Slightly Different Question About Crankbait Colors From Normal

[cjam93]

Hey guys so I have a question about crankbait colors, I know everyone asks what color you should thrown in different conditions, but I have a little different question. So my question is, why does water effect it so much? For example, say in a lake the shad are all your normal silver color that most shad have. However the water is muddy. Now usually I would want to throw something with chart in it because of the muddy water, but if I am supposed to be imitating bait fish, then shouldnt I just throw a silver crankbait or a sexy shad one regardless of the water clarity?   I know that clarity matters, but I guess my question is why does it? Wont the shad look the same regardless of clarity so shouldnt we focus more on imitating them and less on letting the water dictate what we throw? Thanks for the help guys

[A-Jay]

Certain colors work in certain conditions and often times it varies on each body of water.

 

There are other factors to that might play a role besides water clarity like amount of light, the color of the surrounding cover or the bottom to name a few.

 

I really don't know why certain colors work.  I've tried to reason it out and some of it seems to make sense.  However, when shad works one day and then clown the next, it's hard to figure out what's going on there.

 

I've learned not to put limits on the colors I'll try when I'm looking for right one.

 

And although I do hate this fishing euphemism it does seems to apply;

"let the fish tell you what they want".  Could be a natural pattern or it could be fire tiger.

 

As long as I'm getting bit - I'm good.

 

A-Jay

[Marty]

 

but if I am supposed to be imitating bait fish, then shouldnt I just throw a silver crankbait or a sexy shad one regardless of the water clarity?

 

I think the answer would be "yes" if you believe you need to be imitating baitfish. However, not everyone believes that and some very knowledgeable people dispute it.

 

I'm with A-jay; try various things until and if you find something that works. I used to spend a lot of time fishing crankbaits in the extremely murky waters of the Erie Canal and all colors works, including colors that conventional wisdom says shouldn't work in that clarity.

[Montanaro]

give the bass something they can see. crazier colors may peak bass interest and get them to come over. sometimes they just want shad.

[WRB]

Use a spinnerbait in lieu of a crank bait. Shad have blue, purple, chartreuse and silver. It's vibration that bass react to from a distance and bass can see in off color water....we can't!

Tom

[bigbill]

The bass on certain days are limited to what colors they can see do to the sunlite and

vegetation in the water affects the hues in the water. Now factor in the water clarity

conditions too. Now there are somedays when the bass can see all the colors too.

Quote, Bill Dance If the bass could see all the colors all the time there wouldn't be a minnow or shad left in the body of water. This is why we read the water conditions first before we choose what lure color were going to use.

I throw a variety of different lures and colors till the bass let me know with one they want. Once I get action I have the pattern at that moment. But it can also change too.

On a tough day when we can't even buy a bite after I been thru my normal ritual of lures I go back and try different presentation. The bass will let us know when we get it right. But my go to color when it's tough is firetiger.

Remember in clear water it's natural colored smaller sized lures fished fast. In stained water it's a combination of smaller and medium sized brighter colored lures fished slow. With muddy water it's the larger sized lures in the brightest colors fished the slowest. Having a rattle and a shot of scent is a plus in any condition.

If you want to research into the color thing with bass. Search for

Dr. LOREN HILL of OK UNV. and look for the articles of his tests with bass seeing colors. The info about his COLOR C LECTOR and his COMBO C LECTOR will also be there too. There is a reason why KVD has a combo c LECTOR on his boat.

[slonezp]

My general thinking says give them something that's a little different. Something that stands out from the pack whether it's color, or a different presentation like WRB mentioned. If you've ever watched any wildlife shows, you'll notice how animals will single out their prey based on some slightly different characteristic. Weakness, size, age, etc. Same thing happens in nightclubs between men and women. Same thing happens with bass. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.