HOW strong is the lure of a lure? Whether one is any better than the next, is a question which has for years, eluded many a fisherman.

Most would agree that the one, the one that suits all purposes, for all fishermen, in all conditions, doesn't exist.

Should they be large, small, red, green, blue, plastic or even wood? The answer, one scientist believes, can easily be found by studying the behaviour exhibited by prey attempting to remain safe from predatory fish and creating a lure that does the exact opposite.

GENERATIONS of Bermudians have spent hours with a rod and reel or line in hand, waiting for that first firm tug of a wahoo, a bonefish or a yellowfin tuna. No matter what the motivation, whether landing a catch translates into dinner, a won championship, or a personal victory, fishing just might be the ultimate patience tester. But it need not be.

According to Daniel Bagur, a British marine and freshwater biologist, it was a revelation that came as he searched for the answer to a simple question: How does one catch predatory fish? Could the answer lie in the behaviour of its prey?

"I started fishing at a very early age and have always been fascinated by fish," Mr. Bagur said. "After becoming a qualified scuba diver, I took an interest in wildlife photography and fish behaviour. I began to wonder. Fish as a group are the number one prey item for a huge number of predators. Even some invertebrates prey on fish. How do they deal with these constant threats and how can their behaviour be used to help us catch predatory fish?"

It was an answer, he said, that he thought would be particularly useful to fishermen on an island such as Bermuda where gamefishing, especially, takes advantage of its clear waters to attract fish to lures.

Currently living in the UK, Mr. Bagur grew up in England and spent a lot of time diving in Europe's freshwater lakes and along the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea. His scientific research and wildlife photographs have been published in various UK and Australian publications, Mr. Bagur said and at present, he is adding the final touches to a book on the behaviour of animal life along the rocky shores of Great Britain.

"(However), I aim to concentrate my efforts on research into fish behaviour," he explained adding that such information could be put to use by enthusiasts and in fishing communities everywhere.

"(Researchers have) found that a predator is more likely to attack fish that are unaware of its presence than those that have become wary upon spotting it. The fishes' heightened awareness make them more difficult to catch.

"By making a plug look ill or weak with a jerky, seemingly uncontrolled retrieve, a fisherman can give predators the impression that their lure is unaware of its surroundings and will make an easier meal than its shoal mates and encourage the predatory fish to make a lunge for it."

An obvious yet often overlooked fishing technique, the marine biologist added, is to search where prey species tend to congregate as, from there, it follows that the big fish won't be too far behind.

"Finding the prey species is always a good start. Prey fishes often like to aggregate beneath floating objects as they provide protection from aerial predators and the sun's glare. Mahi mahi are often found beneath floating weeds and debris in search of sheltering prey fish. Aggregations of piscivorous birds can also indicate the presence of a shoal pushed up towards the surface by predatory fish. In Bermuda, wahoo and marlin for example, are known to congregate in the presence of prey."

Through his studies, Mr. Bagur said, he and many other scientists have come to understand that fish don't sit there, treading water, dumbly waiting to get caught. "Researchers have discovered that fish seem to know that one of the most dangerous places to be is in the area directly in front of the predator," he explained. "As a result, they avoid this area. A lure passing a predator's head is much more likely to be attacked than one approaching its side or tail. Carp exposed to predators grow to become shorter, but fatter, than those grown in the absence of predators. Fatter fish are harder to swallow and it seems that the presence of a predator has the effect of changing the way certain fish grow. By making our lures thinner they will be more appealing to hungry fish."

Those who regularly fish in the same area or fish in one area for continuous periods of time should be advised that while familiarity among fish doesn't necessarily breed contempt, it can breed indifference, Mr. Bagur warned.

"In his book The Captive Sea, Craig Phillips described an occasion when he placed 200 topminnows into a tank of piranhas whilst working at a seaquarium. Within an hour, half of the minnows had been chased down and eaten. The next day only 12 of the topminnows were left. These 12 fish remained in the tank untouched. Phillips suggested that this was the result of familiarity. The piranhas no longer associated these lucky individuals with food. The really interesting part came when other topminnows were added to the tank. These newcomers were rapidly chased and eaten but the locals were left alone. It seems that prey familiarity detracts from feeding incentive."

Similarly, he explained, once fish recognise a lure, they can easily become disinterested - even after only a few casts.

"Perhaps changing lures often when fishing is a good thing. Research has shown that in green water, red, and in blue water, yellow, are the most conspicuous colours to predatory fish. It would make sense to include flecks of such colours on our lures to attract the attention of predators from as far away as possible.

"Wahoo are known to hit their prey, side-on at speed. It makes sense therefore for these flecks of colour to be placed along the fishes flanks. Fishing lures are often designed to pull fishermen towards the till as opposed to pulling the fish out of the water!"

While colours on lures should be conspicuous, they should not be too bright or too present, Mr. Bagur stressed. The reason for this, he said, is that many poisonous fish use bright colours to show just how unappetising they actually are.

"This is especially the case when fishing over reefs where fishes protected by toxins, strong spines and tough skin often advertise their inedibility with bright colours. It would be a mistake to advertise the inedibility of your lure. It seems the ideal solution is to use a lure that imitates the predator's natural prey in size and colour, adding these red or yellow flecks to increase their visibility.

"In the case of the wahoo, species like the mullet, hardtails and bonita are good examples of prey species to replicate. For marlin squid, tuna and mackerel look-alikes may be more effective."

As with all else, timing is everything in fishing. According to Mr. Bagur, predators are most active - and most successful - after the sun has set. Consequently, it's a good time for human predators to hit the water as well.

"During the twilight hours predators have been found to be most active and most successful. Ten to 15 minutes after sunset, the water column above coral reefs remain empty for 15 - 20 minutes. This period occurs between the hiding of the daytime reef fishes just after sunset and the arrival of the nocturnal fish.

"The absence of fish is due to the fact that predatory fish such as sharks, groupers, jacks and snappers make the most of the light conditions at this time. The predators keep low and are difficult to detect against the darkening reef by any fish above them. The prey species on the other hand are silhouetted against the evening sky and easily visible to the predators. When the light fades the predators' success rate drops dramatically and the nocturnal reef fish take to the open water. The colour of the lure wouldn't matter during this period as it would appear black to all predatory fish."

As this hunting period ends 30 minutes after sunset, Mr. Bagur explained, the optimum fishing time "for predators and those aiming to catch them would therefore be the 20 minutes between 10 minutes and 30 minutes after sunset." That does not however, mean, there is little benefit to fishing once night has fallen.

"Most nocturnal fish do not take the same precautions against predation as their day-time counterparts (shoaling for example). To some extent they rely on the lack of light for protection. Nocturnal reef fish lack the vivid colours of those present during the day. Day-time species use vivid body colouring as a means of recognising one another.

"At night fish cannot clearly see so colourful body patterns become useless. In fact, it is thought that bold, contrasting marks may attract predators. For this reason a lure fished at night could benefit from the presence of sharp contrasting colours.

"If we can learn from research into their behaviour which are the best ways a fish can behave and look in order to avoid being detected and eaten then we can make our plugs and lures look and behave in exactly opposite ways encouraging predatory fish to make the most of an irresistibly easy meal."