Egg Colors

for eggs... mcfly foam is the best stuff out

i like pink, orange, chartreuse.... but rarely do the dot

i've found size depends on water conditions

One of the best thing to do is to get a few real salmon eggs as a guide to size and color.  In low clear conditions single eggs can be deadly and a egg you tie that looks similar to a real egg will be very effective.  One little trick is to mix a few different colors in the similar color family together to get an egg that is not uniform in color.  For examples, try mixing two or three different shades of orange together.   I found these eggs look more natural because real eggs are not uniform in color.  Also, do not make the eggs too dense.  The less dense eggs look more real.  They do not need to be perfectly round.  Real eggs are not perfect.

The color families I like to use most are orange, pink and cream-yellow.  Light green do work on some occasions.

As for size, I like #14 and #16 for the low and clear conditions, but will go up to #10 or #12 for high and off color conditions.  BTW - red works well in the off color conditions.

Do not add any weight to the eggs.  They work best if they float a long near the bottom and move around in the water currents.  A few small split shot up the leader will keep the fly down.  You will have to play with the amount of weight and where to place them as this depends on the conditions.

One little trick that can help get a lockjawed steelie to bite is to run a small nymph as a dropper behind the egg.  A hares ear, pheasant tail, copper john, or any small nymph will usually do.  These can be weighted or not.  Again it depends on the water conditions.  Tie the dropper on through the eye of the egg fly.

Lastly, the key to success is a natural drift.  If you can, try to learn to fish without a strike indicator.  I know I will get some who will disagree with this, but unless you know how to use a strike indicator correctly, it will more often than not end up dragging your eggs around and your drift will not be natural.  Keep most of your fly line off the water and try hard to keep your leader as vertical as possible.  High sticking will help.  As I said, there are some who do not prefer this method, but if you can learn how to do it, you will be rewarded with a successful day on the creeks.

Good luck.

Blue is the first color the stealhead will see in the morning and last color they will see at night.  Chartreuse and Yellow work well in off color water.  Light colors like egg, cream and cheese work well in clear conditions.  For more information get John Nagy's 4th Edition page 150.
 
GOOD LUCK

For hooks can't beat the Mustad 3399,12&14s. I think they are less than $6 per 100.
Welcome back Bug.

Egg Patterns:
 
Mcfly foam - orange, chartreuse, cheese (pale yellow)
 
Glo Bug yarn - chartreuse, cerise, oregon cheese, egg
 
Hooks - Daiichi 1650, 2x strong, best egg hook I've ever seen. Strong, sharp, usually a size 10.
TMC 2488H - another excellent hook, 2x strong, size 12, 14
 
Mcfly foam egg with a bit of pearl lite brite dubbing tied as a veil or collar is a killer erie sthd pattern.  The pearl dubbing gives the fly a bit of glitter and an illusion of translucence.
 
medium to low water with a lot of clarity, pale colors - egg, oregon cheese, tied small, about the size of a pea.
 
higher, prime water conditions - good flow, green with about 1 to 2 ft. of visibility, egg can be larger, up to about the size of a dime. Chartreuse, cerise, dark orange, or the "clown" color combo is very good.
 
If you are fishing a hole or run with a lot of fish stacked up, consider using one fly with an indicator and lead not much longer than the depth of the water. Doing this will reduce the no. of fouled, lined fish.
 
If you like glo bugs, try tying them as yarn balls rather than on the hook. The yarn ball can be tied any size. Main advantage to this is you can change color or size without having to re tie your hook.
 

I have had luck on all shades of orange & pink. I have also caught fish on greens, light blue, purple, red, white, yellow & cream colors. I cheat when I make mine. I buy 6mm pom poms from the local craft store, put them offset on the hook and add a drop of super glue. Much faster than tying and they work fine. I aslo make custom colors by buying white pom poms & using Rit dye to color them.If you want the "blood dot" use a red sharpie. Works great, to dry, lay them on a cookie sheet and bake at the lowest setting your oven has for 1/2 an hour. You can also dye sparkle braid & angora yarn to make your own colors for sucker & crystal spawn.

ORIGINAL: Cold

Works great, to dry, lay them on a cookie sheet and bake at the lowest setting your oven has for 1/2 an hour.

Yeesh! What ever happened to just letting them air dry?

COLD: This tip was is in case you need them fast, like if you'rer making them the night before a trip to Erie.

Is there a color that doesn't work?

ORIGINAL: dano

Is there a color that doesn't work?

 
Not much luck with black, dark green and brown. But I have caught stockies on the black ones.