Peripheral Vision

Peripheral Vision 

One of the most important skills to learn as a fisherman is the peripheral awareness. That is, you are training to spot elements of your peripheral vision that alert you to the movement of active fish feeding.

Peripheral vision is what you can see outside the very center of your gaze. The center of your gaze is called focal vision and, basically, when you look straight

Your peripheral vision is everything else. The figures vary, but according to studies conducted by NASA, the peripheral vision of a person extends to about 167 degrees, the head and eyes fixed. If the subject turns his head and eyes, this vision extends to 237 degrees, which allows him to see literally behind him.

You can quickly assess your own peripheral vision by looking straight ahead at a fixed point on a wall at eye level. Extend your arms to your sides and point your fingers. If your arms are stretched by your side, it's 180 degrees. Can you see your fingers? Otherwise, bring them a little forward.

Peripheral vision, also called lateral vision, is effective at capturing motion but mediocre for capturing colors. It's a function of the construction of the eye. The retina has two types of photo receptors, rods and cones. The cones, densely packed in the center of the eyes, take on colors. Sticks that are denser outside the central part of the retina are responsible for night vision, motion detection, and peripheral vision.

What does this have to do with fishing? Several things. Instead of just looking for clues in the water right in front of you, expand your peripheral vision and dramatically increase the reach of your vision.

You may not be able to focus on something you will see from your peripheral vision, but if you have a wider field of vision, you will see, and thus filter, a wider range of clues. In addition, movement, which is an area in which peripheral vision excels, is one of the best ways to spot fish.

Just like when driving on the road and you discover a wide range of visual cues, such as exit signs or brake lights, and by your side, like the other cars in the next lane, you must capitalize on your performances. Entire field of view.

After finding a fish, I do not stop using my peripheral vision. I continue to look through the water to focus on the bottom of the river, while keeping the fish and fly in my peripheral vision. It's only after distribution that I focus on fish.

One of the best ways to practice identifying a movement with your peripheral vision is to look for a distant object in the ocean and use your side vision. While keeping your eyes on the object, try to see other objects up and down the corners of your eyes. Do it every time you go fishing, and each time, try to increase your field of vision. Over time, you will see other parts of the river throughout your field of vision and you will be more efficient at hunting the fish.

First, the longer you look at an object, the less effective your peripheral vision becomes. Lack of eye movement means that you tend to look using only your central vision. The solution to avoid tunnel vision is to keep your eyes moving when you search for fish.

By scanning with your eyes, you avoid focusing too long on an object. You also use your peripheral vision by increasing your viewing angle and increasing your chances of seeing objects outside of your focal point.

The other essential thing is to learn to identify objects other than fish, such as rocks, submerged vegetation, logs and sea grass. The more you know better, the easier and faster the scan will be.

The last point to emphasize is that, if your eyes become more beautiful, look at something picturesque like an open expanse of water or a mountain. In this way, you let your central vision rest by not focusing on a particular object.