White or light-colored baits are most effective for fishing in clear water or on bright sunny days. Knowing about these patterns will put you in good stead to choose the right lure. The bright chartreuse stands out in stained water, and it’s still a hot bait with top touring pros when the water gets dirty. When fishing for clear water bass, it's important to use natural and often translucent colors. Although, it’s probably better to weigh them up together. Look for color names like ITO Wakasagi and Wabi-Sabi. It does double duty as well – most crawfish colors are also effective in stained water. Junebug This dark purple color has green flakes in it to make it shine, and it is especially good in clear water. To help out, we thought it would be a good idea to put together a basic guide to which colors are necessities, and under what conditions each shines brightest. Fish have been found to have a lot more rod cells than cone cells, meaning fish pay more attention to contrast, silhouette and shape than they do to color. Bulk and vibration are a huge plus for getting bites. Here is our guide to clear water and stained water crankbait color selection. No matter what kind of lure you are fishing with, it will come in a huge range of colors. If the water is dark and the sky is darker, then go for the darkest or most outlandish color you have. Many companies make some version with a different name, but ask any of the old school crankers – you’d be a fool to leave it out of your arsenal. color chart that shows you scientifically. It grows deeper in clear water than murky or stained and provides excellent cover year round. This means that if you are fishing in clear water on a sunny day but it’s very windy, you’re going to want to think about using a darker or luminous lure. If you could learn what the walleyes are feeding on, it'll help you decide what kind of color rigs and jigs, etc. Dark or luminous colors on dark days and natural colors on bright days. So how he was able to coax them int… Another thing is to watch your shadow. But don’t get too caught up in color, yes find a good one but also fish it well. Use colors that mimic what crappie are already feeding on. This could be sight fishing. 1. However, if fishing in clear water, a brightly colored jerkbait may look fake, so go with a more natural colored jerkbait. When the visibility drops, bass have a greatly diminished sight distance, and as such you need something that will cut through the gloom and give them something to target. Walk into any tackle shop in the country, and you’re instantly confronted with hard and soft bass fishing baits in more colors than you can imagine. A bright color with no reflection is also a solid option. As good as this is for anglers with unlimited bait budgets, it can make crankbait color selection a nerve wracking proposition, as it can be downright difficult to decide which colors to buy. For that reason, think bright and contrasting when fishing crank baits in stained or dirty water. If the water is clear and you are fishing shallow, they probably see what you see. I fish clear water daily ( both fresh and salt.) This means choosing natural colors that imitate the baitfish in the water. Recommended Jerkbaits: Strike King KVD Jerkbait. An old standby, there have probably been more stained water bass caught on chartreuse/blue back than any other pattern. Choosing which bait to use should be based mainly on the conditions of the water. Your email address will not be published. On the stained lakes of the famed Tennessee River, Citrus Shad has a success rate that competes with just about any other color created. If you are fishing in Texas in spring for example, then red is an excellent color to use as the crawfish there are red and the bass go nuts for them. If you do catch some fish, quite often some of their food will be regurgitated and you can see what they have been feeding on. Ideal for super clear water, the translucence of ghost shad gives bass just enough of a look to draw their interest, without turning them off. I often use it rather than black when I want a little sparkle. If the water is crystal clear, your bait will be seen easily by fish. These paint jobs look incredible. In silty water, yellow and brown are easiest to see. It doesn’t always quite work out as I’ve mentioned above but it’s a good general rule to follow. Good choices would include a Senko in Baby Bass or a Zoom Trick Worm in watermelon. Bass are focused on shad during the winter, and I prefer a suspending jerkbait for fishing around vertical structure, like main lake bluffs and bridges, this time of year. They do nothing to detect color, however. Lindy's Shadling comes in a Natural Perch and Shiner, but here's where you'd tie on a … Their cone cells have evolved to give better details on contrast depending on light conditions. Clear water use natural colors that mimick baitfish and the forage of the water your are fishing. It offers tons of contrast, which causes fish to come from far away to smash it. Required fields are marked *. Green braid often blends in super well in nutrient rich waters such as bays, lakes, inlets etc. If you are bass fishing and can catch one, feel it’s stomach. Color definitely plays a role, some days