There's always debate as to whether bright fly lines scare fish. How about reel colors like the Lamson Guru, which is a dull silver color? I'm not picking on Lamson there are others out there. Just wondering.
Bruce
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There's always debate as to whether bright fly lines scare fish. How about reel colors like the Lamson Guru, which is a dull silver color? I'm not picking on Lamson there are others out there. Just wondering.
Bruce
My question above is a serious one. I had a vigorous discussion with a guy about reel color.
Thanks (lastchance)
Bruce
so who said what??Quote:
Originally Posted by lastchance
bad/poor casting/presentation probably scares more fish than colored reels/lines/rods/hats/shirts etc etc etc
seems to me a dull grey would be good on dark and cloudy days
put on a camo reel and NOBODY will see it
http://www.montanafly.com/picture/ri.../0-90-1050.jpg
i wonder what would have been the arguement on the abel reels?
http://www.abelreels.com/pages/finishes_new.htm
http://www.abelreels.com/pages/deyoung.htm
I would contend that by the time a fish sees the color of my reel, he's just a bit south of a hot frying pan and a lemon wedge.
Mark
I really don't think color would matter. Unless it was a chrome reel on a bright sunny day and throwing flashes all over the water. But then a watch crystal could do that.
IMHO no. If so, the reflection off your sunglasses should send them packing quick. Camo sunglasses...hmmm. I bet someone is already marketting that.
Bob
You betcha! They have them for turkey hunting. Frames and lenses in camo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobinmich
Bruce,
I think it really matters where and how you fish. And maybe a little of it has to do with an individual angler's mindset about the sport itself.
Could the flash of a reel, or a fish seeing it 'move' spook a fish? Sure. Will it? No clue. I do know that if I'm fishing in one of the few slow, low, clear moving water areas, I'll be seeing the telltail sprint of spooked fish all day as I move about. It might be the flashy reel, or maybe the 6 foot tall 260 pound guy holding the rod it's attached to who's just stumbled over a log and landed on his rear end in the pool. Or kicked a rock loose, or took a splashy misstep, or didn't pay attention to where his rather large shadow fell before making a cast. But I'm still catching some fish, even with my dismal wading skills. Can't say I'd blame the spooked fish on the reel.
If 'stealth' is important to you. If you like that low duckwalking, belly crawling, slide the rod through the brush and gently lay the fly on the water type of angling, then you may want to think about a matt black or gray reel.
I have quite a few of them, since I'm cheap and the little $15 reels I like are all plain black graphite. But I'm still spooking fish under the conditions where the water is slow, low, or very clear. But I'm still catching fish, too. I may spook some, but not all of them. Again, can't blame the reel with any certainty.
Besides, I never felt like I had to catch all the fish in the water anyway. Spook some, catch some, miss some, lose some. All the same to me. I'd only be worried about something like reel color if I wasn't catching ANY fish, and I'd worked my way through all the other possible causes first. Or, more than likely, I'd just give it up as one of those days and go read a book. Can't catch fish all the time.
Now, on lakes and faster moving or off color water, I don't think it makes any difference at all. I've fallen into the water, stood up afterwards, and caught trout from almost under my feet in faster water. It's not uncommon for me to catch fish within a few feet of where I'm standing, flashing reel, bright yellow line, and, oh yeah, big fat guy blundering along in the river not withstanding. I just can't rationalize that with the concept that a brightly colored 3-4 inch disc moving through the casting arc several feet above the water would spook fish. I believe you could wear chartruese waders (don't have those, just a non waterproof jumpsuit in that shade-very stylish), chrome boots, carry a boom box playing Twisted Sister at top volume and have a revolving disco ball mounted on your hat and you'd still catch fish.
All that being said, I've always believed that angler confidence was the biggest factor in angler success. So, if you believe that it matters, then it does. Luckily, reels are available in a myriad of colors. You can buy the reel you have the most confidence in.
Good Luck!
Buddy
Could have something to do with that arm moving back and forth just below the reel...
