Orange downrigger balls

[onmedic]

Any use the bright orange balls? i've never even seen in the stores. Buddy was cleaning out garage and has a 8 and 10lb orange with fin on back, super condition.
i don't want to use if they were found to scare fish or something

 

[Duck Soup]

Well onmedic, in the old days they were often orange. I still have a few. Black, silver, chartreuse or orange they can all work to your advantage or disadvantage but usually colour makes no difference at all. If the fishing is tough I sometimes use a coloured cannonball and run a lure the same colour close behind it. Fish often come up to look at the cannoball no matter what colour you are using and if your lure is not close behind they head right back down. The strategy works once in a while.

 

[Blastr]

I have 3 of the same coloured balls but they are only spares, given to me.

Blastr

 

[Chromeseeker]

Years ago when the water wasn't so clear you could run your lure within 10 ft of the ball. Then it was thought that the coloured ones would attract the salmon or trout. Now though the leads are soooo long that the fish never see the ball. I know the SHARK balls are chromed and hammered so the reflect a lot of light and actually resemble a small bait ball to the fish.

 

[Tcat]

Why not spray paint your orange balls flat black.

 

[big guy]

I use a 10lb orange ball, and a 10lc lime green fish and they both work great. Then again you could likely use a coffee tin full of concerte too. I really don't think it matters a great deal lol

 

[onmedic]

thanks guys, fairly new to downrigging and have just never seen them on a boat or in store, then again never use to look. i'll keep them around for a spare since they were free and in perfect shape.

 

[Outcast]

My balls are orange , But maybr thats is too much information

 

[G.Mech]

The orange ones are good around halloween but not sure about this time of year. I would imagine they would be fine with steelhead but the general belief is that bright colours spook the walleye.

Rather than tossing them in the cupboard, you can recoat them with "Plasti-Dip" which you can get in black or a variety of other colours. Home Hardware sometimes has it in stock but they usually have to order it in. You can peel off the orange or coat right over it. Good rainy day or beer drinking project!!

http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

 

[onmedic]

excellent idea, thanks for the tip, i'm gonna do that.