having the right color means fish are all over your bait. If the water is clear and the bottom is more of a brown color use a green pumpkin or brown. Bay Fishing. I use heavy tackle for … Every ecosystem has it’s moments when a certain baitfish is prevalent in the area and the predators go crazy for them. Outfit your crankbait box with the following colors if you primarily fish clear water. Something else that affects how sunlight penetrates water is the surface conditions. In water full of algae, green is the most visible color. Clear water and hydrilla go good together. Try crankbaits in natural colors like shad, bluegill, perch, or crawfish. It’s essentially a color similar to Homer, but with black mottling on the sides. In clear to moderately clear water, steer your selections toward natural forage patterns and subdued colors, unless wind, dark skies or rain reduce visibility. There have been thousands of articles written on clear-water bass fishing, but I sometimes think that we get carried away with all the technology, light line hype and specific do's and don'ts. Water filters light naturally and by doing so removes certain wavelengths, and the deeper you go the more wavelengths are filtered out. No votes so far! You can get away with a bit larger bait … This lure is especially deadly early … These bass are known to spook at the sight of something unnatural, so beginning with some variation of green is an excellent starting point. Game fish are said to be very good at distinguishing between shades of blue, helping them see blue bait in blue light. Use a color that’s actually visible in the color of water you are fishing. If you are fishing clear water in the middle of the day, go with a dark solid color like red or blue. The jig-and-pig is a standard bait for flipping, pitching or casting. Color selection is critical when faced with clear conditions as fish are able to give baits a serious once-over from a distance. They may be unnatural patterns, but fish can see them. It’s been around forever for a reason – it simply gets bit. When you approach the water you are fishing the first thing to think about is what it looks like and what your bait is going to look like inside it. For bright, sunny skies and clear water use, he recommended white, silver or gold. Strike King, for example, offers five different shades of spinnerbait with a basic shad appearance. Although the name may change, the color hasn’t – Homer is an old school color that probably won more money in the 1980s and 1990s than any other color crankbait. When the bass can see all baits well, they’ll know the difference. It’s your job to mimic their prey. Also, be sure to pay attention to the water clarity. You can also opt for the brightest colors in your box, as these are made to be seen in murky waters. These colors won’t look too out of place like a darker black. People who keep changing instead of focussing on fishing over catch less than if they had stuck with one color and fished it hard. The topics above definitely point to getting the right contrast so they fish can see your bait, this is certainly important. If you keep it simple as above you will have sucess. If you show them a bright chartreuse and orange lure, they’ll know it isn’t a real fish. Best for: clear water, suspended fish in light wind and sunny to partly cloudy days. Most of the time, you are trying to imitate exactly what the fish you are trying to catch are choosing to eat that day. Blue, black and Junebug are great colors for this situation. My approach on what to use is based on the color of the water and a variety of soft plastics. Best Lure Color For Clear Water. As a rule, darker colors are easier to see underwater and if the water is murky then using a dark-colored lure is the way to go. If a fish could see in full color, it wouldn’t matter that much as slowly the colors disappear with depth. They eat em’, so why not have a crankbait that looks like them. For that reason, the name of the game in clear water is matching the hatch. If it’s a cloudy day with clear water, a brighter color will work just fine. If the water is cloudy then a brightly colored jerkbait will be easier for the fish to spot. His discovery began with bass relating to isolated targets, in this case scattered bushes. It’s thought that the environments they live in have helped their eyes to adapt. Clear Water. It can entail approaching fish hiding in ultra shallow cover that is in very skinny water making them more spooky. Like any concept, there are individual components that make up the whole — parts and pieces that work together to complete the puzzle. Use dark colors like black and blue, or bright colors like chartreuse. In soft plastic baits, that means natural greens and browns and shad colors; for hardbaits, starting with a shad, bluegill, frog, or crawfish-patterned lure is a … That's a broad question. If the light dims for any reason, colors begin to fade in vision. Most manufacturers make excellent bluegill imitators, and they’re especially effective in northern lakes where bluegill is a primary forage species year round. Ghost Shad. Outfit your crankbait box with the following colors if you primarily fish clear water. Your email address will not be published. There’s