"Tech Tips"- Line Color (Does it Really Matter?)

A constant debate amongst anglers with no simple answer, "Color" is something that each angler should consider before purchasing a fly line. As important to the angler as it is to the fish (at least I believe so), the color of a fly line should be most influenced by the type of fishing you do as well as limitations in regard to your own eyesight (i.e., it doesn't do much good if you can't follow your fly!)

Like many issues concerning fly lines, I draw a distinction between moving water and Stillwater. The primary difference is that in moving water you are constantly fishing over fish you would like to (and could) catch! When fishing Stillwater on the other hand, fish are constantly on the move and as such dumping a brightly colored line on a top of a fish that scares it is not that catastrophic (i.e., he is leaving anyway!)

Conversely, when fishing moving water fish tend to stay in one place and although you may put them down by casting, they typically start feeding again in the same spot after things have settled down. As such, anything an angler can do that lessens the likelihood of spooking fish is not a bad idea. While few anglers would approach a stream with a blaze orange hat, many use a blaze orange fly line?

Another issue is in regard to what the angler can see. While fishing moving water, we tend to fish much closer than we do on Stillwater. As such, while seeing your fly 20' away in moving water may not be that difficult (even #20's show up pretty well), seeing your fly 50' away in Stillwater may be tough at best (and impossible for those with less than perfect eyesight). In these cases, the line acts as a "Pointer" to the fly!

My general policy is to use drab lines (e.g., gray, olive, etc.) on moving water and a line that I can see on Stillwater. If you use the same line for both moving water and Stillwater (refer to Tech Tip "Weight Forward vs. Double Taper"), the best bet is to go with a stealthy but visible color such as green, yellow, etc., that can be seen at a distance but is less likely to spook fish than a brightly colored line.