to see contrasting shades, to see colors and to see in low-light conditions, aided by a network of rods and cones. The obvious connection between sight and artificial baits is that what a fish can see will often get its attention and result in further investigation. From an angler’s perspective, a fish’s vision is a critical sense in finding food or artifi- cial replicas of a food source. Fish also have the ability to “smell”
For the angler, high IQ baits that
replicate some or all those sensory stimuli provide a substantial edge in attracting gamefish to the lure.
via chemical reception. Through an arrangement of nostrils and an olfacto- ry rosette, fish are able to detect and distinguish chemicals, often in minute quantities. In a much purer sense, fish can actually taste through taste buds in their mouths, on their lips and tongues
and faces. Some fish — like catfish — are equipped with barbels, whiskers that have feel and taste functionality. Fish have internal ears and a lateral line that aids in the process of hearing and feeling vibrations produced in their environment. The lateral line is especially valuable in enabling a predatory fish to sense and feel the presence of other fish, prey in particu- lar.
Through rows of neuromasts
(clumps of receptor cells), the lateral line helps fish navigate, avoid other fish and objects, maintain contact with other members of a school and locate prey. It is able to detect disruptions in water like ripples that are made by struggling prey, and relay those to the brain through electrical impulses and unique nerve fibers. For the angler, high IQ baits that
replicate some or all those sensory stimuli provide a substantial edge in attracting game fish to the lure. “Contemporary cutting edge baits
are designed with a ‘full-line’ approach to stimulating the sensory mechanisms in fish,” says John Prochnow, Product Development Director at Pure Fishing and one of the innovators of GULP! Baits. “Those baits target and stimulate
Under normal condi- tions when fish are in a somewhat neutral or feeding mode, it is important for all those artificial bait elements to work in concert.
all response sections within fish. What that means is those baits are designed to maximize scent and flavor, texture, action and vibration and cosmetic appeal such as color and profile.” Which of those elements is most important? In his unique and informed position, Prochnow maintains that under normal conditions when fish are in a somewhat neutral or feeding mode, it is important for all those arti- ficial bait elements to work in concert. Yet there are conditions when one or more of those elements might prevail. For example, in muddy or dingy water, a bait that appeals to a fish’s ability to
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