Rod or Pole colour

[chub_on_the_block]

F/glass or split cane rods once came in all sorts of different exotic colours, including shades of orange/red/burgundy/ steel blue etc, usually with baroque whipping etc. These days everything seems black or shades of black. Bit like cars i guess.

But why arent very pale colours used?. I am thinking of poles in particular here as they would be less visible against the sky for fish just off the tip.

[Windy]

I'd agree. The underside of most fish are white / silver for a good reason.

[chub_on_the_block]

Thanks Windy.

Just searched to see if rod colour has been discussed elsewhere and theres several fly fishing threads pointing out the weakness of glossy as opposed to matt finishes - the flash of light off them during fly casting potentially spooking the fish. Curiously, green was a favourite colour for several posters. I confess i would like some shade of green - purely on cosmetic grounds though. At the end of the day colour is probably the least concern compared to the action/sensitivity/power etc etc that make a rod fit for the task you are using it for. But i would still think that a rod that gets progressively lighter towards the tip end should be less visible.

[beerweasel]

I agree about fly rods flashing but for most fishing (trotting, ledgering and spinning) rod colour doesn't matter.
It is an issue with close quarter free lining and pole fishing.
I've had Reed Warblers land on a cane rod but never carbon, perhaps we should have leaf shaped rod rings.

[Windy]

I believe that Duck Egg Blue, the paint used on the underside of the Spitfire, was / is extensively tested by the RAF at the time and reckoned to be the best overall camouflage against the varying British sky.

Bone Fish are overall mirrored silver, so reflect their surroundings entirely, and are effectively invisible in a foot of water.

[S-Kippy]

I can't see duck egg blue rods selling no matter what the RAF say.

A matt finish is much more important than colour which doesn't really bother me.Given a choice I'd go for green or brown for no better reason than they look nice and in a matt finish are fairly unobtrusive.

[steph mckenzie]

i don't suppose it matters when you cast 20 yards plus, bloody fish would have good eyesight to see the colour of your rod from that far away.

I think it might be more of a personal confidence thing than an actual, you'll catch more fish thing.

[sma]

I remember reading an article by Denis White about 15 years ago. He painted the top three's of his pole grey. His reasoning was that was the colour of the underside of the heron, and in his words, " nature is never wrong".

[peterjg]

Good point. I'm not bothered what it looks like. Yes, rods and poles should really be a matt grey colour, especially if you are fishing close in laying-on in clear water. Why risk scaring the fish, instead most rods look very pretty all shiny and black?

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Most of my rods are grey colour but master line rods are a nice green , not sure if it makes my odds