Crankbait Color In Stained Water (Around 1 Foot Or Less Visibility)

[cjam93]

Hey guys so I was wondering what your thoughts are on crankbait colors in stained water with 1 foot or less visibility. Let me start by saying that the best crankbait color I have found for my local lake so far has been SK's chart sexy shad. However I also throw some other brands like Rapala. Sometimes in this water I do not want a bait that is completely chartreuse colored like a chart black back, or Rapala's parrot color. At the same time though I am not sure that something like Helsinki Shad has enough flash in it to make it a good choice. The same goes for the Rapala's Bluegill color. I guess I am just wondering in conditions like this would you use Helsinki Shad and Bluegill, or would you look for so meting else? I like my baits to have some chart to them, but maybe not as much as parrot. Is that about right for this type of water clarity?

 

http://www.***.com/Rapala_DT_Series_Crankbait/descpage-RDT.html#multiview

 

Here is a page of the different Rapala colors I was talking about.

[martintheduck]

I dunno man.... stained water with a foot or less of visability? I'd declare that muddy, not stained. In muddy water I'm throwing bright cranks. I've had success on dark colors too, like a dark dark green w/ black back, but I don't have much confidence in that setup in muddy water

[cjam93]

I may have exaggerated the visibility, it maybe closer to 1.5-2feet. It is odd water though as its not really the chocolate milk color that comes with most muddy water.

[Hooligan]

I dunno man.... stained water with a foot or less of visability? I'd declare that muddy, not stained. In muddy water I'm throwing bright cranks. I've had success on dark colors too, like a dark dark green w/ black back, but I don't have much confidence in that setup in muddy water

Uh....what?  Muddy and stained are two entirely different things.  Stained water can be just that, stained to reduce visibility; usually a result of algae, vegetation, tannin, or some other influence.  Muddy is carrying sediment load.  Fish in lakes throughout the Midwest in summer and you can EASILY have sub 12" visibility in the first three feet.  Fish some of the best smalljaw waters in the North and you can have the same- but that water sure isn't muddy.  It's entirely feasible that water can be just stained and have reduced visibility- it happens all the time.

As far as colors in those conditions, I tend to prefer Black/Chart, Blue/Chart, Hot Bluegill, Red Craw, Olive Brown Craw, and Firetiger.  If it's genuinely muddy, Firetiger and rattles.  That said, bluegill is a great color for cranks regardless of clarity.  Bluegills don't change much in color in stained water.  Bass still find them and eat, too.

[Texasangler14]

I like the SK Chart with blue back in that situation. Anything bright as far as im concerned.

[Missourifishin]

 Sometimes in this water I do not want a bait that is completely chartreuse colored like a chart black back, or Rapala's parrot color. At the same time though I am not sure that something like Helsinki Shad has enough flash in it to make it a good choice.

 

Chart black back was going to be my first choice. I was thinking of something like a Helsinki Shad too, but I agree with you about the lack of flash.

 

I've also given darker colors, like the red crawdad, a shot in low visibility situations but with very little success.

[ww2farmer]

Stained water in the spring and fall, I have best results with bright craw colors, like red craw, orange craw, or gold....in summer I like brown/chart. belly, blue/chart.belly, chart. sexy shad.

[WIGuide]

In those situations you're either going to want to go with something bright (like the ones that for some reason you don't want to throw), or dark.

[BuckMaxx]

Chart blue or chart black for me

[A-Jay]

In the conditions you've described, a loud rattle or serious one-knocker in the bait might be more or at least just as important as the color of the lure.

 

A-Jay

[MarkH024]

In the conditions you've described, a loud rattle or serious one-knocker in the bait might be more or at least just as important as the color of the lure.

 

A-Jay

On top of that, I like a wide wobble crank that will displace a lot of water.  I would agree on most of the color choices stated already, lots of good info so far.

[bigbill]

Larger sized lures, rattle, brightest colors.

Hot chartreuse spinnerbaits.
Citrus crank.
Chartreuse crank.
Chartreuse blues.
Firetiger.
Fireperch.
Chartreuse plastics.

Orange?

Yellow?

Black?

I use the hottest hot chartreuse spinner bait skirts I can find.

 

Use a scent just a little will do.

 

Don't be afraid to use topwater lures too. I have a cheap orange spook that drives the bass crazy.

[mjseverson24]

I agree 100% with A-Jay, in the conditions you mentioned the bass have to adapt and rely more on their other sensory receptors other than their eyes as they have greatly reduced visibility... so using a crank with a good rattle is a great place to start, I also agree with MarkH024 a nice wide wobble is a great thing here also... Also in stained water like this fish tend to hold very tight to cover, wether it is weeds rock or wood, it serves them two things in stained water, an ambush point for baitfish, and also protection from larger fish... I am not saying color is not important, but in this case I believe it is the 4th most important factor, behind noise, action, and depth...

 

Mitch

[cjam93]

Uh....what?  Muddy and stained are two entirely different things.  Stained water can be just that, stained to reduce visibility; usually a result of algae, vegetation, tannin, or some other influence.  Muddy is carrying sediment load.  Fish in lakes throughout the Midwest in summer and you can EASILY have sub 12" visibility in the first three feet.  Fish some of the best smalljaw waters in the North and you can have the same- but that water sure isn't muddy.  It's entirely feasible that water can be just stained and have reduced visibility- it happens all the time.

