air around it via vibrations of the surrounding air particles. These vibrations are passed along to the next particles of air, then the next and next and so on until it reaches your ear, where the vibrating particles cause your ear’s tympanic membrane to vibrate, which your brain interprets as sound.
Sound travels about five times faster in water than it does in air, and about five times faster again in a solid like steel. The denser the medium, the more particles there are to vibrate and the faster energy can be passed from one particle to another.
Now, back to what this means for bass. Water is already much more efficient at transferring sounds than air, so bass — and fish in general — are able to detect sounds more quickly and efficiently than humans. But how do they do it? They obviously don’t have ears … or do they?
Although they don’t have external oratory canals, bass do have internal ears that allow them to hear sound in the water, just as we do in air. Their inner ear also serves to help orient them in the water, just as our inner ear helps us to maintain our balance by telling our brain which way we are leaning.
However, fish take hearing underwater a step further. Bass, like most freshwater fish, have an additional sensory organ for their underwater environment — the lateral line. Now, I’m not talking about the long, wide black color blotches that run down the side of a largemouth or spotted bass.
The lateral line is a series of pores or canals in a row of scales that stretch from just behind the gill plate to nearly the tail in a bass. They are perceptible, but you have to look closely. These canals contain a series of cells that have hair-like extensions surrounded by a gelatinous substance, together called neuromasts. Vibrations from surrounding water on one or more of these groups of cells send a signal to the bass’ brain that — along with the same effects on the inner ear — it interprets as sound.
So how do bass feel? They obviously don’t have digits with extra sensitive nerves under their skin as we do. However, like with sound, the system of neuromasts in the lateral line can also sense the slightest changes in water pressure. When another fish swims by, the resulting difference in water pressure from the moving fish travels to the bass in waves. When the hair-like structures in the nueromasts are bent in a certain direction from the resulting wave pressure, they tell the bass not only what happened, but where in relation to the bass’ position and in what direction the movement occurred.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it? The lateral line not only allows fish to hear underwater, but it enables them to feel what is going on in the neighborhood.
Anybody that’s ever ripped a lipless crankbait through the grass knows that sound travels very well in water, as evidenced by the rapid ticking noise emanating through the bottom of the boat as you sweep the lure. On days when bass are reacting to the bait without much scrutiny, or when the water conditions and light are such that they can’t see it very well, a loud lure certainly gets their attention.
However, even if you’re fishing a good ol’ Texas-rigged worm without any rattles, rest assured that if you get it close to a bass, it’ll know where it is, even if it can’t see it.
In this series, we’ll explore the senses of bass (Micropterus sp.) and how they relate to their environment. Although not quite capable of cognitive thought like you or I, they didn’t reach the top of the freshwater food chain by being slackers.
Their senses have been refined over millennia, allowing them to become one of the most sought after, wily game fish in the freshwater environment.
To truly appreciate this exceptional predator, you need to know how they see, hear, feel, smell and taste. Doing so will result in a more frequent, up-close and personal look at North America’s most prominent fish on the end of your line.
The eye of the beholder
Sight is probably the most important sense of the bass genus. I say “probably” because most of the research on bass to date has focused on population management, life history, predator/prey interactions, reproductive biology, etc., rather than specific physiological characteristics. However, we do know enough about similar species — and bass in general — to draw some conclusions.
To understand the commitment to sight in the bass species, one needs look no further than the fish’s brain. The ocular lobe of the bass is huge, relatively speaking. This means that the fish invests much of its neurological resources in its ability to see.
Anecdotal evidence seems to confirm what scientists see in a lab. In perpetually turbid or dingy waters, bass struggle to grow to trophy size, even if the waters are fairly productive. Why? They can’t see well enough to find adequate prey. That’s nothing new to the average bass angler. But, what do bass really see? To understand that, we must look at the eye structure itself.
They have bulbous, protruding eyes positioned on both sides of the head that enable them to see a much wider field of view than you or I can see. Basically, their only blind spots are directly below and behind them.
