Colors On Topwaters, Does It Make A Difference?

[Jigfishn10]

I'm undecided if colors really make a difference when it comes to topwaters...During the day, in any water or light condition.

At night, I think a dark color is the only way to go, but I will qualify this statement. I don't fish much at night and if I do, I always use a black topwater and have not used any other color.

Your thoughts?

[Lund Explorer]

I can't tell you how many time that I have changed the color of the same topwater, fishing the same area, and then started to catch fish. IMO, color matters at certain times.

[MN_SONNEN_ANGLER]

my go to color for top water is something with a white belly. almost always, like 95% of the time for me thats the best color for topwater. my second choice would be the complete opposite, black, but thats more of an "open" water area. not fishing the slop.

[Kyle Mahaffey]

For Buzzbait, I use a black color. For poppers, I use a minnow or shad color.

[kLuo]

I used to wonder the same thing and now my answer is most definitely yes, at times. People used to always tell me that the fish can only see the bottom of the bait, so the color of the belly was all that mattered. This is not true for all baits (for example: spook) as the sides of the bait is often visible, especially in clear water. I have had many instances where I used a certain topwater and had fish follow the bait to the boat, then switched to the same bait in a different color and have the fish take it without hesitation.

At night or in murky water, the outline of the bait is more important because it is easier for the fish to see it. Colors can't be seen anyway so you might as well make it as visible as possible.

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

• Sammy's and Spooks - shad color patterns (because these lures twist and turn to their sides). Sunny conditions I grab a chrome/foil type reflection.
  
• Poppers and props - shad/bluegill color pattern (fishing with a pause gives 'em something to stare at and commit)
  
• Hollow-belly frogs - IMHO, green or dark. I seldom get the pleasure of seeing lily pads and most of my water has matted vegetation. Most my strikes are when the frog hits the water - whether from the cast or hopping it off the bank.
  
• Buzzbaits - Black in the morning and evening. It's probably more of a confidence thing, but I'm always throwing my black blade/black or red blade/black Cavitron.
  

I seldom fish in the dark of night, but black is best for that time.

[LgMouthGambler]

I usually use something with a clear white color, with maybe some orange or red on it for effect. Never fails.

[Jigfishn10]

I can’t disagree with you, Lund and Klua, with just a color change of the same lure provoked strikes. I have never had that happened to me so I can’t dispute it. My personal experiences from those fish that followed and were provoked into striking were by speed changes.

I’m not totally disregarding color at all. I do think it plays some roll into at least getting a fish interested in the lure. It may be just one color of a multi-colored lure that excited that fish in the first place and I do agree that a fish and see the sides as well as the bottom. As Revo mentions in his post, stick baits – walking type baits – do roll and, in my opinion, fish can see the top as well. Chugging baits, a fish can see all sides as the bait sits down in the water at a 45* angle or better and fish can see a buzzbait, probably the best as the body is completely submerged in water. Put on a multi-colored paint job on them and a bass will more than likely respond to at least one color. Again, just my opinion.

It sounds like that we’re all in agreement that color has no impact at night, just as long as a fish can see the silhouette of the lure.

I guess you would have to treat topwaters like any other lure: Make it visible and make it work to look realistic.

[kLuo]

I guess you would have to treat topwaters like any other lure: Make it visible and make it work to look realistic.

This is not always the case. Some of my buddies swear on clear topwater lures so that it is not that visible and causes the fish to give a reaction strike. I guess both are valid techniques, just depends on the situation and setting.

[Jigfishn10]

This is not always the case. Some of my buddies swear on clear topwater lures so that it is not that visible and causes the fish to give a reaction strike. I guess both are valid techniques, just depends on the situation and setting.

kLuo, you're killing me...ROFL...but you make a valid point my friend. Thanks for the participation here, much appreciative.

[Lund Explorer]

I can’t disagree with you, Lund and Klua, with just a color change of the same lure provoked strikes. I have never had that happened to me so I can’t dispute it. My personal experiences from those fish that followed and were provoked into striking were by speed changes.

I’m not totally disregarding color at all. I do think it plays some roll into at least getting a fish interested in the lure. It may be just one color of a multi-colored lure that excited that fish in the first place and I do agree that a fish and see the sides as well as the bottom. As Revo mentions in his post, stick baits – walking type baits – do roll and, in my opinion, fish can see the top as well. Chugging baits, a fish can see all sides as the bait sits down in the water at a 45* angle or better and fish can see a buzzbait, probably the best as the body is completely submerged in water. Put on a multi-colored paint job on them and a bass will more than likely respond to at least one color. Again, just my opinion.

It sounds like that we’re all in agreement that color has no impact at night, just as long as a fish can see the silhouette of the lure.

I guess you would have to treat topwaters like any other lure: Make it visible and make it work to look realistic.

I've had luck making minor changes in color such as changing from a perch Rapala white belly to a version with an orange belly. I've also seen days when a complete change from a baby bass Pop_R that did nothing to a can't keep them off bubblgum colored one. That's about the most radical change I could think of, but it did the trick. As far as cadence goes, I almost always change up retrieve speeds every third or fourth cast until I find the pace that works. But sometimes it isn't the rate the lure is moving.

[Kyle Mahaffey]

• Sammy's and Spooks - shad color patterns (because these lures twist and turn to their sides). Sunny conditions I grab a chrome/foil type reflection.
  
• Poppers and props - shad/bluegill color pattern (fishing with a pause gives 'em something to stare at and commit)
  
• Hollow-belly frogs - IMHO, green or dark. I seldom get the pleasure of seeing lily pads and most of my water has matted vegetation. Most my strikes are when the frog hits the water - whether from the cast or hopping it off the bank.
  
• Buzzbaits - Black in the morning and evening. It's probably more of a confidence thing, but I'm always throwing my black blade/black or red blade/black Cavitron.
  

I seldom fish in the dark of night, but black is best for that time.

Black Buzzbaits are all I throw. I think it looks like an injured fly or something. I had a yellow and like a pumkin colored buzzbait that I got as a set and the bass just laughed at me with those two colors. Kinda hurt my feelings. So I ate those darn bass with hot sauce.

[0119]

Man you must have huge flies where you live! I think it depends on the water clarity. I fish mostly tannic colored rivers and creeks. Gold with an orange belly is a big producer until we are in dry season. Then the water gets not clearer but less colored. Then a baby bass pattern produces more fish. But at least with Heddon Spooks, each bait the factory makes can sound different and walk higher or lower in water. Some never produce and some the bass attack even when the color is completely worn off by them.

[Jigfishn10]

Man you must have huge flies where you live!

LMAO, I was thinking the same thing!

I will certainly remember that Lund. You've posted some really informative tips from your past experiences. Thanks for sharing that.