As far as colors in those conditions, I tend to prefer Black/Chart, Blue/Chart, Hot Bluegill, Red Craw, Olive Brown Craw, and Firetiger.  If it's genuinely muddy, Firetiger and rattles.  That said, bluegill is a great color for cranks regardless of clarity.  Bluegills don't change much in color in stained water.  Bass still find them and eat, too.

For the sake of discussion, are you saying that you would throw bluegill in even very muddy water? The problem I have with Rapala's version of Bluegill color is how realistic it is. Im always worried it wont actually be visible since it has no flash what so ever.

 

In those situations you're either going to want to go with something bright (like the ones that for some reason you don't want to throw), or dark.

The reason I dont like to throw the extremely bright things like black back chart belly is half the time I feel like it is to bright for the water conditions. In muddy I am fine with it, but since my water is not really muddy just not clear I worry it being to bright and looking fake to the fish.

 

On top of that, I like a wide wobble crank that will displace a lot of water.  I would agree on most of the color choices stated already, lots of good info so far.

I normally throw XDs for deeper cranking and DTs for 10ft and down, would you say those are good for the wide wobble or recommend something else? I have had a lot of luck with XDs but very little with the DT series.

[WIGuide]

The reason I dont like to throw the extremely bright things like black back chart belly is half the time I feel like it is to bright for the water conditions. In muddy I am fine with it, but since my water is not really muddy just not clear I worry it being to bright and looking fake to the fish.

In water that's as heavily stained as you say it is chartreuse would be a good color. You have to remember bass feed with both their sight and with their equivalent of sound which is vibrations picked up through their lateral line. The more stained and dirty the water is the more they rely on sound. You want something bright so it's easier for them to home in on when they get close to the bait. I fish a lot of stained water and chartreuse crankbaits work. 

[cjam93]

In water that's as heavily stained as you say it is chartreuse would be a good color. You have to remember bass feed with both their sight and with their equivalent of sound which is vibrations picked up through their lateral line. The more stained and dirty the water is the more they rely on sound. You want something bright so it's easier for them to home in on when they get close to the bait. I fish a lot of stained water and chartreuse crankbaits work. 

I gotchya, thanks that makes sense. I think sometimes I just over think things and worry to much haha

[Fishes in trees]

When I am fishing shallow in stained/muddy water and I'm looking for a reaction bite the first bait I reach for is a Timber Tiger DC8 Chartruese/purple back.  The second color I try is the same bait in their Texas Shad color, which is a white/grey/silver shading - a dark dorsal stripe and rose shading on the sides.

 

Changing the subject just a little bit, if you are really serious about determining what colors work best in what color water, you should get a secchi disc.  Make one or buy one.  This too helps you assign a number to water color and get away from using adjectives to describe water color.

 

For instance, in my neighborhood, "clear" on the Lake of the Ozarks means a different color than "clear" on Truman, both of which are different from "clear" on Table Rock.  "Clear" on Bull Shoals means that when the light is right you can easily distinguish bottom features in 15 to 20 feet of water.

 

All of these lakes give you a different secchi disc reading and help you quantify water colors more easily.  This is just in my neighborhood.  I'm sure in other parts of the country there are similar subtle variables in water color.

[cjam93]

When I am fishing shallow in stained/muddy water and I'm looking for a reaction bite the first bait I reach for is a Timber Tiger DC8 Chartruese/purple back.  The second color I try is the same bait in their Texas Shad color, which is a white/grey/silver shading - a dark dorsal stripe and rose shading on the sides.

 

Changing the subject just a little bit, if you are really serious about determining what colors work best in what color water, you should get a secchi disc.  Make one or buy one.  This too helps you assign a number to water color and get away from using adjectives to describe water color.

 

For instance, in my neighborhood, "clear" on the Lake of the Ozarks means a different color than "clear" on Truman, both of which are different from "clear" on Table Rock.  "Clear" on Bull Shoals means that when the light is right you can easily distinThguish bottom features in 15 to 20 feet of water.

 

All of these lakes give you a different secchi disc reading and help you quantify water colors more easily.  This is just in my neighborhood.  I'm sure in other parts of the country there are similar subtle variables in water color.

Thanks for the advice! I will look into those!

[Crankinstein]

chrome sexy shad might work well if you had luck with the standard sexy shad. It has that extra flash that might grab more attention.

[cjam93]

Thanks Ill look around for that. I havent had much luck with sexy shad, but chart sexy shad has produced very well.

[river-rat]

In south Louisiana, especially in the Atchafalaya Basin, 1 foot or less of visibility is normal. I use chartruese with a black, green, or blue back and an orange belly.

[iceintheveins]

Like the others have said, chartreuse, chartreuse black, firetiger, red craw, dark green craw, and others like that produce best. Those colors work well in stained too.

[RighteousFishing WI]

I try not to overthink crankbait colors as much, A lot of reaction strikes and as far as which am throwing I stick to the old saying MATCH THE HATCH