Hook color

[newriverspey]

I was talking to a fellow fly fishing friend of mine, who is an experienced fly fisher (don't want to say old because we all getting older) and he was adamant about using black hooks for tying flies. He thought that bronze hooks or silver hooks spook fish. It started me thinking and sometimes I think there might be some truth to this but sometimes I just say nah. So, I am curious to what others may think of this. Thanks. Otto

[crazy4oldcars]

I can't speak to trout, but it doesn't seem to effect warm water species, and in some cases might even help.

Kirk

[Darwin]

I think the North Country spiders look best on bronze hooks but I do like black hooks for dry flies. Scientific testing would help answer this question, but I have not seen anything published nor do I think it could ever be definitive.

[crazy4oldcars]

I've given this a bit more contemplation. It beats working and I still get paid.
My opinion, and it's just an opinion, is that USUALLY (nice qualification) the fish don't see the hook. With all of the detritus in the water, the hook just looks like something the bug grabbed in passing. I should think a fish sees a lot of shiny stuff floating by.

Kirk

[Mataura mayfly]

Hooks were bronze an awful long time before any were black. Least that rings true here. It would have been near over a century after trout were released in NZ waters before you could buy off the shelf black hooks suited to smaller dry flies.
Makes little difference to me in regard to how the trout see them, but different hook shank colours can help dictate the body colour or colour tone of the body tied upon them.

[Old Hat]

I say NAH. I'm sure there is a difference in how they look. But I don't think the fish notice. A black hook is Opaque and a silver or bronze hook is translucent to some extent. A silver or bronze hook will reflect some of the environment especially on sunny days. Silver hooks nearly disappear on sunny days in clear water. On cloudy days you might get a little bit of flash but I don't see that as a hindrance or a factor in scaring the fish. I would disagree with any of the three scaring fish. There may however, be slight advantages or disadvantages depending on the environment or the weather.

[William Anderson]

Otto, I wanted to offer something of substance to your question, but I'm afraid I'll offer the same "inconclusive" as most others have. I think there only two points that come to mind. First, the fish see the hook and ignore it, focusing rather on any positive trigger that registers as food potential. That's only relevant when the fish sees the entire fly, which I suspect doesn't actually happen often in the film or above until it reaches the window. For a fly in the film or above, the hook is the only thing the fish sees along with the dimples and light bending made by materials in/on the surface until it enters the vision cone. Below surface, they must again, just ignore it.

The other thing that comes to mind is that when the object is illuminated in the water and reflected in the mirror, it reflects its surroundings, which is the idea behind the Alec Jackson crystal finish on the North Country Spider hooks. (these images below are severe in an attempt to show the hook, which typically is far more concealed and of less consequence.) By some underwater observations flies are reported to take on a great deal of reflectance and translucence of materials to each other and all materials to the surrounding environment. When the presence of the hook is doubled in the mirror, I would think it would be important even if ignored to create an opportunity for hook to cause as little interference as possible. Just a thought. But the the bright finished hooks have been great for me this season. I can't say if that's true when they are down deeper away from the film.

Alec Jackson North Country Spider hook #16


Grizzly Spider #16


I would put more faith in the middle ground of most modern bronze hooks, where some reflectance occurs and mostly the hook color doesn't disrupt the overall cohesion of the flies design. The crystal finish may be highly reflective and become less observable than a darker hook, but then you can't discount the bling factor with a hook like that. I tied all my Stewart style flies and most North Country Spiders on the AJ hooks this past season and certainly didn't see a negative effect in takes.

Looking for a standard practice it is still the finish of the Daiichi hooks. A bit brighter than some, but not to the extent of causing potential unnatural bling. Or is it that we sometimes want bling. All the variables make these discussions troublesome.

Dark Claret Silk on Daiichi 1530
Daiichi 1530

As Jeff pointed out, the darker bronzed hooks have been highly effective for quite some time. Who could argue with that, but I have to put more faith in the fish focusing on positive triggers and ignoring non relevant information. They must, they work very well. I have a little #17 Llama and Starling fly on one of these dark, upeyed hooks that is a killer.

Spring Black on Vintage Mustad...something.
vint bronze

The topic of black hooks for me, requires a full on commitment to believing the fish ignores even the most obvious unnatural aspects. I don't have a strong commitment to any theory or observation and I have a hard time trusting anyone who claims to know. All you can do it try them and when they work, they do. I have to choose something, and based on some theory and experience, so black is at the bottom of my list unless imitating a very dark or black insect that might benefit from the continuity of the color scheme.

I would expect this pattern to work with a black hook, but I haven't fished it. A cool little configuration, but any decent trout would straighten this hook in a second. But it's delicate and I would expect it to get a take before I pull in a straightened hook.

Hen and Mole on Black Jig Hook (maker unknown or forgotten)
Black jig hook

Now this is something that we've seen from more than one member, fishing a bare red hook and connecting. Chris Stewart and someone else a bit ago posted a couple fish pics with just a red hook in it's lip. Can't argue with that either.

Starling Duff and Red #16 (I don't have a pic of a bare red hook.)


I don't know what's gotten into me. Just chatty I guess. A hundred theories and they are all true at any given time.

w

[newriverspey]

William,
Wow! Thanks for the input and for the photos. Thanks to everyone else as well for your input.

[daringduffer]

William, I enjoy your ramblings. I believe there are a lot of factors more important than the colour of the hook. When you get those factors right...well...if the fish won't take your fly it might be satiated. I agree with Jeff regarding how hook colour blends with body/silk.

I am able to scare the fish with hooks of any colour...

dd

[letumgo]

I am able to scare the fish with hooks of any colour...

Hysterical!

(me too... )