However, much of that sight is monocular, rather than binocular. What’s the significance? In order to focus on an object and truly get a good view, both eyes have to see it simultaneously. That means the bass has to be facing the object to discern the true shape and distance, and even then, it has to be pretty close. They may be able to detect motion on one side or the other, but they don’t truly understand what they are seeing until they position themselves so that both eyes are peering in the same direction.
Now for the most popular question we biologists get about bass vision, do bass see color? Without a doubt, yes! Not unlike humans, bass have cellular structures in the retina called cones and rods. Rods allow an animal to see black, gray and white in low-light conditions, while cones allow an animal to see color. The exact kind and quantity of cones in bass is uncertain, but the plentiful existence of cones, along with related research, indicates that color selection can be important, depending on the conditions.
Color is a product of light. Light is both absorbed and refracted by water, and the shorter the wavelength, the deeper the color can penetrate. In clear water, the blue end of the spectrum is visible at the deepest depths, while the red end is absorbed more quickly.
However, the clarity of the water also plays a role. If there is a strong algal bloom, or the water is muddy from a recent rain, light behaves differently. In these conditions, colors that contrast with the surrounding water will be noticed more quickly. At night, bass rely on their retinal rods, just as we do, to see shadows and movement. During new moons, there isn’t a lot of ambient light in the water, and it dissipates quickly with depth. In these conditions, darker lures have more contrast and can be seen better. On bright, moonlit nights where more light penetrates, more lure colors will be visible to a bass.
Bass can see color. Paying attention to color can make the difference between a curious follow and a definitive attempt to eat your lure.
In this series, we’ll explore the senses of bass (Micropterus sp.) and how they relate to their environment. Although not quite capable of cognitive thought like you or I, they didn’t reach the top of the freshwater food chain by being slackers.
Their senses have been refined over millennia, allowing them to become one of the most sought after, wily game fish in the freshwater environment.
To truly appreciate this exceptional predator, you need to know how they see, hear, feel, smell and taste. Doing so will result in a more frequent, up-close and personal look at North America’s most prominent fish on the end of your line.
The eye of the beholder
Sight is probably the most important sense of the bass genus. I say “probably” because most of the research on bass to date has focused on population management, life history, predator/prey interactions, reproductive biology, etc., rather than specific physiological characteristics. However, we do know enough about similar species — and bass in general — to draw some conclusions.
To understand the commitment to sight in the bass species, one needs look no further than the fish’s brain. The ocular lobe of the bass is huge, relatively speaking. This means that the fish invests much of its neurological resources in its ability to see.
Anecdotal evidence seems to confirm what scientists see in a lab. In perpetually turbid or dingy waters, bass struggle to grow to trophy size, even if the waters are fairly productive. Why? They can’t see well enough to find adequate prey. That’s nothing new to the average bass angler. But, what do bass really see? To understand that, we must look at the eye structure itself.
They have bulbous, protruding eyes positioned on both sides of the head that enable them to see a much wider field of view than you or I can see. Basically, their only blind spots are directly below and behind them.
However, much of that sight is monocular, rather than binocular. What’s the significance? In order to focus on an object and truly get a good view, both eyes have to see it simultaneously. That means the bass has to be facing the object to discern the true shape and distance, and even then, it has to be pretty close. They may be able to detect motion on one side or the other, but they don’t truly understand what they are seeing until they position themselves so that both eyes are peering in the same direction.
Now for the most popular question we biologists get about bass vision, do bass see color? Without a doubt, yes! Not unlike humans, bass have cellular structures in the retina called cones and rods. Rods allow an animal to see black, gray and white in low-light conditions, while cones allow an animal to see color. The exact kind and quantity of cones in bass is uncertain, but the plentiful existence of cones, along with related research, indicates that color selection can be important, depending on the conditions.
Color is a product of light. Light is both absorbed and refracted by water, and the shorter the wavelength, the deeper the color can penetrate. In clear water, the blue end of the spectrum is visible at the deepest depths, while the red end is absorbed more quickly.
