The New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s March “Wildlife Wednesdays” presentation will explain how trout perceive their world – information bound to help anglers catch more of them.
Dr. Robert J. Bowman, a retired professor of electrical engineering and biomedical engineering, has been fly fishing and tying flies since he was a kid. His presentation is titled “Fresh Water Fly Fishing: Trout Species, Sensory Anatomy, and Habitat.”
Bowman’s presentation will address questions such as whether a trout that an angler can see in the water can see and hear the angler, and whether trout can smell odors in the water.
“In this presentation we develop an understanding of trout sensory anatomy and behavior,” Bowman said. “Trout sensory anatomy will examine the trout’s impressive physiology in terms of vision, hearing, and smell, all fine-tuned to its water world.
“We will see how these sensory abilities and locomotive skill in navigating make the trout both a remarkable creative and elusive game fish,” Bowman said. “Understanding trout sensory anatomy and behavior will make you a better fisherman and conservationist.
“The trout thrives in the cold, clear, water of the same watersheds that provide our drinking water,” Bowman said. “By protecting trout habitat, we are in essence, ensuring clean watersheds and water quality for the years to come.”
Bowman’s talk starts at 5:30 p.m., March 11, at Marble Brewery’s Northeast Heights location at 9904 Montgomery Blvd., NE, in Albuquerque.
Bowman said he’s not planning to address entomology or fly selection unless he gets specific questions from the audience along those lines “The focus of this meeting is how can you become a better fisherman and better conservationist by knowing how a trout responds to its surroundings,” he said.
While New Mexico is home to several species of trout, Bowman said they’re generally similar in their senses of vision, hearing and smell. “There are differences in how they go about their feeding behavior and so on, and I’m going to talk about the different trout species,” he said.
In addition to working as an engineer and consultant, Bowman has taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, both in New York. He also has taught classes on freshwater fly fishing and has fished extensively around the country.