The topic "Favorite winter line" reminded me of a thought that often crosses my mind when respooling or buying new line. I recall reading a few years back that salmon and steelhead can't see pink and that pink line is invisible to them. I think it was Herzog's book, but it's been a while. Shoot, I could have even dreamed it up. The factoid does seem contrary to what you'd think, since pink lures are so effective.

Has anyone else heard this? Am I making it up? Does anyone fish pink line? What are it's merits? I never have fished pink line, but I have fished yellow. I found the yellow to be quite handy in a combat fishing situation. It's nice to be able to see your line in that situation.

-Jim

I have heard that some fishing nets are pink to be invisible. Not sure!? It depends on type of water (salt/fresh), clarity, depth, lighting, etc. Any line can be invisible under right conditions. From what I have read fish see differently in salt than in fresh water so what is invisible in salt may not be in fresh. Lots of theories ...

Use a line that you can see and CONTROL.

I have used pink Maxima and amber/yellow Ande. I like the amber a lot and I mostly use it late evenings, very early morning (if I can get up), in the shade on a dark day or under low visibility water. Fish don't seem to mind under these conditions. I should mention that I use ultra green Maxima for leader so I have a buffer between the visible (to me) line and the lure. In fly fishing you have a huge fly line plus some leader! Same thing with pink. I have used straight pink to the spinner or spoon and have been successful but I don't normally run it straight unless dealing with low visibility conditions. Plug pullers run them straight for obvious reason. Remember lines are thin and it is much easier to keep them relatively invisible so you can't compare a pink line with a pink lure.

[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: UltimateFeashKacher ]

JimSa:

Can't speak to the pink line but use Ande Envy, a very visibile bright green line. I use this for casting plugs and spinners for salmon, most of the time tied directly to either plug or spinner. Sure seems to work for me, and the color allows me to see, quickly where my line is at all times.

PS.....used it for winter run steelhead, summer run steelhead but with leaders made from Maxium or other shade of Ande line. Still caught fish???? so is it cause I found the fish that bite,or what????but I know one thing for sure, in all weather conditions........I can see the Ande Envy line....

"Worse day sport fishing, still better than the best day working"

Since I have caught a boatload of silvers and steelhead on pink gear and flies, I would have to say that they can see pink quite well. I use the Pink Maxima line for plugging, but I tie a green leader on for the last 12 feet of line.

I don't have any knowledge on this subject, but I would like to add some interesting info. My grandfather, has some spools of pink and purple line that was manufactured by grizzly. He used to catch lots of fish, so either it was him, the line, or the bait. Just took a look at the line, from the spool it is a pinkish color, but when the line is off the spool it looks clear. It really blends well to other colors.

I was in GI Joes the other day, and they had a box with some lures inside. When you flicked the switch, it would show what the fish saw, compared to what we saw when the light was off. If I remember correctly, the pink turned to a dark color. Has anyone else seen this? I would also like to know if this line should be used, because it has never seen daylight.

Matt

[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: RipDatLip ]

Red is the first color to not be able to see under the water.

~ Dr Pepper

so if someone made pink braided line it would have less visibility under water than the white stuff ?

Invisibility of red makes sense because there's some real science behind that. I'm also a scuba diver and I used to get into underwater videography. Anyone who's taken underwater pictures will tell you that the reds start disappearing at about 15 feet (depends on clarity). Those wavelengths of visible light that allow us to see red are more affected when water is the medium.

Any biologists on this board that know about pink WRT to salmonoids? I'm wondering if there's some sort of rods/cones issue. I'm guessing that fish can't see color (dunno). Perhaps red, although it disappears still provides contrast, while pink is more middle of the road?

If there is science to it, then I'm still left wondering why pink is such an effective lure color. Puzzled..

-Jim

If red does become increasingly less visible at depth I am left wondering why we buy red corkies,and yarn or try so hard to get our eggs as bright red as possible? As far as pink, green or any other color goes I think coloring is more for the person using it. The only line that I have noticed to actually seem to disappear in the water are some of the newer florucarbon lines. You have to look real close to see them.

I've certainly had plenty of invisible lures, plugs, and terminal gear. So much so, that sometimes when I reel in after a fight with an immobile invisible fish, I can't seem to find the darned invisible lure. :-)

This sure explains one thing - when I used to put on the goggles and dive into the public swimming pools the women with pink or red bikinis looked naked from more than 15 ft. away. Get yourself some goggles!

Well, now I know why I've caught more fish on red lures, eggs, jigs and corkies than any other color, they are invisible, so the fish don't see them coming toward their open jaws and are hooked before they know what hit'em!

Actually, I think the red color becomes almost black the deeper it is in the water, which means a very high contrast when viewed from below toward the surface, where any light is coming from. The fish we seek all look ahead and up for food/prey, not down, so the contrast would be most important. The colors are really more of an attractant for you and me. After all, if you fished with only one color then you'd catch all of your fish on that one, which would then make it your favorite color.

RT i, very funny but the rumor has it that you were only 3 ft away!

RipDatLip, if the line is very old then don't use it but other than that you can use it. I have used Ande amber, Stren high vis gold and Maxima pink with no problems. Worst case scenario, add some UG Maxima or other leaders to it. Remember the fly fishing guys.

papafish, you are VERY correct about contrast.