Why do matchmen/women wear blue?

[Guest Gaffer]

This is not a dig at the match style of fishing, but why do matchmen/women wear blue whereas the majority of other fishing styles wear green or brown?

 

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All the best,

 

Gaffer

[Guest FishinMad2001]

We dont all wear blue??!! I think your a bit confused Gaffer. Did you see matchmen/women wearing blue in pictures or in real life? In my part of the country match fishing is big (Ireland. I havent seen any matchmen/women or even teams (come to think of it i do know a team that wears blue!) wearing blue, but maybe round England its common!

 

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Tight Lines,

 

Tyrone, http://www.tackleshop.co.uk/

[Guest fisherking]

My suit is red.

 

I did have a pic but can't seem to find it.

 

John.

[Guest Steve Burke]

One of the reasons is probably to wear team colours rather like a football strip. Some clothing suppliers will do you your own colours if you buy 12 or more outfits.

 

I suspect the main reason is fashion. It's interesting that Sundridge offer 2 or 3 colours for many of their jackets and suits - yellow for seafisherman, black with red or blue trim for coarse matchmen and green for specimen hunters. The features are slightly different too.

 

I wouldn't wear anything but green as I'm sure it scares less fish. Camouflage might be even better. However, Jan Porter wore all red whilst Bob Nudd always wears his white cap (you can always pick him out in the Wingham car park!). So perhaps bright colours aren't so important when after small fish.

 

But would Jan and Bob catch even more if they wore green?

 

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Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

[Guest DerwentBob]

I don't think fish are very receptive to colour and may even be colourblind (anyone care to make a definitive statement?). Therefore it is the greyscale shade of the clothing that matters, white or yellow will stand out against dark trees but to all intents and purposes there will be no difference between scarlet red and olive green or navy blue and dark green. I always wear a red windproof and it has never stopped me catching fish even when stalking the margins.

[Guest Chris Shaw]

Fish as far As I am aware have rods and cones in the eye which are the colour receptors.

 

Also remember this once again.

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Are we all sitting comfortably?....then I shall begin.....

Apologies in advance to anyone who recognises the experiment and spots any slight mistakes I may have made in my translation.

 

The experiment was split into three stages and involved the use of a single goldfish in a common or garden goldfish bowl and three different coloured tubes through which the goldfish would be fed. I am not 100% sure of the colour of the tubes but I'll say they were red, yellow and blue. The tubes were placed next to each other in a row on the edge of the bowl.

 

Stage 1: When the goldfish was fed it was done by pouring food through the red tube and only ever the red tube. After a short while the goldfish would automatically go to the order of the tubes on the side of the bowl was changed the fish still went to the red tube to feed. This was then done with the other coloured tubes and again after a short while it appeared that the fish recognised which colour tube it was going to be fed through regardless of whether that tube was first, second or third in the row of tubes.

 

Stage 2: Instead of colour food was always fed to the fish through the first tube. After a short while the fish soon appeared to learn that food came from the first tube only and would automatically go to that tube to feed. Even when the colour of the first tube was changed the fish still went to the first tube to feed. Again this was done with the second and third tubes and again the fish soon learnt that, regardless of colour, they were the tubes from which food could be found.

 

Stage 3: Food was fed randomly through any colour tube in any position. The scientist writing the report noted that he could only describe the behaviour of the fish as that similar to someone who was going through a nervous breakdown. It would not feed and spent the majority of its "skulking" on the bottom of the bowl. Soon after this the fish was released into a friends garden pond and was apparently still happily swimming around in there some years later.

 

There you have it, read into it what you will!

 

I will be going to a meeting sometime in October and I am likely to bump into the the guy who originally showed me the article. I know he uses the notes of the above described experiment in his teaching of A level psychology so I'll get some more details off him if I can.

 

Hope I haven't bored you all to death

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Chris Shaw

 

They played on while the reel handles spun in unison.

[Guest Steve Burke]

Originally posted by DerwentBob:

I don't think fish are very receptive to colour and may even be colourblind (anyone care to make a definitive statement?).  Therefore it is the greyscale shade of the clothing that matters, white or yellow will stand out against dark trees but to all intents and purposes there will be no difference between scarlet red and olive green or navy blue and dark green.  I always wear a red windproof and it has never stopped me catching fish even when stalking the margins.

 

Coarse fish are very definitely not colour blind. However, I take your point about grey scale also being relevant. Certainly I find white to be the worst colour for scaring fish when bank fishing.

 

IMO, it's movement on the bank that fish see best, and it's easier for them to see this if you're wearing a colour that doesn't merge into the background.

 

On heavily fished waters the fish aren't so angler shy but are very tackle shy. On lightly fished waters the opposite applies. Also the bigger the fish, the more likely it is to be spooked.

 

Nevertheless, I always try and blend in with the background. It can't do any harm and will probably do some good. If it catches even one more fish that makes it worthwhile in my book. It's these little things that can make all the difference between success and failure.

 

Anyway as Peggy will tell you, I've long since given up trying to look fashionable - on or off the bank!

 

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Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

[Guest scoobs11]

i'v done well in matches wearing a green waterproof suit + a couple of times had to rush straight from work and only realised after the match that i was still wearing my flouro reflective jacket,the fish didnt seem to be unduly bothered by it i think noise and movement are more important than clothing colour

 

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if you can't be good

be careful

[Guest Dave Hill]

I can't speak for all matchmen but...

 

I have no choice in the matter, the team I fish for is sponsored by a tackle manufacturer and they provide the uniform!

 

In addition, a lot of the teams we meet in competitions do wear team colours which may or may not be influenced by a sponsor.

 

IMHO, as long as the colours are of the basic natural dark colours ie. Blue, Green and Brown, there is little to differentiate between them.

[Guest Mike_pk_Waters]

I agree that its movement that fish see not what colour, Even wearing full cammo and face paint you will still scare the fish if your dancing about like Travolta (age showing now). Sit still and you will be surprised how close fish will come before seeing you. I often nip out to the Medway during my lunch, and as I have a sad collection of bright shirts and ties I can vouch that if you stay low and still the fish seem not to notice you. So its down to personel choice and what you feel confident with.

 

Carp anglers have a brilliant idea for this, Camp 50 yds away and dont come out till 'mr blobby' has hooked himself on the 4oz fixed lead bolt rig.

 

 

[This message has been edited by Mike_pk_Waters (edited 19 June 2001).]