Colors for Striper flies / lures?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Over the years I have seen lots of colors for Striper flies and lures.

Old classic for flies and lures is white with a red head.

Black or purple is popular especially in low light or off color water.

Yellow with a red head is another classic combo for flies and lures.

Some use brown and olive shades for a natural looking bait fish.


Today chartreuse and white is probably number one for flies.......the Clouser Minnow.



**What are some of your go to colors for Stripers?

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[Tony Buzolich]

You hit it right on Bill. The name of the game is "get their attention" then it's the cat and mouse reflex chase. In our off colored water contrast is what shows best. Most of the time we don't like to fish in muddy water and some clarity is preferred. So colors like chartreuse, white, and yellow all stand out well. In dirtier water colors with stronger contrast to the water are needed like black or purple and then throw in a little contrast with that like white or chartreuse and you've got an attention getting fly even in dirty water.

Now by reverse thinking, what if the water is "too clear" ? A bright gaudy fly would look totally un-natural and subtle colors are more appealing that might mimic natural baits. That's when you don't want to scare the fish away, you want that fly to look as much life-like as possible. Glue on eyes are a key trigger to realism. Natural baits all have slightly darker backs with lighter colored bellys.
Olive or green or brown over a white belly looks so much more natural it doesn't scare the bigger fish away.

Besides color, you also have to consider movement of the fly to either add realism or insight chase. What creates movement in a fly in addition to the desired color? Flashabou is great, but too much is bad. A little extending past the hair of the fly does wiggle and reflect at the same time. Thus came about the "flash-tail clouser and flash-tail whistler". The other standard which creates movement is the "strip". The speed of the strip, fast ,slow, irregular, all with pauses give movement to the color you've chosen.

What you are doing is adding another dimension to getting that striper's interest. Color and movement are tops on the list. Next would come sound and even scent, but that's another story.
Tony

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I always heard old timers talk about the difference in the light.

AM and PM with low light some think a larger dark pattern like black or purple will have a harder silhouette.

Also many think to fish up near the surface in the low light morning and evening so the fish can see the fly in contrast to the light of the sky.

Also in the day time, with clear water and lots of bright sun light, many believe in using smaller lures or flies that are a lighter color too will make it harder for the fish to see your offering.

As far as retrieve goes I see many giving some very fast erratic strips along with some stops.

A very constant slow methodical retrieve, like a tide water salmon or Tarpon retrieve, does not seem to work as well as breaking it up.



*One way to learn a lot very fast is to go with some of the top rated fly fishing guides during prime time for their fishery. Even better is to go with about 6 different top rated guides. Working in a fly shop for years you get invited to go with some great guides and you learn something from being out with them.

When you think you have all the answers it time to change hobbies......

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[Bob Scheidt]

Excellent input Tony and Bill! Myself--46 years a fisherman now, I find it very frustrating on what I don't know for sure and can only generalize. Maybe that's what keeps me intrigued. (spelling?)
On clousers, different colors have been good for me, not sure one is better than the other, so I go with what I know and lately have been fishing smaller clousers. The 5/32 spirit river real eyes don't always go to the bottom side of the fly when fishing, but I like the way they make the fly gradually dive down on the pause, so I am going to tie up some with the 3/16 eyes. I like black and orange or white and grey clousers. I tie them a little fuller than most ties, because I over do everything. I also like some flash, but not too much.

[Troutstalker55B]

Bill,

First off, yesterday on the Delta was off the charts, it was insane! One look at the bleeding groove on my right index finger says it all. Smaller Clousers in white/ chartreuse was very effective, but a black/purple fly in a very large size got the attention of the larger fish. It was one of Dan Blanton's patterns, not sure which one, but it was a chore to cast, the thing was as big as a small bird.

The delta is SO awesome, those anglers that live close are very lucky. Hopefully I'll be back in a few weeks to get my fix. You can see my report on my special birthday present here; http://jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blo...-stripers.html

-J.