However, the clarity of the water also plays a role. If there is a strong algal bloom, or the water is muddy from a recent rain, light behaves differently. In these conditions, colors that contrast with the surrounding water will be noticed more quickly. At night, bass rely on their retinal rods, just as we do, to see shadows and movement. During new moons, there isn’t a lot of ambient light in the water, and it dissipates quickly with depth. In these conditions, darker lures have more contrast and can be seen better. On bright, moonlit nights where more light penetrates, more lure colors will be visible to a bass.
Bass can see color. Paying attention to color can make the difference between a curious follow and a definitive attempt to eat your lure.
Perhaps no one on the Bassmaster Elite Series pays as close attention to the tiniest details in every aspect of his fishing. “Those details can keep you out of serious trouble when things aren’t going your way,” he insists.
And that includes how he chooses and uses treble hooks.
“The past few years, I’ve discovered more about the role hooks play in fishing than I could ever have imagined,” VanDam says. “Our rods and fishing lines have changed over the years and that certainly factors into hook choices. But there is so much more to it than that.”
For example, he explains, fluorocarbon and braid materials have less stretch so stronger hooks are required. Equally important, however, is learning how the bottom and cover affects hooks, how each species of bass hits the lures and how hooks perform on different types of lures.
“There are so many variables that anglers overlook,” he says. “Since I began analyzing and selecting hooks for specific situations, my hooking/landing ratio has improved substantially. You’re never going to land them all, but some of the little adjustments can be a deciding factor, especially in tournaments where every fish is critical.”
VanDam is such a believer that he may change the type of hooks he uses on his hard baits throughout the day, depending on the demands of each scenario. He compares it to a NASCAR crew chief setting up a car and making adjustments throughout the race. “He may make a minor adjustment in the chassis or tire pressure,” VanDam says. “Those adjustments may be ever-so-slight but produce a big difference in the end. The same can be said about the hooks you use on your lures.”
Mustad, VanDam’s hook sponsor, has heeded his advice by building specialty hooks to suit his and other hardcore Bassmasters’ needs. Several quality hook manufacturers also offer variety, yet most anglers stick with the hooks provided with their hard baits.
VanDam agrees that some bait manufacturers have upgraded their hooks, but stock hooks don’t fit every situation.
There’s no definitive rule for which replacement hooks or sizes work best in each situation because it can vary within a manufacturer’s brand and style. However, the four-time Classic champion offers this advice for assessing and matching hooks for hard baits.
BE WARY OF FLEX
VanDam believes a treble hook’s flex is an angler’s worst enemy. “The thing I’ve discovered is that a hook that flexes tends to pull away from the pressure, bend out and not penetrate as well,” he explains. “It’s something I’ve really noticed while fishing for smallmouth. You catch a 3-pounder with light hooks and the treble will be mangled, even when fishing lighter line and using gentler hook sets.”
Also, he notes, bass caught on jerkbaits and crankbaits often are hooked outside the mouth, either on the chin or gill plate. For that reason, he wants a sharp hook that penetrates beneath the barb and doesn’t flex. Otherwise, the fish can shake free when jumping or making hard runs next to the boat.
“There’s a common misconception that hooks of bigger diameter don’t penetrate as well,” VanDam says. “What I’ve found is that slick, black-nickel finish hooks with a super-sharp point probably penetrate easier than small diameter hooks that flex.”
Some anglers believe you need light-wire hooks when fishing lighter line because they penetrate better. Not so, he argues. He increases his hooks in size and strength whenever it doesn’t affect lure performance.
“I fish a lot of 8-pound line on some jerkbaits and smaller crankbaits when fishing for smallmouth and I’ve found I lose fewer fish — because the hooks don’t flex,” he explains.
Today’s tackle has a lot to do with it. Lines have less stretch and graphite rods have faster actions, so hooks penetrate better, VanDam adds.
MATCH THE HOOK TO THE BAIT
You can overpower a lure or impact its balance with the wrong size of treble. A topwater may not sit in the water properly or a small crankbait or jerkbait may not run as effectively as it was designed if matched with large diameter wire hooks.
