By Tim Barefoot
Fish see color, but how they see color is a complicated conversation that involves terminology like wavelength and attenuation. We won’t go there, because even scientists don’t really know exactly what is translated from a fish’s eyes to its brain.
Suffice it to say that color is important in fishing, for luring them in and also for disguising what you don’t want them to see. This is especially important for me, as I use high-visibility braided lines paired with fluorocarbon leaders for all my fishing, from bluegills to bluewater.
The main reason I use bright braid is I like to see where my line is, which tells me where my jig is. I also like to see where other people’s lines are, especially when casting in a side current while anchored or on the trolling motor. These conditions exist in a river or when the tide is pumping through an inlet. Knowing where everyone’s gear is helps avoid foul-ups, and watching that high-visibility line also tells you when you get a bite.
High-vis. braid is easy for people to see above the surface. It’s also visible to the fish you’re trying to catch. The way I “hide” high-vis. braid from the fish is by coloring it with a Sharpie marker.
Since no one really knows what fish see, especially when different conditions and water clarity are added into the equation, trial and error was my best option for finding the hue that best hid my line. I’ve tried several different colors over the years, and I’ll tell you black is definitely not the best choice.
In my experience, a red Sharpie does the best job of making yellow braided line disappear in clear water. I’ve tried brown, green and black in clear water, and the red goes away much better than the darker colors. I especially like the red when bottom fishing. I don’t dive, but according to what I’ve heard from divers, red turns green in deeper water and blends into the surroundings. A blue Sharpie works great on high-visibility braided line when offshore trolling in blue water with a wind-on leader of the new BLUEWATER fluoro from Hi-Seas.
It’s best to apply several coats of Sharpie marker when the line is dry. Multiple coats of the permanent marker will thoroughly embed into the fibers of braided line. The color will fade and let the original color shine through after some time, so red or blue must be re-applied on an “as-needed” basis.
When jigging, I typically color 4 or 5 feet of the braided line above my fluorocarbon leader. This has the added benefit of letting you know how deep your jig is. When you see the red-colored line at the surface, you know your jig is only a few feet deep.
For more info visit: barefootcatsandtackle.com and click on
“The Barefoot Jig,” or “Simple, Heavy Duty Bottom Tackle.”