Hook Colour

[in the surface]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best colour for hooks of dry flies? I guess it depends on light conditions and water conditions.

I'm thinking particularly of dry flies but naturally I welcome your thoughts on hook colour for any type of fly.

[mancfly]

The usual bronze colour is the safest choice for me. Light bronze preferably for dries.

[richardw]

Originally Posted by in the surface

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best colour for hooks of dry flies? I guess it depends on light conditions and water conditions.

I'm thinking particularly of dry flies but naturally I welcome your thoughts on hook colour for any type of fly.

It depends on the fly being represented.

Mainly bronze for me but the silver finish of Drennan Super Specialist hooks works well for little flies like spinners and smuts. For Aphids I like a gold plated hook...

richard

[thedeadskunk]

Originally Posted by in the surface

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best colour for hooks of dry flies? I guess it depends on light conditions and water conditions.

I'm thinking particularly of dry flies but naturally I welcome your thoughts on hook colour for any type of fly.

I hate using black hooks for any of my flies.The amount of times I've fished buzzers on big black carp hooks and had not a sniff, then changed to a large B160 and bang I'm in again and again.Probably just me , but I shy away from using black hooks now.

[guest21]

Originally Posted by thedeadskunk

....The amount of times I've fished buzzers on big black carp hooks and had not a sniff, .......

On the other hand, the Tiemco 103BL, which is black, is a fabulous hook for dry flies and emergers - I wouldn't be without it.

[in the surface]

Thanks, guys. Most of my dry flies are 12s, 14s and 16s with a few 18s. I starting to think light bronze seems the way to go.

As Lighthouse says, the TMC 103BL is a really nice hook. It's probably one of the lightest round while still being quite strong. I really wish it came in bronze!

It does seem that some people think black hooks on dry flies put the trout off, however I hear that in continental Europe, black hooks on dry flies are very much preferred. I doubt that the trout's tastes vary that much from place to place. A bit of a conundrum.

[ACW]

I like Sprite internationals for my dries ,cant get any blacker its a matt black rather than gloss!

[Chris Reeves]

If you took 500 packets of Varivas 2200BL to the Easter United States you'd sell them in seconds, they love the black finish for klinkhamers. It has become a cult hook!
I use the gold Partridge klinkhamer hooks for grayling dries, you can get a great effect by using a very light dubbing and letting the gold show through.
I also like the Fulling Mill Hayabusa black grub hook. it was a poor seller so they dropped it but I tie around 50% of all my own buzzers on that hook.

Do the hook colours make a difference? Who knows, I'm sure there is merit in using red hooks for bloodworm pattens or wounded baitfish, it makes sense to use a silver hook for pin fry patterns, and so on. My own view is that it really is a confidence thing, if you like the look of a fly, you will fish it with confidence, if it doesn't look right to you as the angler, then you will probably not even tie it on, let alone fish it well.

Now, who wants several dozen Drennan Spectrum hooks?

Cheers

[in the surface]

Though I guess a light bronze hook will be less conspicuous against a bright sky than a dark hook. Maybe it will always be less conspicuous since it will reflect the light around it and blend in.

Some would say that flash scares fish but I doubt that. Unless the surface is glass-smooth there will be flashes from the motion at the surface of the water. I doubt any fish would be put ff by a little flash even in glass-smooth water. I don't think they'd figure out that it was out of place there.

[bill1]

As Chris says, no doubt it is a confidence thing.

I reckon that if the fish aren't bothered by a lump of metal sticking out from behind their lunch, they aren't going to be too bothered by the colour of it.