Does anyone know if salmon eggs change color as they mature in the river after the spawn? I’m planning another trip for migratory browns on a Lake Ontario trib and don’t know if the same egg color I observed this weekend will be present in a few weeks or will the eggs get darker/lighter.
Thanks.
eggs that wash out of the gravel tend to lighten up quite a bit over time to a very light creamy peach color. Depending on when your trip is however you still may have some fresh Salmon eggs being deposited by late spawning Chinook and Coho as well as Brown’s spawning so having an assortment of colors is the best bet.
Thanks.
I do carry a ton of colors, but I found a color of material that is an exact match to the salmon eggs I found in the drift and the browns liked them a lot. I am just wondering if I can expect the eggs in the drift to be the same or change color after being out of the fish for a while, as the salmon spawn was probably about 75% done this weekend and may be totally done in a few more weeks before I get back.
I’m figuring that many of the eggs in the drift in a few weeks will be salmon eggs that made it into the gravel, but are being “dug” up by the spawning browns making their redds in the same gravel.
Salmon eggs do change color. BUT, use what you have confidence in.
For browns, pink works well. Brown eggs have a redish color and are smaller than salmon eggs. Eggs that don’t get covered will wash out within a few minutes to a few hours making them lighter. For some reason dark blue eggs patterns work very well for steelhead this time of year. Chartreuse is always a good choice. Stone fly and Caddis patterns work well, as do hair and feather wing streamers. Crystal meth and sucker spawn patterns work well also.
If you know your presentaion is good, and fish are there. Keep changing your fly until you start getting hits. Tight Lines.
what is the size of salmon eggs ? ive tied some egg flies but never seen a egg fly or the real egg to compare it to…
Chinook Egg size varies a bit depending on the size of the hen fish that laid them. Average size is 6mm - 8.0mm. Coho eggs (who are typically later spawners here in WNY) have smaller eggs in that 5mm - 7mm range. Coho will spawn here late in the year, even into January although most are done by mid-Dec.
Now we are in Nov. and the salmon are pretty much gone. I think you will find that the steelies will prefer the washed out and lighter Brownie roe.
TAN is the color now.