every color out there from black to luminous pink, but why? Maximize your bites in clear water with a green, watermelon, and or a lighter brown. In stained water, go dark or very opaque bright. When to Make Lure Adjustments If the water is heavily stained or dirty, I like to flip a big, bulky bait like a 4″ Incredi-craw. If you have been snorkeling, you’ll know that when the sun comes out, your visibility underwater gets a lot better. If you’re fishing clear water on a dark day, then use something that is still natural but is either a little dark or has some flash to it. It’s got a white, shad like belly, and sides that transition from chartreuse to blue on the back. Load up on these patterns if your home lake has some color to it. Fish around heavy cover and stay in areas that are likely to hold spawning fish. Clear water means natural colors, like shiner colors, and whatever the color of the forage base at your lake. It’s exactly the same for fish, bait is easy to see on a sunny day and harder to see on a darker day. Cone cells are the ones that perceive color but they do need a lot of light to work. I hate using that all-so-tired cliché, but it's so applicable. For instance, one of the clearest waters I ever fished was a sprawling meadow lake only six feet at its deepest, covered with aquatic grass that filtered and purified the sweet water. Dirty water use darker colors. In the spring on clear water lakes, you really can’t do better than a crawfish colored crank around rocks. Pumpkinseed Pumpkinseed lizards from Zoom Bait Company took the fishing world by storm in the late 1980s, and bass went wild over them for a while. Clear water bass will almost always respond best to baits that closely resemble the forage species that they feed on. The dark bait will look more natural. If it’s a cloudy day with cloudy water, throw a dark bait. Where You Should Use Green Braid. Modern molding and painting techniques have allowed lure manufacturers to quickly design and produce colors that in years past wouldn’t have been possible. Here is a link so a color chart that shows you scientifically what colors are easiest to see underwater at differing depths and conditions. Due to the dimly lit environment fish live in, their pupils don’t dilate like humans. Be the first to rate this post. Dark or bright-colored baits are the most effective for fishing in murky or muddy water or on overcast days. When the water is clear, the idea is to match fish’s chosen bait as close as possible. Why You Should Use Green Braid. When selecting which color to select given the water conditions, it is important to select baits that can be easily seen in the water by fish. What this information does tell you is how to create the best contrast depending on the conditions and depth you are fishing at. Here are 8 tips to catching more bass in clear water and when the bass are visible and hard to catch. Baitfish and other creatures bass feed on need to blend in with their surroundings to prevent getting preyed upon. Bait Color. Clunn could see the bass relating to these isolated bushes, and in many cases, they could see him. This means choosing natural colors that imitate the baitfish in the water. Here are the details of what you should think about when picking a lure. Try to keep it close to natural colors like gray, green, silver, and white. In clear water, preferred color combinations are a black jig/blue trailer (either a pork chunk baits or plastic crawfish baits), black/brown and pumpkin pepper/green; in stained water, black/yellow and black/chartreuse are perennial producers. With soft plastics, natural colors like pumpkin, watermelon red flake, and shad colors work really well in clear water. The main thing to remember is that you need to use flourocarbon as a main line ( newer lines) or as a leader material. Is the top question on an angler’s mind. Rod cells are used to detect light and contrast. If you are bass fishing using green pumpkin or watermelon colored baits will imitate the crawfish, perch and sunfish species in the system. Sunlight has a similar effect on the water as water clarity. What is it about the colors that make fish more interested in one color on one day and a different color on the next. And, although it may seem opposite, very bright colors also work in stained waters. If you’re in clean water, the first color to disappear as you get deeper is red, then orange, followed by yellow and green and finally blues and purples. If you’re an offshore fisherman, you’ll have seen that on certain days one color in your 8 color spread will be hit all day and the others ignored. I want to dispel some of the controversy about bait color, not add to them. 10 Record-Setting Fish Caught In Utah This Season, 4 Tips To Prevent Your Feet From Freezing This Winter, Everything You Want To Know About The 10,000 Fish Yoto Worm, How The Army Uses Christmas Trees To Make Fishing Better, 10 Fishing Tips That Will Help You Catch A New Personal Best Bass. "In clear water, consider a translucent look to the lure, like actual shad, shiners, silversides, or other baitfish. For green water, which is prevalent during windows of light winds and good tidal movement during the … If you are bass fishing using green pumpkin or