UV dubbing, trout vision, etc...

[KeviR]

I have been wondering about the new "UV Enhanced" tying materials.
I've seen a few references that state that trout can see UV wavelength light.
A lot of folks claim the "UV enhanced" materials work better.
I haven't ever tried a direct comparison to see if that is true.
Have you ever done or seen a direct comparison to test this?
Can anybody describe the mechanism that is supposed to make these materials better?
Some materials fluoresce under UV light, but I think that's a different thing - a fluorescent material is converting UV light to a visible light wavelength so it appears to our eyes to "glow" because we can't see the UV, but we can see the new wavelength. If the theory is that trout can see UV wavelengths, then a material that converts UV light to a different wavelength might actually be counterproductive, depending on what wavelength it is. (If trout happen to be less sensitive to the new wavelength.)

 

[afishinado]

I have been wondering about the new "UV Enhanced" tying materials.
I've seen a few references that state that trout can see UV wavelength light.
A lot of folks claim the "UV enhanced" materials work better.
I haven't ever tried a direct comparison to see if that is true.
Have you ever done or seen a direct comparison to test this?
Can anybody describe the mechanism that is supposed to make these materials better?
Some materials fluoresce under UV light, but I think that's a different thing - a fluorescent material is converting UV light to a visible light wavelength so it appears to our eyes to "glow" because we can't see the UV, but we can see the new wavelength. If the theory is that trout can see UV wavelengths, then a material that converts UV light to a different wavelength might actually be counterproductive, depending on what wavelength it is. (If trout happen to be less sensitive to the new wavelength.)

My understanding is only juvenile trout can see the UV spectrum >

"Because adult trout lose UV vision as they age, their lenses absorb UV light to protect the retina from some harmful effects of UV light. In juvenile trout, UV vision may aid in foraging for drifting plankton. They can detect delicious floating food thanks to scattered UV light in clear water."

Google Search

 

[salmo]

My understanding is only juvenile trout can see the UV spectrum >

"Because adult trout lose UV vision as they age, their lenses absorb UV light to protect the retina from some harmful effects of UV light. In juvenile trout, UV vision may aid in foraging for drifting plankton. They can detect delicious floating food thanks to scattered UV light in clear water."

Google Search

Wow. Perhaps "UV" qualities are a bit of a marketing ploy?

 

[Bamboozle]

Wow. Perhaps "UV" qualities are a bit of a marketing ploy?

Imagine such a thing in fly fishing... 😉

 

[JeffK]

I think trout see UV and see colors differently than we do. However, most of the UV stuff is marketing to me, especially shine a UV light and see it glow. BTW, I think this ploy is in overdrive since most of us have UV lights to cure resins so can check UV fluorescence ourselves. 20 years ago few people had a UV light.

Sometimes different brands of dubbing that look the same color to me have different results with the trout. Maybe a UV reflection difference that we can't see? I think natural materials produce more natural reflection than dyed materials in most cases. For example, my wets and nymphs with natural black collars produce far better than ones using dyed black necks.

 

[Bamboozle]

I actually fell for this fly fishing ruse (and more than a few others) almost 20 years ago, buying some UV Ice Dub when it first appeared on the market.

Maybe it's me, but I didn't like the way it looked in sunlight and it didn't fish any better in my experience so I doubted its effectiveness.

It now sits in a drawer with other secret weapons that failed their lethality tests.