With this low, clear and warm water, the few summer steelhead I've been able to coax a bite out of have been on spinners with black blades. Most of the spinners I own have silver or brass blades so I've been thinking about blacking them out. Is it better to put black tape on the outside of the blade, or to paint them with black nail polish? Does tape affect the way the blade spins? Does nail polish or paint have a scent that can put them off? Any suggestions are appreciated.
FlowingGreenWater
Use black tape on the outside of the blade. you can buy precut dies at fisherman's marine that fit size 2,3,4 and 5 French blades under the Witchcraft label. Green prism tape wirks good on the underside too. It does not effect the vibration.
CV
CV
A black Sharpie will work too. Personally, I like the black oxide finish from Pen-tac. It's duller than most and good in low and clear.
Just toss some plain brass blades (no clear coat) into a brass darkening solution. Wait five minutes and you've got a great flat black blade.
Any hardware store will carry it.
Amazon.com - 2 oz Brass Darkening Solution - Wood Polish
Any hardware store will carry it.
Amazon.com - 2 oz Brass Darkening Solution - Wood Polish
It's easier than that...hold a brass spinner under a lighter and it will darken it. Great low water finish.
MH
MH
Colorado or #4 Nickel French blade with red beads,red tubing on hook shank, #2 barbless Gami round bend.
You're welcome
LoFlo
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You're welcome
LoFlo
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I like tape on wobblers, and spinners both. I also have been testing out some spinners that I have been painting the backs, and I have had days where they were outfishing the others, and days where they didn't get touched.
Tape is temporary, but can be done on the fly where paint is more of a permanent change requiring work to be done ahead of time. I would think both should be considered useful.
Utilizing certain metals that reflect less light might also be something to consider to prevent flash glare which is part of the benefits to tapes or paints.
Any way to get 'er done! Magic Marker works well. Birchwood & Casey brand's product called Brass Black (think gunsmithing stores) will darken brass very nicely. Don't contaminate the bottle with exhausted or partially exhausted solution from a Q-tip by double-dipping--keep the bottle itself un-contaminated by removing a small amount and using that with whatever way you want to use it. Candling works great too. Black paint works well.
Acids and salts and heat call all take away the shine and lustre of polished brass. On nickel plated blades, marker works well and is fast. Blacks, browns, and rootbeer colors all will work. I think the lack of flash, lack of lustre, lack of sheen, is more-critical than the absolute color or shade of color under the lowest and warmest and clearest water conditions. If the water is more cloudy (like cloudy green + full sunshine on the water), the shiny black nickel finish + green prism tape can be excellent.
The idea that absolute flat matte, no-shine black is the only color that will work is an overstatement; black has tremendous silhouette against the surface on blue-sky and white-sky days and gray-sky days. In more-cloudy water with less visibility (like normal year lower Clackamas, or Deschutes) there's nowhere near the need to kill shine as there is in say 500-900 cfs water that has 15 foot visibility; in fact, I thiunk shine and flash of black nickel is at times, MORE-effective than matte black no-shine for summer steelhead and spring chinook.
If you're just darkening a few factory-wrapped spinners, use Magic Marker in black or brown, or use some tape on the back. Paint works too. Nail polish can work too. I usually bake painted parts about 15 mins at 180 degrees.
Acids and salts and heat call all take away the shine and lustre of polished brass. On nickel plated blades, marker works well and is fast. Blacks, browns, and rootbeer colors all will work. I think the lack of flash, lack of lustre, lack of sheen, is more-critical than the absolute color or shade of color under the lowest and warmest and clearest water conditions. If the water is more cloudy (like cloudy green + full sunshine on the water), the shiny black nickel finish + green prism tape can be excellent.
The idea that absolute flat matte, no-shine black is the only color that will work is an overstatement; black has tremendous silhouette against the surface on blue-sky and white-sky days and gray-sky days. In more-cloudy water with less visibility (like normal year lower Clackamas, or Deschutes) there's nowhere near the need to kill shine as there is in say 500-900 cfs water that has 15 foot visibility; in fact, I thiunk shine and flash of black nickel is at times, MORE-effective than matte black no-shine for summer steelhead and spring chinook.
If you're just darkening a few factory-wrapped spinners, use Magic Marker in black or brown, or use some tape on the back. Paint works too. Nail polish can work too. I usually bake painted parts about 15 mins at 180 degrees.
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