[Mike Barrio]

Hi folks

At what point does a flashy fly become too flashy? Do you think you can have too much flash in a fly to attract a fish's attention? Does it put them off?

Cheers
Mike

[Rob Brownfield]

I think a lot depends on the fishery.

Again, most of my experince in recent years have been with Pike on the fly, but I am sure its the same for trout. I feel that if a fish (trout or Pike) has been caught on a flashy fly and returned, it becomes a bit more wary of a flashy fly in the future.

On  a water where fish are routinely taken, rather than returned, then I think they do not wise up so much and are more likely to take a flashy fly.

I believe its noticable as the season progress' that certain flies that were sucessful early on (thinking none realistic paterns, not close imitations) become less successful. Do the trout recognise them as dangerous? I think so.

[Jay Scott]

I also think it depends on the fishery and time of year... i think that a bit more flshy materials will work very well in lochs where there are good stocks of fry ect... other fisheries that depend more insects for the majority of the fishes natural diet would take a more natural lure (Example perhaps black and olives would have a better catch rate than those using the likes of bright pink and orange).

Well thats my thinking 

Cheers,

Jay

[Irvine Ross]

Does it not depend on the clarity of the water?

 Loch Leven was notorious for murky water due to algae, due to enrichment. There is a pattern in Stan Headley's book for a "Leven Sparkler" which is amongst flashiest patterns I have ever seen. It was recommended by Stan for Loch Leven but he did not advise its use anywhere else.

In clear water the fish can see the flies at a distance so there is less need to make them highly visible.

That's my logic anyway.

Irvine

[Stuart Smith]

im not sure if water colour matters.i use a silver sparkler on the bob alot when stripping flys for browns or bows.if you tow it past there nose at speed it is just a reaction.havent had much success on small waters proplery because i fish much slower

[Derek 365]

My best patterns for the last 4 years have all contained black holographic tinsel underbody , which is flashy but not flashy 

[Andy Macbog]

Hi Folks,

Good question!

My understanding is that flashy flies are best for bright days on loughs with a sandy bottom that reflects a lot of sunlight.  This causes the 'mirror' of the air/water interface to become very  reflective of the lough bottom (and therefore 'cluttered' to the trout's perception from below) so you need something flashy to stand out against all that background noise.  Quite how much flash you need I do not know!  Or when it is too much, but get seen, get eaten?  And a lot of the wee water beetles certainly give off a lot of flash from their bubble of air.  So maybe the more flash the better on a bright day on a lough with a light coloured bottom (like those on the machair).

Also noticed too, in the very clear lough waters of Greenland, that when spinning for char, bright lures brought them in as a shoal and advertised the presence of something going on.  So after maybe a dozen casts of nothing I all of a sudden started getting takes with a visible fish or two following on every retrieve.  Move along the shore . . . . nothing . . . . and then after a dozen casts, the same again.  I suppose this lends some weight to the idea of an attractor on the bob with something more realistic towards the tip, so that if the trout decides the bob is too flashy and gets suspicious, you have a more acceptable alternative for it to consider as it turns away from the flashy bob.

Anyway, back to my hard day's procrastination/work!

Andy

[Ben Dixon]

Most productive flies this year for salmon have been Conns Sunray Shadow which is very flashy, over wing of krinkle mirror flash which is about as reflective and flashy a material as I have seen.  Other has been a gold holo cascade with a lot of either gold angel hair of KF in the wing, both of these flies have taken fish in clear and heavily coloured water.

For trout, an Orange CH black bugger takes fish in big dirty spates with no more than 12" of visibilty but also takes in clear water albeit in smaller sizes.  A standard bugger does not produce so well in dirty water. 

I reckon Stuart has a point about the speed thing, if fishing fast then a lot of flash can be good, posibly better than less flash but the jury is still out.  Many of my imitative flies even on the river have a bit flash to then, a gold or pearl rib, sprinkling of ice dub mixed through a natural fur dubbing etc.  Most flies I use on a stillwater tend to have a bit more flash than my river flies, that includes loch patterns for searching.

There must be some formula for this but I am nowhere near to getting it sussed!!  Personally I like a bit of flash in my flies.

Cheers

Ben