Fish coloring pens

[ocean]

I cant beleive that cabelas has coloring pens for your bait! It says you can color your minnow or cut bait to any one of their colors they offer.Amazing on what new fishing ideas they are coming up with these days.Has anyone ever tried using one of these coloring pens? I might just give it a try next time i am up at cabelas.

[url "http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/readonly-item.jsp?id=119605&itemTemplate=products-found&cmCat=EOF"]http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/readonly-item.jsp?id=119605&itemTemplate=products-found&cmCat=EOF[/url]
[signature]

[fsh4fun05]

That's interesting. Do they smell like markers?? I could use something like that for my skirts...well, on my jigs I mean[]
[signature]

[AFDan52]

[font "Arial Black"][red][size 3] I think that those coloring pens and the dyes are a bit too much on the coloring. The colors just look phoney to me. I don't think that the baits need to be quite that goddy looking to get a fish to bite it. I still think the presentation is very important. This just my 2 cents worth.[/size][/red][/font]
[font "Arial Black"][#ff0000][size 3][/size][/#ff0000][/font]
[font "Arial Black"][#ff0000][size 3]AGFDan52[/size][/#ff0000][/font]
[signature]

[ocean]

Skirts? [shocked] Ok .[crazy] I was wondering the same thing about the smell.I also i wouldnt color the whole minnow.A rainbow colored minnow thats the ticket! []
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Don't be coloring any of those live minnows at Yuba or your face will be "colored" when a DWR officer catches you "red-handed".[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I can see a potential value for fishing live bait in clear waters, where predators often key in on injured baitfish or ones that stand out because they look different. But, for fishing dead bait in murky water...like at Utah Lake...I suspect that the smell factor of the natural bait would play a greater role in attracting fish than the color.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I'm going to assume that you already know about the plastic dyes available for custom coloring plastics. I have used permanent markers for years, to get just the "right" colors and combos, and have been using "Spike It" and "Lake Hawk" liquid plastic dyes for about the last five years. (pic attached)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are not too many combo colors I buy to use as is anymore. I usually buy either clear sparkle or smoke sparkle plastics and color them to my own preferences. Here is a pic of some of the walleye colors I make from the Barlows Mag Tail plastics. The pic has one of the uncolored plastics at the top and then some of the more effective combos I make with the dyes.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fsh4fun05]

On a certain body of water... I use pig n' jig and color about a 1/2" of the end of the skirt orange. I lost one one that was like that, used a similar one, no bites. When I colored the ends of the strands orange it was right back to hookin' em. I was in a pinch and bought some orange Mister Twister "spray paint" but haven't been very impressed.
What I have been looking for is a paint that I can dip a rubber skirt into and dry quickly and not clump the strands together. Those markers caught my eye, but paint would be better I think. Anyone ever do this? What paints do you use, TD?
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I think most guys who have flung plastics a lot have their own stories about times when the fish wanted just that certain color or combo and wouldn't move for anything else. Something as simple as adding a different color to the tips of the skirt fibres can make a world of difference. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I add a lot of lines to my tubes, twisters and swim baits. I buy solid colors and then give them a contrasting color back line, lateral line or spots. Those are all things that predators key on.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I started using high quality permanent markers back in the late 70's. I had to go to art supply places to find the ones I wanted and I ended up with about 30 different colors, many of which are no longer available. Today you can buy the basic color magic markers in any office supply.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The best colors for plastics are made by [url "http://www.ispikeit.com/shop/dyes.asp"]Spike-It[/url] and [url "http://web07014.bizland.com/store/wormdye.html"]Lake Hawk[/url] (links). They both make solvent based plastic dyes that quickly penetrate and color worm plastic (and skirts) and they dry fairly quickly too. You just dip them quickly and you can be back fishing in seconds. In fact you can even buy some that are garlic scented.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]These dyes tend to "bleed" over time and the different colors intermingle. That's why you should never color up a large batch at one time. Make only a couple before each trip or as you need them while on the water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There is also "Plastic Paint", which applies only to the surface of the plastic and does not penetrate and change the color of the whole bait. These are great for making permanent lines, dots, etc, without discoloring the whole lure. [/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You can find these things in tackletoriums like Sportsmans, but they seldom carry all of the colors...especially during walleye time when all the chartreuse disappears fast. I buy most of my stuff either directly from the online outlets of the manufacturer or through Barlows.[/#0000ff]
[signature]