The Proof is in the Science

Introduction

When it comes to the fishing industry, companies profit off the of the every day angler, not the fish. They use big box stores and professional anglers to "prove" their products work the best. These big name brands we all love are not strangers to the science. They know and understand how to catch fish, but more importantly they understand how to catch YOU, the angler. That is why Active Catch is dedicated to teaching the public what ACTUALLY works. We cut out all of the fluff and gimmicks to sell products that actually work!

Here, we will break down the colors bass can see, the scents they can smell, and the sounds they can detect.

What can bass actually see?

Did you know that bass, and most fish, don't see all the colors humans do? Largemouth bass possess dichromatic color vision, with green sensitive single cones and red sensitive twin cones. This means that bass see hues of greens and reds the best.

Studies aimed at bass vision testing showed that dichromatic bass vision limits the perception of yellow coloration. In particular, chartreuse yellow appears similar to white. This happens because chartreuse yellow equally stimulates both the green and red cone cells at similar frequencies at the same time.

Studies like these have been done through multiple universities, science labs, and fish hatcheries. These tests involve training bass to strike at a certain color. Due to the dichromatic vision bass have, they found that colors on the blue, purple, and black, and even the yellow spectrum yielded very low accuracies, while colors on the red, green, and orange spectrum consistently yielded strike accuracies above 70%.

How we incorporate color compared to the industry

All of the fancy colors we are flooded with are not intended to be seen my the fish but more so by us. To catch us! We get caught on our confidence in a style or color. If we caught a bass on a Black N' Blue crankbait, then we are more likely to keep using that same bait. If the professional on TV claims he caught the winning bucket on the Purple Crawfish pattern, then we all like to follow along. What sets Active Catch apart from everyone else is we incorporate colors that bass most accurately see. We are not saying bass will not hit a black, blue or purple bait - what we are saying is that they will hit hues of greens and reds more accurately and more often. So, for example, on the traditional Blank N' Blue lure, we incorporate touches of greens and/or reds. This by default boost the color detection accuracy of the lure no matter the environment or conditions you are in.

What bass actually hear

This is one of the biggest sales pitches in the industry. We loud rattles, soft rattles, one knockers, and silent baits all over the market but which of these actually work? Well, the truth is, they all work. But, the marketing trick is to not give you a universal bait. Bass hear/feel in two different ways using their lateral lines and inner ears. The lateral lines pickup vibrations from nearby wobbling while the inner ears pickup frequency's from longer distances. Studies have shown that bass hearing is similar in many ways to those of humans and terrestrial animals, with a system of connecting ducts, sensory cells, and stony inclusions called otoliths, but they operate with a much narrower range of frequencies. While we detect sounds between about 20 and 20,000 cycles per second (Hertz), bass hear sounds from about 10 to 600 Hertz, with peak hearing sensitivity around 100, as determined by extensive lab experiments performed across the world.

What does this mean?

Wide wobbling crankbaits with one knockers do a great job at attracting bass at short distances, but anything out of close range will not be noticed. The typical tight wobbling crankbait with loud rattles perform well when attracting longer range bass, but once they draw near enough the pitch can't be heard. This is why you see and hear about the pros throwing a loud rattler in open water followed by the silent or one knock crank with a wide wobble. And, this is how the industry capitalizes. Instead of having a crankbait which satisfies both types of attraction they hook us with two or more separate products that target each specific demographic.

How we incorporate sound into our products

Here at Active Catch our goal is to provide the tournament angler and the everyday angler with the most versatile bait possible. Our NEW line of crankbaits incorporate both the low pitch knockers for close range and high pitch rattles for long range. No need to worry about changing baits while on the water! Saving you time and money.

What bass smell

This topic of discussion is by far the most controversial debate in the industry. When it comes to scent, there are only two base options to choose from, water and oil. Whether you are a die hard scent believer or not there are facts that can't be ignored. Luckily Berkely Fishing Labs have done all the hard scientific work for us, and here we will summarize it all for you.

Oil based scents are not water-soluble. Meaning, even the smallest droplets will rise in water but will never mix. (oil being less dense than water) The first, and most obvious, issue with this is that the "scent" will never stay in the water. It will float to the surface and have no affect. The second issue, which is less known, is that because oil doesn't dissolve in water the scent can't be detected by bass. The olfactory bulbs in a fish's nostrils for responsible for picking up scents from molecules concentrated in the surrounding water. The molecules of oil are too large and therefore cannot be traveled or picked up.

While oil based "attractants" are not true attractants, they do make great masking agents for covering repulsive odors and tastes. Masking agents work in two ways. One is to dampen offensive odors and tastes by mixing in positive substances. The positive agent confounds the chemosensory system, diluting the offensive nature of the repellent. Aerosol air fresheners of the type used in cars and restrooms are based on this masking strategy. In the other strategy, the masking agent actually limits physical contact with the offensive agent. Oil-based scents overlay the molecules of a fish repellent with an impermeable barrier, thus preventing the repellent from dissolving into the water and reaching a bass's chemoreceptors.

What does this mean?

Oil based attractants are not true attractants. If anything, they just help reduce rejection by masking unnatural scents. Water based scents are what prove to be effective as they dissolve and disperse in the water. Unfortunately, these scents don't last very long. They bleed off, run off, and sink much faster than we'd like, making it difficult and often times frustrating to use.

How we incorporate scents

Our mission is to provide every angler from every skill level and background with the best attractant. One that is water soluble, sticky and stinky, long lasting, and effective. Not only do we sell scents that fit this need but we also are creating a unique lure that incorporates a "scent bleeding" system that allows you the ability to effectively use scents that actually can be detected and cut out the amount of time it takes to reapply scent.