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50 Fishing Facts

By Dick Sternberg

Feb 5, 2008

1. Saugers See in the Dark
Walleyes are known for their marble-like eyes, which let them see well in dim light. Their retina has a layer of reflective pigment, called the tapetum lucidum, that intensifies any light the eye receives. (It's the same membrane that causes a cat's eyes to glow yellow.) But the walleye's close relative, the sauger, has even better night vision because the tapetum covers a much larger portion of its retinas.

2. Black, But Just Barely
Ever wonder where the term "black bass" came from? The fry of smallmouth bass turn coal black within a few days after they hatch. Even though the fry of largemouth and other bass species do not turn black, all members of the group (genus Micropterus) are referred to as black bass.

3. Orange Delight
Researchers studying walleye vision found that orange is the color most visible to walleyes, followed by yellow and yellow green. Surprisingly, red is the least visible color. No wonder you find so many orange and chartreuse lures in the tackle boxes of savvy walleye anglers.

4. On the Cool Side
White and striped bass are members of the temperate bass family, as opposed to black bass, which belong to the sunfish family. The term "temperate bass" refers to the moderate water temperature preference of members of this family. As a rule, they prefer temperatures a little lower than those preferred by largemouth or smallmouth bass.

5. Lights Out? Let's Eat
Research has shown that a sudden decrease in light level triggers walleyes to bite. That explains why the fish usually turn on just as the sun is disappearing below the horizon and the light intensity is rapidly decreasing. It also accounts for the hot bite that starts when the dark clouds preceding a thunderstorm roll in.

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Comment on This Article At 7:26 PM, 2008-01-29, Russ Hause said: thanks for the info on the pepper spots found on bluegills. My freinds & I often wondered if we could eat gills with spots. Flag this comment as offensive Your Name: Enter the following word: Your Comments: Please keep comments focused on the subject (and profanity-free) or we may delete your post. Do not enter more than 10 lines. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us.

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