A new revolution in jig colors
Let’s face it, as anglers we stick with what works and in this case- the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” really comes into play when picking lure colors. But, what if you could match the color of your jig to the color of your favorite soft plastics trailer. Think about it- it’s something different, its more natural, and it’s just more visually appealing. Most of us bass anglers fish a jig to imitate a crawfish, or occasionally a baitfish. Stop a minute and picture what a crawfish or a bluegill looks like- while they all have different hues and tints of different colors to them- they typically have one dominant color to them.
Take the color Okeechobee craw for example- you have two main colors, a sapphire blue shade and a dark charcoal black serve as the dominant colors- while you have a light brown mixed in with all the other colors. In nature nothing is really a solid color- with bluegill you have hints of chartreuse on the tail or certain accent colors throughout the bluegill and none of the colors really have a defined or set pattern to them. Okeechobee craw isn’t the only color like this, colors such as summer craw (light green and brown), or Bama Bug (Sapphire blue, light brown, black, and dark blue), all follow this approach.
Like we referenced before, in nature you won’t typically find anything living under water that’s one single, solid color. Crayfish can have greens, browns, blacks, and tan colors to them throughout their body, while bluegill can have tints of blue, black, purple, and pink to them. So the more colors you can fit into your jig, the better, in most situations. Throughout my fishing career I’ve heard repeatedly that the more simple the color the better, and have been successful that way- don’t get me wrong. But when you’re trying to “match the hatch” or be more natural with your presentation- you want to get as close as possible to whatever you’re trying to imitate.
Multiple colors in a skirt can also give you advantage other ways as well. Take this situation for example- say you’re fishing with a Bama Bug colored jig in moderately stained to muddy water with pretty low visibility. Under the water certain colors stick out to bass more than others. So say in this situation blue is the only color bass can get a good glimpse of in the water clarity you’re fishing, and lucky for you Bama bug has the color blue in it- but it also has light brown, black, and dark blue. So if the water clarity changes halfway through the day and the bass start honing in on the color black- you’re still covered by sticking with Bama Bug, you have all the colors you need.
By matching the color of your trailer to the color of your jig- you’re doing a couple of things that give you an added edge. First, you’re making your bait look even more natural- by matching the color of your jig to the color of your trailer you give the bass a more natural looking, less suspicious and less questionable opportunity. Second, matching your jig and trailer gives you neat, clean, and natural presentation that’s compact and not only more natural looking, but in some cases moves more naturally through the water