“I try to get away with as big of a treble hook with a wide gap as I can,” VanDam says. “You just have to experiment with them until you know which works best on individual lures.”
That’s why he convinced Mustad to come out with the KVD Elite Treble. It’s got an extra-short shank, wide gap and “Triple Grip” design. The shorter shanks allow him to “upsize” the hook for a bigger bite. Those are the hooks he used on his crankbaits to win the last two Classics.
“For example, the KVD 1.5 crankbait or Strike King Red Eye Shad come stock with size No. 4 trebles, but I can upgrade to No. 2 Elites on there,” he says. “It has enhanced my landing ratio considerably.”
Lure tangling is another consideration, which is why VanDam likes the short-shanked feature on the KVD Elite trebles. “On smaller crankbaits you may have to go down in hook size, but try to get away with the biggest size you can,” he advises.
For larger topwaters and jerkbaits, he may switch to a new version of the KVD Elite Trebles that have a longer shank and are made with standard wire for those situations where balance is an issue. The shank length isn’t a problem and can work in your favor with those baits. They are strong, yet a little lighter than the KVD trebles so they are less likely to affect how the lure sits in the water.
Triple Grips have a Kahle-style bend with wide gaps and the points angle in slightly. VanDam says the kahle style will penetrate better and not rotate away like some round-bend designs do. “One of the reasons anglers lose so many fish on jerkbaits is because of the flex,” he says. “Those fish rarely get the entire bait in their mouths, so they have a leverage advantage. With stronger hooks that penetrate and hold, you are going to land more fish.”
FACTOR IN THE COVER
When grinding a crankbait on the bottom or banging it through brush, VanDam wants the super stout hooks for a couple of reasons: they hold up better and offer the power to move big fish without the hooks flexing.
“In a tournament I won at Grand Lake, I was fishing Series 5 and 6 crankbaits (deep runners) in shallow water,” VanDam recalls. “I was smoking that bait with standard trebles on a high-speed reel, and within five minutes the hook points were destroyed and bent from banging on the bottom. I switched to the larger diameter KVD Elites and the hooks stayed sharp and intact.”
However, he still might change hooks when banging them against hard objects or even when catching a lot of fish. “You really need to pay attention to your hooks when fishing over rocks or around wood,” he says. “If a hook is bent, don’t try to bend it back. Replace it.”
He says it’s not unusual for him to change hooks throughout the day when grinding baits along river ledges or on mussel beds. “You may think you can sharpen a dulled hook, but you can’t get it as sharp as a manufacturer can build it,” he says.
TEST REPLACEMENT HOOKS CAREFULLY
Don’t change hooks on a lure and go fishing without testing them first. Run a lure with the stock hooks next to the boat and study its action. Note how it wobbles and how it feels through the rod tip, then compare how it looks and feels with the premium hooks on it. “The manufacturer has matched his hooks to the bait to achieve optimum performance,” VanDam explains. “A change could overpower the bait or it may cut down the wiggle and liveliness. Be real critical with that.”
Most of today’s plastic crankbaits and bigger baits can handle heavier hooks. Some wooden baits are more sensitive, especially narrow-bodied ones. “You also have to be careful with topwaters because you can weigh them down and they won’t work properly,” VanDam says. “I have discovered you can put a slightly larger hook on the rear of a topwater to enhance its walking action. I’ve even put a bigger hook in the middle and back on larger walking baits to tilt it slightly and give it a more erratic action.”
Of course, VanDam cautions, what works for him may not work for someone else and it can vary depending on lure and style of hook you use.
“The main thing readers should get from this is they need to spend more time thinking about the hooks they have on their baits, the jobs they want those lures to accomplish and get the very best hook combination for the technique they are fishing,” he says. “They’ll learn the advantages/disadvantages of each style of hook and see a difference in how many fish they land.”
Bass rigs are expensive. Taking care of them is a matter of common sense. That same common sense tells us there’s a right way to do it and a wrong way. This two-part series will look closely at the right way. Part I detailed procedures for maintaining the hull. Part II will do the same for the motor.
