Studies on the Great Lakes and in salt-water situations have shown the uv to really bump up production on salmons and trout. I know stream trout anglers in this area are really leaning on products that have a uv enhancement of some kind and some studies have shown that these stream trout share in their abilities to see uv light extremely well with their larger cousins. This would suggest that the uv products do work better at least in those venues. Personally I've seen an up-tick in crappie production for me, specifically during the low-light periods of sunrise and sunset or when the sun's rays hit the water at shallow angles. I also know several walleye anglers who have done very well using enhanced baits that I have made for them. A couple of these guys swear the enhanced baits did than better than those that weren't given the enhancer.
As for bass, I have no idea if enhanced baits trip their trigger but some of the conversations that got kicked around at the conference in Denver last week alluded to the idea that uv products booted the hit percentages for many of the individuals.
Little was mentioned about northerns and muskies, but I will bet dollars to donuts that enhanced baits will do better at catching these prime time predators.
Like seed catalogs, right after Christmas I start getting the angling catalogs and tackle catalogs. One thing is very apparent in today's baits and lures: few manufacturers are NOT putting uv enhancers in or on their baits. My own opinions aside, I think that we are seeing this trend today because people want it and they probably want it because it works or at least the customers trust that it will/does. Its perhaps more of a confidence booster for some than anything, but none-the-less, the manufacturers are seeing to it that the anglers are getting it.
Now on that fish you're holding Dob....it looks amazingly similar to the Lake Herring we catch in Lake Superior. Our herring get up to about 6 pounds tops. Filleted and dredged in a season flour, battered and deep fried they are considered a delicacy along the lake shore. I keep a couple every summer for Carole and I to chew on and we eat them just about as fast as I can fillet them and Ma cooks them. Very good. And I keep a few in the fall to pickle. The backs of our variety of herring are a beautiful metallic green-grey. In the water that lateral line looks as red as blood. Lots of people who see them in the water confuse them with the smaller Steelhead and Kamloops Rainbows commonly found in Superior. Do you keep these or don't they have any table value?
