I was told that the last two colors a bass could see as the water got deeper was purple and blue. Well I thought it was more black or green. As the water gets deeper what are the last colors a bass can see? Is there any way to prove this?

Here is what I have found in some articles on the subject:

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Order of light penetration from least to most:

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Blue.

In clear waters, blue light between 440 and 490nm is attenuated the least, while orange and red light (590 to 700nm) is attenuated the most. In coastal waters, more blue light is absorbed due to more suspended matter and phytoplankton in the water, and green light penetrates the furthest.

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From this information it seems that in clear water conditions blue would be seen the deepest. In water that that is stained or muddy green would be the last color to be seen at depth.

Edit:

As far as black goes I think it would always be seen the deepest as any light that can penetrate would be absorbed. What I am confused about is say you have a something red. Since red does not penetrate as far the object would absorb any available light and appear to be black. Does that mean that the color does not matter because if its natural color cannot be seen it will just appear black anyway?

I was told that the last two colors a bass could see as the water got deeper was purple and blue. Well I thought it was more black or green. As the water gets deeper what are the last colors a bass can see? Is there any way to prove this?

How and what bass see is anyone's best guess, we simply don't know for sure. For example translucent smoke with light blue & light purple are shad colors and we catch bass during the winter period on 4" straight tail finesse worms fished deeper than 50'.

WRB

hmmm I have to wonder about this one. I have read about infisherman doing studies on walleyes to see which colors they see best and if they see colors different than us. It has something to do with cones in the eyes. But I never read anything about bass.

Mottfia

There is a lot of information regarding bass vision and color vision, most of it contradicts the other.

Kenyon Hill, Elite pro's dad was Dr. Loren Hill, also a tournament pro did studies at a university and came up with the Color C Lector. This was a hot item back in the late 70's and early 80's. Bass reacted to the C Lector choices and fishermen believed in it. Works as good as anything that has been available to date. Hill's recommendation was to use a combination of colors that his unit indicates; contrast is the key.

WRB

hmmm I have to wonder about this one. I have read about infisherman doing studies on walleyes to see which colors they see best and if they see colors different than us. It has something to do with cones in the eyes. But I never read anything about bass.

Mottfia

Mottifia, I have also read about that. But also never heard anything on LMB.

It really does not matter what kind of eyes bass have.  Light is absorbed through the water with red being gone first.  

I believe the science behind this because about 10 years ago I was scuba diving in the keys and a 6 foot moray eel tore the heck out of my hand and I had arterial bleeding.  I was at about 35 feet of water with at least 60 feet of vis in bright sun.  The blood at that depth looked like coke.  It was just dark brown.  As I asended, it became redder and redder until at about 10 feet it was blood red.

They, nor any creature can see what is not there.

I remember that. I swore by it..

There is a lot of information regarding bass vision and color vision, most of it contradicts the other.

Kenyon Hill, Elite pro's dad was Dr. Loren Hill, also a tournament pro did studies at a university and came up with the Color C Lector. This was a hot item back in the late 70's and early 80's. Bass reacted to the C Lector choices and fishermen believed in it. Works as good as anything that has been available to date. Hill's recommendation was to use a combination of colors that his unit indicates; contrast is the key.

WRB