so how important is the colour of your fly? the reason I ask is I've jus bought some new capes for wet flies and it seems that colour is a very important factor, atleast from the sellers point of view.

also I notice that there are hundreds of different shades of dubbings, how important is it to get the right one when matching the hatch? also a consideration is how the colour of the fly changes when it is submerged and at different depths.

any thoughts?

It's not as important as presentation and size.

There is variation in all things, and the color of insects is no exception. I haven't specifically asked a trout, but my guess would be if you did they would confirm that all they require is that the fly be more or less the color that is consistent with the other insects of that species they've snacked on over the last few days.

By contrast, if you present it badly or if the size is wrong, it's almost a non-starter.

Grouse

Spot on Grouse.
Presentation is almost everything, frighten a trout before you start, and you are fecckked.

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guys, I appreciate the comments but I was looking for more of a discussion on colour....

I agree with the above, But I do think its slightly more imortant at specific hatches during the year and for different light conditions.

Sometimes I think it's more to do with the confidence factor, and it takes longer to pick a shade now than it is to tie the fly.

You should take a look at the spectrum of colours and how some colours travel further than others. Two years ago I tied a bumble with a black claret hackle and med claret as opposed to the black hackle and claret hackle, and I would nearly swear it was picked out more often. But then again it could have been confidence again.

The one fly I am sure needs the correct shade is the Green Peter, has to be a rich red from the game cocks of old. Difference is huge.

I think size and colour matters. For eg, I couldnt catch nothing on a green and red montana, size 10 hook. Same pattern with a black body and lime green thorax, size 10 hook, some interest. Drop to a size 12 hook using the same pattern black and lime green colour and I connect with a fish every cast.

So I am using 2 types of the same nymph pattern, fishing in over 10 foot of water which is like pea soup, how can the fish tell what colour the nymph is let alone see that I have changed to a size 12 hook which they prefer.

I bet no one can explain this

i think i'm with grouse on this one. I don't think colour is too important at all. As said there is variation in everything, and if something looks like food, a fish will eat it. I think depth, presentation and size are much more important. Although as in the previous post, there are occasions where some colours are better. At my fishery, around may, there are olives everywhere, so olive generally works the best, but other colours still catch a lot of fish. I think it's generally been said that bright colours work better in bright light, and dark colours in dim light. I also think it's fair to say that a lot of the time fish just see a silhouette, such as on top of the water or in murky water, in which case darker colours generally give a better silhouette- i might be wrong, but i don't think it's far off.
I'm not too sure about how colours change under water, but some frequencies can penetrate water, some can't, so these affect the colour of the fly. For instance i think red looks blackish under water because of the frequencies of light that can/can't penetrate the water. Again i'm not 100%, but i think that's the way it works.
Maybe there are some physisits that could help...

I accept it is important but one major thing bugs me, especially about dries.....

The fish see them from below. Surely all flies look dark from below?
Or is it the way the light will penetrate a certain insect coloured body?

Surely otherwise, all blobs on the surface will be dark in colour to a fish from below....?

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John Danter

No. transmitted light through an insect's transluent body (and our fly patterns), is very important. I would argue more so to the stillwater angler who is using patterns with an element of attraction in them. In rivers I believe the key triggers are more size and shape orientated.

M

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That assumes a fish's vision works like ours does it not? I'm with north country angler on this. Fishing on lochs i have noticed that when fishing with sedgehogs, simply changing the colour of the body of the fly has brought the trout up. That's the only experience i have with this but i'd definitely say there's something in it.