Part II: The Motor
Winterizing your motor depends mostly on how you use your boat. If you fish off and on during the winter months — fishing when it’s warm, parking your rig when it’s cold — you’ll need to follow at least three simple procedures to protect it.
1. When you first start the motor in the water, allow it to warm up a bit before you leave the dock.
“It’s important to run the motor a few minutes before you leave the dock. This allows the thermostat to open and begins the cooling process. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of allowing the motor to overheat before the thermostat opens. Then, when it does open, cold water hits the hot motor parts. That can cause a lot of damage to the powerhead.
“Make sure there’s warm water exiting the telltale port (pee hole) before you blast off,” recommends Sam Plapp, a former marine service manager.
2. After fishing make sure you store the motor in a vertical position.
“Outboards have a positive drain system. The water will flow down and out of the motor if it’s vertical. Don’t store the boat with the motor resting on the transom brace. That’ll trap water inside the motor. Some anglers wrap the lower unit with a plastic garbage bag to keep water from collecting in the exhaust cavity,” he continues.
Do not run the motor dry to remove the water. It only takes a few seconds to overheat!
3. Mercury recommends that you keep the motor tilted down so that the gear case is in the water during cold weather operation. This prevents water trapped in the gear case from freezing and causing expensive damage to the motor.
For long-term storage the procedure is somewhat different and more complicated.
1. Store the boat motor vertical and make sure the water drains out of the motor. Cover the exhaust ports if necessary. (Reminder: Do not run it dry.)
2. Some motors require fogging or lubrication, but not all. And even those that do use different products and different procedures depending upon how fuel is delivered to the engine and how the motor is designed. Always, without exception, check the owner’s manual for detailed recommendations on procedure and products before you fog or lubricate your motor. Doing it wrong can cause extensive damage.
3. Never leave the gear case empty. Always drain and refill it with the proper grease. An empty gear case will often collect moisture and water which can cause big problems — ice and rust related — over the course of the winter.
“We strongly recommend anglers have their winterization done by a professional. The cost is minimal — less than $150 in most shops — and the benefits are enormous. Not only will your motor be protected over the winter, but little problems the angler doesn’t know about can be diagnosed and corrected before they become big problems,” advises Plapp.
The B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia (BFNV) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have signed a partnership agreement with four other groups to construct the Twin Ridge Tournament Facility on Philpott Lake in Franklin County.
Current boat ramps at Philpott are not specifically designed to accommodate the numerous tournaments that occur on the lake. Congestion at a ramp during a tournament can make it difficult for anglers to get their boats in and out of the water quickly. The same congestion also may deter pleasure boaters who otherwise would head to the lake on a tournament date.
The new facility, designed for fishing tournaments, will feature a large mooring dock, a launch/retrieve dock, a picnic shelter and restroom facilities. Additional parking will be located at the current Twin Ridge boat ramp off Church Knob Road in Franklin County, near the geographic center of the lake.
The project is expected to be completed by March 1, 2012.
“The new facility will give tournament anglers docks so they can moor up while they’re doing their weigh-in, which they don’t have now,” said Mike Bryant, BFNV president. “Currently, they have to take their boats out of the water while they’re trying to weigh in.”
“This is going to be a great facility for Philpott Lake,” said Craig Rockwell, operations manager at Philpott Lake, who added that it will benefit tournaments, boaters and everyone else on the lake. “It will make it much more convenient for everybody. It’s one of those projects that’s been a pleasure to work on because there’s no negatives. It’s all been positive responses.”
“It’s been a rare privilege to work with members of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia,” added Rockwell. “Without their endorsement and funding assistance, this project may not have been possible.”
The organizations that entered into the agreement with BFNV were the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Disabled American Veterans; Anglers Choice Marine; and the County of Franklin, Virginia.
Bass rigs are expensive. Taking care of them is a matter of common sense. That same common sense tells us there’s a right way to do it and a wrong way. This two-part series will look closely at the right way. Part I will detail procedures for maintaining the hull. Part II will do the same for the motor.
