01-20-2013, 12:02 AM
I know browns, walleye, and brook trout see well in the dark. I would assume perch and crappie too.
Rainbows and cutthroats don't see as well in dark and usually don't forage as much on dark nights.
This is from a study done at the Rocky Mt Research Center.
"A comparison of visual sensitivity under controlled laboratory conditions showed that brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) had maximum scotopic thresholds 2 times lower than rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) and Snake River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri), which did not differ from each other. A literature review tended to corroborate these results in that brown trout and brook trout were reported to be more active during the night and at twilight than cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. We also measured light intensity within open versus shaded reaches during the day, dusk, and night in 3 Rocky Mountain streams. The scotopic sensitivity of brown trout and brook trout was sufficient to allow foraging during all twilight periods and under average nighttime light intensities in open and shaded reaches, whereas the scotopic sensitivity of rainbow trout and cutthroat trout may restrict their foraging to relatively bright nocturnal conditions (twilight or a moonlit night)."
http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/29502
So I was wondering just what peoples' actual experiences were with fishing for bows at night? Seems like a full moon night might be a necessity?
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Rainbows and cutthroats don't see as well in dark and usually don't forage as much on dark nights.
This is from a study done at the Rocky Mt Research Center.
"A comparison of visual sensitivity under controlled laboratory conditions showed that brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) had maximum scotopic thresholds 2 times lower than rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) and Snake River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri), which did not differ from each other. A literature review tended to corroborate these results in that brown trout and brook trout were reported to be more active during the night and at twilight than cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. We also measured light intensity within open versus shaded reaches during the day, dusk, and night in 3 Rocky Mountain streams. The scotopic sensitivity of brown trout and brook trout was sufficient to allow foraging during all twilight periods and under average nighttime light intensities in open and shaded reaches, whereas the scotopic sensitivity of rainbow trout and cutthroat trout may restrict their foraging to relatively bright nocturnal conditions (twilight or a moonlit night)."
http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/29502
So I was wondering just what peoples' actual experiences were with fishing for bows at night? Seems like a full moon night might be a necessity?
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