Colours

[zeolite]

So what colours do folk prefer in their lures?

The reason I ask is that I have a big bag of unpainted devon bodies and I am about to paint them. Got the traditional blue/silver and red/gold as well as green/yellow. So anything else worth trying? i intend to be out on the tay early doors.

[Sloggi]

Not sure about the Tay, but have a look at the thread on floating devons - some colour views there.

However, put down the shocking pink and fluoro green paints and get some ruby red. Spray with undercoat, then gold, then ruby red.

Not sure what sizes you have but I use anything from 1" - 3" but they are all floaters.

The only other lures colours I use are:

Flying C - black (silver blade) or red (gold or copper blade)

Floating Rapalas - various lengths but only silver or GFR

Toby - silver, occasionally gold

Rapala X-Rap - sliver, gold, orange

[Yorkshire Esk]

I have been told by many fishermen that fish are colour blind, so if that is the case it really does not matter what you paint them.
Saying that, some years I have caught salmon on only silver coloured lures,and seatrout on gold colours, but then this year the salmon have taken to a gold coloured lure.
I guess fish must be colour blind then.

Y.E

[Sloggi]

Maybe you should paint them varying shades of grey...

[zeolite]

I had a discussion with the Dee fishery scientist guy (Adrian?)and he reckoned that salmonids could see colour but not when an object was silhouetted against the sky ie above the fish. n tahat case the colour of dry flies is irrelevant.

[magpie]

Black and White

[Yorkshire Esk]

Are they Newcastle colours by any chance?

[Fruin]

Zeolite,

I know that fisherman on the Kercock beat do well with all ruby red(metallic I think), and ruby red and gold. These same colours have been doing well on other systems this year, take it from me I've seen the evidence

I also know some fisherman that swear by pink and white in the cold waters of the Tay in early spring

Brown and gold, and blue and silver always served me well when I did a lot of spinning, however, red and gold and all red definitely take the honours for most spinners that I know.

[kercock]

Isaid pretty much all I had to say about colours in the other thread BUT One of the very best in the spring is the black and orange, black on the back and a flourescent orange belly in any colour of water so long as its cold , a lot of guys on the Tay,especially the Lower Tay use a Black and White devon in the last hour of light

[Sloggi]

kercock said:

Isaid pretty much all I had to say about colours in the other thread BUT One of the very best in the spring is the black and orange, black on the back and a flourescent orange belly in any colour of water so long as its cold , a lot of guys on the Tay,especially the Lower Tay use a Black and White devon in the last hour of light

Never liked the black and orange But I've caught on black and yellow.

The black and white has taken fish on the Don in dark conditions but not neccessarily in the last hour.

[zeolite]

Black and orange eh? I can wear a matching shirt for those. Are those called terrors?

[Amber]

Hi,

I like red & gold floating devons for the Autumn.

Like you I paint some up myself.

Ruby red humbrol paint & the gold spray sold at this time of year for Xmas decorations. The gold has a nice metallic sheen.

[Sloggi]

As ever, size is important (no jokes please ) and just as important as colour. My experience is start with 3" in spring working down to as small as 1" in low summer conditions in a smaller river, then back up to 2" - 2 1/2" in early autumn and finally back to the 3" Devon in late autumn. All of this is dependent on water levels, of course.

[Sloggi]

amber said:

Hi,

I like red & gold floating devons for the Autumn.

Like you I paint some up myself.

Ruby red humbrol paint & the gold spray sold at this time of year for Xmas decorations. The gold has a nice metallic sheen.

Hi Amber - where do you purchase devon minnow blanks, or do you tie them yourself?

[zeolite]

I got my blanks off ebay but haven't seen any more.

[exerod]

sloggi said:

Hi Amber - where do you purchase devon minnow blanks, or do you tie them yourself?

Buy them? They grow on trees

Cut some hazel sticks about 1" in diameter, leave them to dry for a month or two. Cut to length, drill a hole up the middle, carve to shape, glue fins in (the little plastic boxes hooks come in make indestructable minnow fins when cut up), paint and varnish. I like to line the hole with plastic tubing and flare the ends over with a flame, just like the plastic liners in copper and ally tube flies.

I like to carve them really thin in cross section as I think it gives them more action and vibration than a round minnow. It also cuts down on their bouyancy so you don't need so much lead to get them down. I make them too thin to accept a standard tulip bead so I just cut the "stem" off the bead and let the "flower" butt up against the tail of the minnow.





Andy

[Sloggi]

Nice lures

I especially like the thinner one - looks great.

[exerod]

Sloggi, its the same lure, thats what I mean by making them thin in cross section. More fish shaped rather than round like a lot of shop bought minnows.

Andy

[Sloggi]

So it is

How daft am I (don't say anything!)? That shape should give quite a turbulent effect which will attract fish.

Is that your most successful colour?

[speycaster]

nice minows well done that man