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Fly Tying
artimus001

dubbing colours

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With so many different manufacturers making about 756,391 different varieties of dubbing, it would be pretty difficult. Your best bet would be to go find the insects that you are trying to imitate (seine the water) and buy dubbing that is the closest match. If you have the luxury of having a local fly shop, you should be able to compare the bug to the dubbing. It's important to note that you need to match the bug to the color of the dubbing when it's wet.

 

Cheech

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I think Gary Borger published some kind of color guide a number of years ago. But like cheech said, there's a ton of different colors from numerous suppliers.

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Cheech nailed it....match the hatch! That's by far the best route. Your mayflies may be a shade different than in my area. I buy little glass viles and catch bugs and bring them home to get an exact match.

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The problem is one companies olive is not anothers. Try where you can to see a selection in person and then stick to that company. Its the only way you'll be guarenteed some consistancy in colours.

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The problem is one companies olive is not anothers. Try where you can to see a selection in person and then stick to that company. Its the only way you'll be guarenteed some consistancy in colours.

 

True...but you could always go buy a coffee grinder and create your own olive!

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short answer - possibly

 

color charts - yes

 

standard - no

 

if one considers the images in the following link

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=dubbing+color+charts&safe=active&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&oq=dubbing+color+charts&gs_l=img.3...2979.11689.0.12345.20.11.0.9.0.0.265.2212.0j3j7.10.0....0...1ac.1.34.img..11.9.1994.PoU3VZpzDAk

 

Gudebrod thread (no longer exists) was tied to the gary borger color system and the colors could have been used for dubbing also but i not sure or even remember

 

http://www.versitex.com/product.asp?subx=FTTGBCCOL

 

here is what the book looks like

 

http://www.finefishing.com/images/colorsystem.jpg

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Even if you "match the hatch" from sampled specimens, not all will be exactly the same color, even during the same hatch. They'll be close but not exact. Plus, even samples will change color some once they die, or if you try to preserve them, that too may alter the color slightly.

 

IMO, the best you can do when attempting to match colors of naturals is "close enough"!

 

When I was a kid I enjoyed collecting samples & trying to match things, but it takes time to do it & I don't have the time or energy now. I blend most of my own dubbing & they're "generic" in color, in that they may cover a range. They work just fine too as I do catch fish. However, I can't say I've encountered but a few incidents of "selective feeding" where the fish & trout in particular wanted a close match. So, I don't see a need to try to be exact. Even during a few times I've hit a hatch & selective feeding, size & of course presentation was usually more important than an exact color match, provided the colors I had were close. I have been skunked too, not having flies that interested the trout. Frankly, most of the trout fishing I do is with nymphs, streamers or terrestrials & matching them has not been difficult. rolleyes.gif

 

No matter what you do with tying & matching, you'll never cover all conditions & situations. So, for myself, I go with "close enough" & when that doesn't work, I don't get upset over it! wink.png

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You probably know this but for dry flies, don't forget to base your color on the belly of the bug, not the back. For nymphs you want the opposite, unless you are the OCD type who does nymphs with a dark back and light belly. I have played with these over the years but never really found them any more effective than a plain old dubbed or herl nymph.

 

Steve

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It's important to note that you need to match the bug to the color of the dubbing when it's wet.

 

Cheech

 

+1

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Here's my copy of the BCS

 

BCS1.jpg

 

The theory behind the BCS is that there is normal variation in the color of insects and that you don't need to be spot on. So with the BSC, you pick the shade that is closest to the natural and that use that color as a guide. If the actual color is between two of the colors, you put down both shades to get very close to the original. It can get you very close to the actual color.

 

Another book about colors for fly tying is the Fly-tyers Color Guide by Caucci and Nastasi. It is based on the primary colors of Red, Yellow and Blue to mix the colors for fly tying.

 

$_35.JPG

 

 

primarycolors.gif

 

 

 

 

 

 

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