I routinely fish small mountain creeks for small wild trout in the mountains of western NC and eastern TN. These spring-fed creeks often run gin-clear and low. The small brookies that inhabit these streams are spooky. Very spooky. Fishing these small streams is often more akin to hunting than fishing. Keeping a low profile, sneaking/stalking a run is a necessity for success on a regular basis. When fishing these streams, I wear drab clothing (sometimes even camo), use any available cover to sneak within casting range (which is usually a short roll cast or a bow-n-arrow cast) and avoid shiny equipment if possible. I think that a bright, shiny reel "could" be a hindrance on such streams. One could argue that if they see the shiny reel, they are gonna see me too. That might be possible, but if I have a choice, I'm gonna choose a matte or dark colored reel for my small-stream trout rig every time. I need all the little advantages I can get! All my small-stream outfits are equiped with a dark colored reel.
If I'm on a larger body of water, I dont think the reel color makes much, if any, difference. My river smallmouth bass rigs have smoke-finish reels and I havent seen any problems. I've fished larger tailwater rivers for trout with glossy reels with really no problems. I just prefer to try to use every advantage on small streams I can due to the close proximity to the fish and clear, low water and spooky fish.
I would think the glare and reflection has more to do with it than color. Even a lot of fly rods makers have gone from a glossy to a dull finish.
I fish some very difficult waters in western NC (wild trout waters) that catching spooky fish is a real undertaking. How you approach the stream bank, keeping a low profile and not too many willy-nilly false casts over the waters to be fished ... all real important. And when these wild trout see you they are gone! Fishing in a hatchery supported stream, those fish will be back after a short break ... not so the wild ones!
I actually bought the Lamson Guru and my buddy told me the bright reel would scare fish. I contend me moving around would scare fish before the reel. There are reflections off of sunglasses, zippers and and hi gloss finish rods and I don't think they scare fish.
Last week I was fishing in a favorite spot when I looked down, almost at my feet, were two trout which I watch trying to bump each other out of their spot in the space between two large rocks. They seem totally unaware of me until I moved, then they disappeared. There are things all around that sparkle, reflect light and shine in the water, that are natural. Fishermen resort to flash all the time to attract fish, quick movements will run off more fish than a chrome hubcap hanging on the side of a tree. Seems like something I probably learned in Army basic combat training, "the first one who moves dies."
I have had the shadow from my fly rod spook fish. I dont think color is a factor at all.
Make sense to me Uncle Jesse.Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Jesse
lastchance,
Thats the neat thing about the newer Lamson's..that gray finish is matte and dont reflect much at all.
I was fishing with a buddy on a tailwater river awhile back and I could see his shiny chrome reel reflecting the sun like a mirror 1/2 mile down river.
Maybe the reflection from a reel dont spook fish much, if at all, but when chasing wary trout in small-streams and at close-quarters, I'll take a black or dull-finish reel every time. At least in my mind it helps....LOL...
Simple answer - NO
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Jesse
I've had trout bump into my legs as I was standing (still) mid-stream. My experience on spooking trout has been movements and especially shadows that move. Since they have the refractive advantage, I would think any sudden bright reflection would have an effect, too.
Of course, I've not asked any trout if that is so ... so I'm just kinda go on the assumptive idea that it does until I can get one of them to talk!
Dale,
Your trout can't talk??!
Buddy
If you saw me and my shiny rods & reels, decked out in a blaze orange vest, hat & bandanna during hunting season, fishing small wild trout streams and catching PLENTY of spooky trout; you would probably assume most of what fly fishermen worry about trout seeing is unfounded.
The good news is: shiny tackle, bright clothing and walking upright is a great excuse for getting skunked on those days when your ego needs stroking. ;)
I watched guy stack mending last evening OVER a pod of wild brookies , and he knew they were there, reel color had nothing to do with that mess. Divine intervention would have been the only thing that was going to save him. I tend to shy away from the whizz-flashy stuff, Gunmetal would be as far as i got with the bling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bamboozle
That's not what they said ...
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...5/DSCF0070.jpg