Part I: The Hull
“Regardless of whether you store your boat inside or outside, water’s the big thing you’ve got to deal with,” says Ben Jarrett, national sales manager for Skeeter Boats. “When water freezes it exerts enormous pressure. That pressure can cause big problems. And, even if your rig is in a heated environment, water can cause corrosion, mold and mildew damage. You’ve got to get rid of it.”
Tips for protecting your boat’s hull
1. Drain the livewell and related hoses. Take the hoses off if necessary. Towel blot any water in the bottom of the livewell, especially around the fittings and screens. “Even a tiny bit of water freezing around a fitting or a drain can cause problems,” Jarrett says. “Dry fire your livewell pumps to make sure you’ve got it all.”
2. Remove everything from the cooler and dry it thoroughly.
3. Last — water drains down — remove every bit of moisture from your sump system. Check the battery compartment and under the deck, down by the transducer and in the lowest part of the hull. Remove and dry all hoses. Again, dry fire the pump to make sure you got it all.
4. Open all the compartments and let them air dry if possible. Towel dry the hinges and any other hardware. Then close the lids tightly.
5. Make sure everything liquid is removed from the boat. This includes attractants, aerosol cans and sodas.
6. Apply a good coat of marine wax to the hull.
7. Make sure the boat is covered properly. This means using a cover that fits and installing it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (This may require a radical departure from standard operating procedure for most of us — reading the instruction manual.)
In addition to drying the boat it’s important to protect it from animals. Block all entrances to the boat. This includes holes in the transom where cables and hoses enter the boat from the motor or the jack plate. Cats, squirrels, rats and mice can destroy a boat in a matter of days.
If your boat is stored inside, consider winter storage as a maintenance opportunity. In addition to the above procedures, Jarrett recommends the following:
Picture is of Rich Hutchins from Huddleston,Va, with a rare Roanoke River Bass. The fish was caught and released, last month from Leesville Lake, while fishing with Capt. Dale.
* OVERVIEW: Fishing was slow during November. Above average water temperatures and lots of sunny days made for poor fishing conditions. December should bring better fishing. Water temperature will be in the 50’s.
* Largemouth Bass-Fishing will be good. Best lures will be jig & pigs, Carolina rigs, spoons, blade baits and drop shots. Most largemouth bass will be caught on deep points, ledges, creek channels and docks. Largemouth bass will relate to rocky areas. They will continue to feed on crayfish this month. Best depths will be from the 2 to 35 feet deep.
* Smallmouth Bass– Fishing should be fair. Best areas will be humps, rocky ledges and main points. Best lures will be jig & pig, blade baits, jerk baits and hair jigs. Best areas will be in the mid to the lower sections of the lake. Most smallmouth bass will be suspended this month. Cloudy days, early morning and at night are good times to try your luck!
* Striped Bass- Fishing will be good. Stripers will be caught in various areas of the lake.
The best areas will be in the mid to upper sections of the lake and the larger creeks. Best lures will be swim baits, buck tails, spoons and Zoom flukes fished with 1/4 to 3/4 oz. lead heads. Live bait will also be productive. The best depths will be from 5 to 40 feet deep. Vertical jigging with spoons will work this month. Some stripers will surface early and late in the day. Try to find areas with the largest concentrations of baitfish.
* Crappie-Fishing for crappie will be good. They will be found 5 to 15 feet deep this month. Best areas will be in the main creeks around deep docks, fallen trees, and brush piles in the mid to upper parts of the lake. Small live minnows and 1 ½ inch tubes fished on 1/16 to 1/8 oz. lead heads will work best to catch crappie this month.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Some of the worst weather conditions are the best times to catch fish this month. Dress in layers, as the temperatures will sometimes vary 30 or more degrees from night to daytime.
Winners of the 2011 CVBC Fall Classic as well as points champions Ben Reynolds & Brandon Reynolds with a total weight of 18.46lbs.. Congratulations to them
