# Egg Sack Colors



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Just wanted to get some thoughts on egg sack colors, Since orange is the natural color that is what I usually use but have seen guys doing well on chartruse and red. 

What color does everyone buy and use and have the most hookups on??


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## SteelinaTrout (Oct 23, 2007)

last spring i bought some orange and chartruse sacks .i had one hook up on the orange, none on the chartruse but i soon swicthed to fly fishing so i guess i am not the best candidate for your question as someone that uses them all the time will prolly give you better advice....i dont see why the fish wouldn't bite either color at the right time though


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## Steelhauler (Apr 7, 2004)

K,

Just about any color works it depends mostly on water clarity. I generally fish chartreuse and pink when the water is heavily stained (less than 12" of vis). When the water clears I switch to orange and red. If the water is gin clear I go with white or peach. There is no set rule for color selection, it's just what seems to work best for me. Another thing to consider is the size of the spawn sack. The murkier the water the larger the sack is also generally a good rule. I hope this helps.

Wes


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## GobyOneGnoby (Apr 21, 2004)

I've found that pink, white, peach and chartreuse are the best producers in that order.


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

..and blue!


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

i do not steelhead so this is just observation and study, but

steelhead will react to different colors, this is why you will see fisherman, for example a fly fisherman, thier egg box may have yellow, chart., red, orange, pink, blue, white, & cream, the idea is not to imitate a blue egg, its to get the fishes attention, and fish dont have hands to grab things with, only mouths. right now i doubt fish are feeding on eggs considering steelies and suckers spawn in the spring, your looking for a reaction bite, its like throwing a red rattletrap for bass, they eat it for no logical reason. personally, if i were spin fishing for steelies right now, i would use small marabou or tube jigs that imitate the nymphs that most of the fish are feeding on right now or somthing that imitates a minnow.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Thanks guys for the input on what colors work for you  

So you don't fish for steelies but study them? 

I'm a little confused. I am a avid fisherman and have caught many steelhead in both the rivers and the lake so I'm not a newbie that's for sure. I just asked for some input on what colors people use and like, not why they bite it or what colors they see. 

BTW- I noticed one day that steelhead don't have hands...but a great observation, so thank you  


I do like to use minnows for fishing but since I normally fish the Rocky, since L&D closed. I don't have anywhere to get them nearby, so it's either jig & maggot or eggs sacks, which both work for steelies, eggs can be drifted in the lake in October and November, it's natural instict for them to eat eggs all the time regardless of year, even though they haven't seen any since they left the river in the spring. 




riverKing said:


> i do not steelhead so this is just observation and study, but
> 
> steelhead will react to different colors, this is why you will see fisherman, for example a fly fisherman, thier egg box may have yellow, chart., red, orange, pink, blue, white, & cream, the idea is not to imitate a blue egg, its to get the fishes attention, and fish dont have hands to grab things with, only mouths. right now i doubt fish are feeding on eggs considering steelies and suckers spawn in the spring, your looking for a reaction bite, its like throwing a red rattletrap for bass, they eat it for no logical reason. personally, if i were spin fishing for steelies right now, i would use small marabou or tube jigs that imitate the nymphs that most of the fish are feeding on right now or somthing that imitates a minnow.


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

riverKing said:


> i do not steelhead so this is just observation and study, but
> 
> steelhead will react to different colors, this is why you will see fisherman, for example a fly fisherman, thier egg box may have yellow, chart., red, orange, pink, blue, white, & cream, the idea is not to imitate a blue egg, its to get the fishes attention, and fish dont have hands to grab things with, only mouths. right now i doubt fish are feeding on eggs considering steelies and suckers spawn in the spring, your looking for a reaction bite, its like throwing a red rattletrap for bass, they eat it for no logical reason. personally, if i were spin fishing for steelies right now, i would use small marabou or tube jigs that imitate the nymphs that most of the fish are feeding on right now or somthing that imitates a minnow.


Every fish I caught this weekend was on salmon egg.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

For fresh eggs I like pink and orange followed by chartreuse. If they dont work Ill tie on an egg pattern fly. All depending on the flow and water color, in order, I like white, cream, peach, pink, red and blue plus others patterns to numerous to list. Ill try those colored egg flies whether Im using the fly rod or spinning gear.


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

riverKing said:


> i do not steelhead so this is just observation and study, but
> 
> steelhead will react to different colors, this is why you will see fisherman, for example a fly fisherman, thier egg box may have yellow, chart., red, orange, pink, blue, white, & cream, the idea is not to imitate a blue egg, its to get the fishes attention, and fish dont have hands to grab things with, only mouths. right now i doubt fish are feeding on eggs considering steelies and suckers spawn in the spring, your looking for a reaction bite, its like throwing a red rattletrap for bass, they eat it for no logical reason. personally, if i were spin fishing for steelies right now, i would use small marabou or tube jigs that imitate the nymphs that most of the fish are feeding on right now or somthing that imitates a minnow.



What did the baby steelhead say to the momma steelhead??????


Look Mom. No hands   


PS I catch steelhead on eggs from september thru april.


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## zachtrouter (May 1, 2006)

I do better on red and orange than I dop on the chartruse and pink. I have caught fish on all colors but red and orange produce the most for me.


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I have had alot of luck with red sacks and white.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

I personally think that the importance of sack color is overrated. I use orange, pink, and chartreuse sacs and would not say that I have had any greater success with a particular color. Unless future experiences prove otherwise, I think in the future I will only buy orange netting as that most naturally matches steelhead egg color. If you are saying that one particular color outfishes another by 4 times stop and think is that only because I fish that color 4 times as much as the other?


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## treefrog (Sep 15, 2005)

Almost every condition I have the best luck on white sacks w/red thread.And I take every color and cycle through them and at the end of the day white is always on top.Still have never caught a fish on blue.Cold water small chartruese.Like pinky nail size,works good for me.And when it gets real cold and slushy purple is hot,hot,hot.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

I remember reading in a book the life cycle of a free-floating egg and remember an interesting sentence. Once the eggs are released on a redd any that float away start off as a orange/yellow color (obviously) the next stage it turns to a paler cream (which anyone who floated eggs knows) to finally a purplish/ blue color in the finale stage of decay. Ive heard of using blue or purple tied eggs but never knew why till I read this. Just thought Id throw it out there for anyone else who wondered where the purple/blue color came from.


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