Don't make it flashy!

A flashy fly - a red head, gold tinsel body, tan hackle and pale tail. A fly I used in August on a fast flowing clear Derbyshire Lathkill when the Wye was closed due to too much rain.
Took a while to find a rising fish and tricky casting in a very gusty wind, but finally caught a brown trout.
The fly is flashy but the rod is not. This is my (cheap) short Shakespeare rod. Thus I dared spray the shiny silver reel seat matt black - and the butt too. I also carefully brush varnished the rod with Winsor and Newton matt varnish.
I found on small rivers the flash of the rod and rod seat were scaring fish. Unfortunately I dare not do this on my 'lifetime guarantee' rods! Rod makers take note please. Seems so stupid creeping up on fish to then raise a brightly flashing rod and watch the fish shoot off!