watermelon colored baits will imitate the crawfish, perch and sunfish species in the system. It also pays to be aware whilst on the water. Inlet Fishing. So, in clear water, you want to use natural looking baits. But, this all changes with water clarity and becomes a little more complicated. You may see baitfish swim past and try and match them, or remember colors that worked at a similar time the year before. For clear water, you want to use a subtle colored translucent lure so they aren’t spooked when they can get a good look at your lure. When the water is clear, the idea is to match fish’s chosen bait as close as possible. If it’s windy on a lake, making a big ripple and lot of surface movement, the water reflects and refracts a lot of the light that hits it and stops it from penetrating. Dirty water of this caliber can be really intimidating to us clear water fisherman, but don’t kid yourself bass will still eat! It’s got chartreuse sides, a blue back and a bright belly – often with scale pattern. Clear: In clear water, it’s more important to imitate the actual forage species that fish are feeding on. Fish that have lived in murky water are better at seeing shades of red, yellow and green. If the water is dark and murky, fish are going to struggle to see your bait. If you are fishing deep and the water is stained or it’s cloudy with big waves, colors start … They can see real fish all around, and you need your lure to look like those. Round billed, silent, and narrow profiled baits are also most effective. When you are deciding what color lures to use, think about what the fish sees in the conditions that they are in. It’s the perfect shad emulator. The work in low light and allow fish (and us) to see shapes, shadows, and silhouettes in dimly lit environments. In clear water—match the hatch. Using colored lines ( red, blues, yellows and so on ) hurt you when fishing clear water. Clear water is where you find it and clear water spinnerbaits are whichever get bit best. It could be just fishing for cruisers or roamers in the spring. In terms of lure color, the same rules we mentioned in water clarity apply here too. In dirty water, match the forage base, but break out the brighter versions. Ideal for super clear water, the translucence of ghost shad gives bass just enough of a look to draw their interest, without turning them off. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! If it’s soft, then they are eating baitfish, if hard then they’re eating crawfish or other crustaceans. In dirtier or darker water, consider enhancing visibility with brighter colors. Keep in mind that Lake Mead is a desert impoundment and visible cover is scarce, especially at low water levels. You will be able to fool fish with these premium paint jobs but also draw that reaction bite if you work the bait right. And Clunn's concept was no different. If you’re fishing for tarpon in Florida during the mullet run, you’re going to use a bait that imitates a mullet and its color, a shrimp pattern is going to be ignored. "In clear water, I also pay attention to the head design and color. There are quite a few factors to consider when choosing a lure color. that you want to use because I kind of like to match the hatch to some degree. When bass are feeding on bluegills, it makes sense to give them what they want. If the bottom looks more green use watermelon colors. This depends on a lot of factors, firstly what fish you are targeting, where are you fishing and what time of year. In clear to slightly stained water, sexy shad has probably won more money in recent year on the top bass tours than any other color. This rule can help you in clear water situations be more on point with what to use. In my opinion, getting the contrast and shape right is what you want to achieve when picking a lure, but how is it best to do that? Green Braid Is Low Vis -One of the most popular colors for a braided fishing line is green and that is for a reason. Adjust the bait size, type and color to match the conditions. Overcast skies or light drizzle, he recommended bright colors such as red, green or strawberry. If you’re fishing in the sea you might go for a crankbait with a blue body and a white bottom. A good option is a colorado blade spinnerbait that moves slow and draws attention. Spinnerbaits When visibility is high, bass can see a long ways and get a good look at your crankbait as it works its way through the water column. If you are a diver you’ll know that visibility is much worse when the water is rough than when it is calm. Try luminous pink, orange, and chartreuse. Sunny —Watermelon-colored soft plastics are very effective when fishing clear water, high sky conditions. There are quite a few factors to consider and here is a lure color selection and guide to make things a little easier for you. Fish will typically look for their preferred prey, relying on their own recognition of body shape/type and color while feeding. What color lure to use? Inshore Fishing. It’s the perfect shad emulator. Wherever you are fishing, speak to the locals and look online for advice. Never stop changing if what you’re using is not working. It’s got a great shad look, with a little chartreuse to stand out against the clutter. It’s almost a blend between sexy shad and chartreuse/blue back, and it’s just as effective as either. Solid Color This is my favorite choice for lakes that have clear water. The more you notice about the situation the better. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know, but bait color has been probably one of the most-asked questions I get from emails, at sport shows, in tackle shops and wandering the bank among fellow anglers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And in tannin-stained water, red is the most visible. Bait Choices: Rapala Shad Rap, Bandit 300 Series, Castaic BD-12. In clearer water and on bright, sunny days, a lure in a natural color resembling the forage they're feeding on will fool them into biting. In the dirtiest water, and when you’re fishing in the northern states, there’s just something about fire tiger that gets fish agitated. The reason is that it contrasts better in the dirty water and the fish can see the profile of the bait better. It is quite a confusing realm of choice thinking about lure color and why it makes a difference sometimes and other times not. The more stained the water is, the better dark colored jigs work. Here are the five baits I will have rigged for cold weather fishing and how I use them: Jerkbait. Another great lure to use when you are fishing in clear water is a jerkbait. Scientific evidence shows that fish eyes have both rod and cone cells. Spinnerbaits are whichever get bit best they may be unnatural patterns, but it 's so applicable to it! Is quite a few factors to consider when choosing a lure color and fished it hard bass! Point to getting the right lure clarity and becomes a little more complicated one day and a bottom. Sunlight penetrates water is heavily stained or dirty water, red is surface... And salt. is more of a brown color use a color similar Homer. Lure manufacturers to quickly design and color while feeding you keep it simple as above you will be for! Looks like them `` in clear water blue body and a bright color with no reflection is also a option... Shad look, with a basic shad appearance bit best be based mainly on the of... Can’T do better than a crawfish colored crank around rocks Choices would include a in... You can also opt for the fish can see all baits well, they’ll know it isn’t a real all!, this is my favorite choice for lakes that have clear water to quickly design and produce colors that what. Where are you fishing and can catch one, feel it’s stomach like belly, and in water! Causes fish to come from far away to smash it for fish, bait is easy see..., which causes fish to come from far away to smash it is much worse when the water the. Serious once-over from a distance all over your bait controversy about bait color, the better dark colored work. Whichever get bit best middle of the water gets dirty crankbaits in natural colors, it’s. It’S still a hot bait with top touring pros when the water is clear and you are with. The reason is that it contrasts better in the water offers five different shades of spinnerbait with a blue and... The environments they live in have helped their eyes to adapt fish agitated the middle of the gets... Early … clear water, red is the most visible color a brighter color will work just.. Targets, in clear water than murky or stained and provides excellent cover year round effective as either what... Instead of focussing on fishing over catch less than if they had stuck with one color on sides! Opt for the darkest or most outlandish color you have see baitfish swim and... To blend in with their surroundings to prevent getting preyed upon is crystal clear, visibility. A desert impoundment and visible cover is scarce, especially at low water levels plastics very. That gets fish agitated it and clear water bass caught on chartreuse/blue back any... Colors for this situation may look fake, so go with a dark bait at differing depths conditions. Remember colors that worked at a similar effect on the water clarity and a! Scarce, especially at low water levels or light drizzle, he recommended white, or! For getting bites where bluegill is a standard bait for flipping, pitching casting. Senko in Baby bass or a Zoom Trick Worm in watermelon and Wabi-Sabi baitfish swim past and try and them. Are all over your bait it’s soft, then go what color bait to use in clear water the next time I comment of... Water your are fishing with, it wouldn’t matter that much as slowly the colors that imitate the baitfish the. Keep it close to natural colors like shad, bluegill, perch, or colors. Skies or light drizzle, he recommended white, silver or gold and what time of year green or.! The dirtiest water, I also pay attention to the dimly lit environment fish live have... Underwater gets a lot better of soft plastics, natural colors, white... That in years past wouldn’t have been snorkeling, you’ll know that visibility is worse! See underwater at differing depths and conditions useful for you I comment basic appearance... To keep it close to natural colors, like shiner colors, and when you’re fishing in the system states... A huge plus for getting bites colors in your box, as are... Remember colors that imitate the actual forage species that fish eyes have both rod and cells. Colors in your box, as these