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Debate Topic: Do Fly Line Colors Matter?
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FlyTalk
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October 16, 2009
Debate Topic: Do Fly Line Colors Matter?
By Kirk Deeter
I'm throwing this topic out there, because I have no steadfast opinion, and need some convincing one way or the other...
Do you think the color of the fly line you use matters at all--for better or worse--as a factor in tricking and catching fish?
I have some friends who absolutely swear by the fact that muted grays, greens, and sky blue lines play a critical role in their abilities to catch fish. Stealth matters, and color of a fly line is a factor. Or so they say.
On the other hand, I've heard people say that it's easier to pay attention to that hot-fluorescent line... you can watch your loops better, see drag on the water and mend the line, etc. Hot colors help anglers make their line behave better, and a line cast and drifted well will catch more fish, no matter what color it is.
We do know these things: Fish indeed see colors. Fish also get spooked when you "line" them (thus, a perfect cast, in my mind, puts the fly, tippet and leader in play, but not the fly line, so color shouldn't be an issue at all). We also know that fly line companies spend a lot more time promoting their tapers and lines' physical properties than they do color.
Still, all things being equal, when you buy a line, and you have a choice of colors, do you go with a subtle color, a hot color, or whatever you pick off the stack?
Convince me.
Deeter
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Comments (10)
This is a subject that I've wanted to tackle with an underwater camera, take pictures from the fishes point of view. Have a runway fashion show on the bank and take pictures from underwater where the fish are at, how much can a camera pick up, switch it up with overcast days and sunny days. As with most things, fish are light colored on the bottom and darker colored on the top. Take a shark for instance, he looks up at fish and they are light on the bottom, it is supposed to be a defense mechanism for prey to match their environment. Do I think it matters, only if you let the fish see your line, like you said, if you cast it right, the fish only sees your fly and possibly your tippet and leader. The fish in 11-mile canyon, if they see your line, or an obvious strike indicator, they develop a case of lock jaw in a hurry. As for my line color, I purchase a line for its taper and weight, not it's color.
Absolutly! terminal tackle makes the difference between
line colors.
I don't know, therefore, I prefer to stay on the safe side - muted colors.
I do think it is easier for fish to see the flash of bright line as it is false cast above them, though ... but we shouldn't be doing that anyway.
Can fish see color? Yes, but does the color of your fly line really affect if a fish is gonna bite or not? I don't think so, if the river is good, your cast is good, and you have the right fly on your line you will still catch fish either way.
Hold any color line above your head looking into the sky and it will look dark in color. This is how a fish sees your line. For me color does not matter.
Down here in New Zealand you see very few successful anglers using bright lines, with emphasis on 'bright', when chasing spooky Browns in clear water.
It is not the colour of the line, it is the 'line flash' in the air from bright lines that spooks fish. A flash of bright light spells big trouble to the fish in the form of a predatory bird.
Once the line is on the water, and assuming it has hit the water without spooking the fish the colour does not matter much. As noted above the fish looking up can only see black.
So if you are coming to New Zealand to fish for big browns in the South Island leave the bright lines at home and invest in dull colours, oh, and bright reflective reels should stay home too.
There is a reason we have long leaders if your fishing for spooky fish. If I have a problem with false rises, its usually the fly, not the line. Just don't line fish and you shouldn't have a problem.
AP (Deeter, I pulled my first spey king out of the Root river last weekend, he was about 14 pounds.)
Consider at the min. you will have 9' of line out, 7.5' of leader and 5' of tippet giving you 21' of working line. We all know that casting at a 45˚ would be ideal for removing all possible visual distraction for the fish and begin able to mend and set up the drift. In a perfect world. But we usually have a lot more than 21" of working line and terminal tackle in the air or in the water. You have to cast over the fish it is essential, IMHO, to fish a light colored or muted color line since it will land in the 'visual cone' of your prey. At least with a lighter colored line I believe, with a soft delivery, you have a better chance of catching the fish. IMO it is all about the presentation and if you're so keen on the fish not seeing a thing... put on a 12' or longer leader and a longer tippet. I'm still not convince that fish see color. I believe they see shades or hues, reflections of 'misunderstood shapes' and unfamiliar motion. Has anyone seen experiments where the eye is actually reproduced and a camera shot through the lens? I once saw a show where they did this to explain what bee's, horses and humans see.
