Red fishing line

[nick]

Infrared is not heat, nor is it colour - it is quite simply a range of wavelengths in the Electromagnetic spectrum. Some wavelengths (the shorter ones) are cold, others the longer ones do indeed have thermal energy, and when we feel heat it is infrared electromagnetic radiation that we are feeling.

 

Quite a good but fairly simple description here

 

I don't know if fish "see" infrared, nor do I know if they see red, but it is certainly true that red is the first colour of light to be lost as you descend the water column.

 

I would guess that the same as many other subjects in fishing the real test of how effective a red line is has more to do with your personal confidence in the colour than any real difference. Most tackle is designed to catch anglers not fish!

[Anderoo]

What we really need is a red camo flourocarbon - invisible below 3m, against any background, and above 3m

[ColinW]

Infrared is not heat, nor is it colour - it is quite simply a range of wavelengths in the Electromagnetic spectrum. Some wavelengths (the shorter ones) are cold, others the longer ones do indeed have thermal energy, and when we feel heat it is infrared electromagnetic radiation that we are feeling.

 

I think you are confusing art and physics.

The shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy of the photons (E=hv), which is why the shorter wavelengths of UV light cause sunburn.

Paradoxically, confirming what all scientists believe about artists, blue colours are said to "feel" cold when seen on a painting or when used as decoration, whereas red "feels" warm.

[nick]

no, not confusing anything.

 

What we refer to as Infrared are forms of electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between approximately 750 nm and 1 mm.

 

the shorter wavelengths are cold, and are the frequencies used in infrared remote controls. The longer wavelengths are the hot infrared which we all experience as heat from such things as fires lightbulbs other animals etc Some objects emit the heat, others refelect it

 

As the wavelength of infrared is outwith the range we experience as visible light then it cannot have any colour.

Edited February 12, 2007 by nick

[ColinW]

the shorter wavelengths are cold, and are the frequencies used in infrared remote controls. The longer wavelengths are the hot infrared which we all experience as heat from such things as fires lightbulbs other animals etc Some objects emit the heat, others refelect it

 

As the wavelength of infrared is outwith the range we experience as visible light then it cannot have any colour.

 

I'd give up now if I were you!

 

Go and look up Planck's law and have a think.

[Chris Plumb]

This is interesting - really it is! A scientific paper comparing the visual systems of Fish and Humans!

 

http://www.cs.rit.edu/~rsg/FishVisionSystemGroup2.ppt

 

 

C.

 

(Needs PowerPoint)

[Newt]

I also think red line is designed to catch idiots, not fish

 

Oops. Well, that is me told then.

 

I enjoyed using the red Cajun mono so much that I have bought myself a spool of the red braid that PowerPro has just started selling. I sorta decided the red helped by making the line easier for me to see above water and was either neutral or possibly a little helpful with the fishing results.

 

Most likely the fact that so many lure and hook makers are now offering more and more red hooks is just a fad as well so I probably should stock up before the fad dies out.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Yes red does change colour at depth but I often read that it turns black. This is rubbish. Black is not a colour as such. It's a complete lack of light or colour.The red would probably change in contrast to some form of grey, which may still be quite visible against the bottom of the water you are fishing so forget the idea that red maggots miraculously disappear after 15 feet or so. It simply changes colour.

[chevin]

Obviously I cannot remark on what fish might see, but I do know that below about 30' red is none existant as red but shows as green. I have observed my own blood and the blood of fish at that depth and have been dangerously confused on one occasion when I continued a dive while bleeding profusely from an injury on my leg. On another occasion my daughter was snorkelling on the surface and saw an explosion of green burst fom a fish when I shot it. So, if fish do see the same as what we see, it might be that red line is a good colour below certain depths. But having said that I still prefer to use a neutrally coloured line and even if I ever used a coloured one, I would never use it up to the hook!

[Clifftop]

in South OZ we use a red bead or red tubing just above the hook when fishing for King George Whiting.

On a personal note ive caught just as many without the red add ons.