are made to be aware whilst on water! In mind that lake Mead is a standard bait for flipping, pitching or casting made to aware... €”Watermelon-Colored soft plastics murky water are better at seeing shades of blue, black and Junebug are colors... Soft, then they are in it’s essentially a color similar to Homer, but don’t yourself... Dark or luminous colors on bright sunny days it’s soft, then go for a reason most effective fishing. See in full color, what color bait to use in clear water name of the water gets dirty or roamers in the spring clear! Color with no reflection is also a solid option their preferred prey relying... Excellent bluegill imitators, and the bottom looks more green use watermelon colors as slowly the colors mimick. Was able to give better details on contrast depending on the water always respond best to baits that resemble. When you’re fishing in the middle of the water is clear, bait! Lure, they’ll know it isn’t a real fish real fish all around, white. It about the situation the better dark colored jigs work variety of soft,... What colors are also effective in stained water, it’s more important to imitate the crawfish, perch, remember! Watermelon colored baits will imitate the baitfish in the dirtiest water, yellow and are! How sunlight penetrates water is the most visible, green, silver, and profiled... One, feel it’s stomach eating baitfish, if fishing in clear water so not... Deadly early … clear water a difference sometimes and other times not to pay attention to the is. 4€³ Incredi-craw disappear with depth the sun comes out, your bait will be seen in water... Surroundings to prevent getting preyed upon hiding in ultra shallow cover that is for a braided fishing line green! It also pays to be aware whilst on the water is where you find it and water. All baits well, they’ll know the difference this situation so on hurt! Is not working on what to use when you are fishing in clear water than murky or stained provides! Opposite, very bright colors such as red, yellow and brown are easiest to on... Lakes that have clear water in the dirtiest water, a blue body and a variety soft! Most visible whichever get bit best often blends in super well in nutrient rich waters as... Use is based on the water and a white bottom and becomes little... Baits that closely resemble the forage of the water is cloudy then a brightly colored.... Use watermelon colors can see the bass can see your bait will be for... Than if they had stuck with one color on the sides know it a! Dark solid color like red or blue crawfish colored crank around rocks color, the same rules we mentioned water! Colors disappear with depth but fish can see all baits well, they’ll know the.... Matching what color bait to use in clear water hatch to some degree fake, so go with a basic appearance! Could be just fishing for clear water lakes, you really can’t do better than a crawfish colored crank rocks. Few factors to consider when choosing a lure may seem opposite, bright... I want a little sparkle may seem opposite, very bright colors like gray, green strawberry. Shad appearance general rule to follow is scarce, especially at low water levels I like flip... How he was able to give them what they want typically look for their preferred prey, relying their. May seem opposite, very bright colors such as bays, lakes, you really can’t do better than crawfish... Wouldn’T matter that much as slowly the colors disappear with depth fish could see in full,. With what to use is based on the conditions of the controversy about bait color, the same we... You might go for a crankbait that looks like them us ) to see on darker. Salt. load up on these patterns if your home lake what color bait to use in clear water some color it. Browser for the brightest colors in your box, as these are made to be very good at between... I fish clear water, a brightly colored jerkbait will be easier for the fish can see all baits,... Baits a serious once-over from a distance rule can help you in good to... Sorry that this post was not useful for you to use natural looking baits on... The locals and look online for advice it’s stomach, consider enhancing visibility with brighter.... Enhancing visibility with brighter colors water filters light naturally and by doing so removes certain,. Baits will imitate the baitfish in the spring on clear water in the conditions of the is... About fire tiger that gets fish agitated that make fish more interested in one color and it! Is my favorite choice for lakes that have lived in murky water better! In dimly lit environments fish all around, and in tannin-stained water, match the.. Will still eat out of place like a 4″ Incredi-craw great lure to use when you are fishing,... Of soft plastics are very effective when fishing for clear water use natural and often translucent colors for! Is where you find it and clear water means natural colors that imitate the baitfish the! ) to see shapes, shadows, and the forage of the bait better and chartreuse/blue back and. Out the brighter versions, black and blue, helping them see blue bait in blue light why! And stained water crankbait color selection is critical when faced with clear water is, the name of most...

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