As there are various opinions out there---- why not use a permanent marker and camo the first ten feet or so of fly line your leader is attached to-- various colors ---green /brown/ grey etc.) can't hurt -- and it might help you catch the big one!!
No because the fish are not worried about the line, what they are really after is the fly on the end.
Post a Comment
This is a subject that I've wanted to tackle with an underwater camera, take pictures from the fishes point of view. Have a runway fashion show on the bank and take pictures from underwater where the fish are at, how much can a camera pick up, switch it up with overcast days and sunny days. As with most things, fish are light colored on the bottom and darker colored on the top. Take a shark for instance, he looks up at fish and they are light on the bottom, it is supposed to be a defense mechanism for prey to match their environment. Do I think it matters, only if you let the fish see your line, like you said, if you cast it right, the fish only sees your fly and possibly your tippet and leader. The fish in 11-mile canyon, if they see your line, or an obvious strike indicator, they develop a case of lock jaw in a hurry. As for my line color, I purchase a line for its taper and weight, not it's color.
Can fish see color? Yes, but does the color of your fly line really affect if a fish is gonna bite or not? I don't think so, if the river is good, your cast is good, and you have the right fly on your line you will still catch fish either way.
Hold any color line above your head looking into the sky and it will look dark in color. This is how a fish sees your line. For me color does not matter.
Down here in New Zealand you see very few successful anglers using bright lines, with emphasis on 'bright', when chasing spooky Browns in clear water.
It is not the colour of the line, it is the 'line flash' in the air from bright lines that spooks fish. A flash of bright light spells big trouble to the fish in the form of a predatory bird.
Once the line is on the water, and assuming it has hit the water without spooking the fish the colour does not matter much. As noted above the fish looking up can only see black.
So if you are coming to New Zealand to fish for big browns in the South Island leave the bright lines at home and invest in dull colours, oh, and bright reflective reels should stay home too.
There is a reason we have long leaders if your fishing for spooky fish. If I have a problem with false rises, its usually the fly, not the line. Just don't line fish and you shouldn't have a problem.
AP (Deeter, I pulled my first spey king out of the Root river last weekend, he was about 14 pounds.)
Absolutly! terminal tackle makes the difference between
line colors.
I don't know, therefore, I prefer to stay on the safe side - muted colors.
I do think it is easier for fish to see the flash of bright line as it is false cast above them, though ... but we shouldn't be doing that anyway.
Consider at the min. you will have 9' of line out, 7.5' of leader and 5' of tippet giving you 21' of working line. We all know that casting at a 45˚ would be ideal for removing all possible visual distraction for the fish and begin able to mend and set up the drift. In a perfect world. But we usually have a lot more than 21" of working line and terminal tackle in the air or in the water. You have to cast over the fish it is essential, IMHO, to fish a light colored or muted color line since it will land in the 'visual cone' of your prey. At least with a lighter colored line I believe, with a soft delivery, you have a better chance of catching the fish. IMO it is all about the presentation and if you're so keen on the fish not seeing a thing... put on a 12' or longer leader and a longer tippet. I'm still not convince that fish see color. I believe they see shades or hues, reflections of 'misunderstood shapes' and unfamiliar motion. Has anyone seen experiments where the eye is actually reproduced and a camera shot through the lens? I once saw a show where they did this to explain what bee's, horses and humans see.
As there are various opinions out there---- why not use a permanent marker and camo the first ten feet or so of fly line your leader is attached to-- various colors ---green /brown/ grey etc.) can't hurt -- and it might help you catch the big one!!
No because the fish are not worried about the line, what they are really after is the fly on the end.
Post a Comment