Best Clearwater Crankbait?

[bassnbornboy]

I fish in socal Lower Otay and Lake Perris where water visibility can be up to 30 feet on the best days. The weather is usually sunny and hot when we go, and we do early morning/late evening fishing when the bass come into the shallows(15-20 feet or less) (I've seen the big ones swimming in a foot of water in the early mornings) But let's just say I'm fishing for them in between 10-15 foot depth range. Also, any idea if a topwater frog would work in those situations?

[Raul]

You will never know if you don´t try. There´s 3 small lakes about 30 min drive from my home that are deep and the water is super clear, I´ve seen the fish rise from the depths to strike a topwater lure in the middle of the day.

[Catch and Grease]

You would be surprised how top waters can draw fish from deep water so well, a fish that's got the intent to strike will swim from 15 feet deep to hit a top water in the blink of an eye.

[bassnbornboy]

what about the crankbait?

[Catch and Grease]

Just go for a natural colored crankbait, bluegill, or shad something like that... The type of crankbait is up to you. If your asking if crankbaits work in clear water the answer is yes.

[Raul]

Okie dokie, I´m here to always disagree with the color/pattern "common knowledge everybody says", silver chartruese, hot fluorescent orange, firetiger, yellow shouldn´t be discarded for crystal clear waters, they work and they do it very well. Which crankbait ? most of the times I´ve got a Rapala Shad Rap in some of it´s multiple sizes and variations tied to my line and it has caught me tons of fish so Rapala Shad Rap is my first choice for a lipped crankbait. Rapala´s Tail Dancer is also a good crank. Storm´s Wart ( sub, wiggle, deep ) are also some of my favorites.

[bassnbornboy]

Okie dokie, I´m here to always disagree with the color/pattern "common knowledge everybody says", silver chartruese, hot fluorescent orange, firetiger, yellow shouldn´t be discarded for crystal clear waters, they work and they do it very well. Which crankbait ? most of the times I´ve got a Rapala Shad Rap in some of it´s multiple sizes and variations tied to my line and it has caught me tons of fish so Rapala Shad Rap is my first choice for a lipped crankbait. Rapala´s Tail Dancer is also a good crank. Storm´s Wart ( sub, wiggle, deep ) are also some of my favorites.

Thanks, at least I have an idea now. Peace!

[iceintheveins]

Rapala DTs, shad raps, Live Target shads, bagleys, SK Flat side, and other tight wigglers in natural colors.

[J Francho]

In clear water, I like MS American Shad. Coincidentally, it's the same I like for dirty water. Occasionally, I throw a very brightly colored bait, chartreuse or pink or some combination, but I throw them in all water clarity.

[Raul]

In clear water, I like MS American Shad. Coincidentally, it's the same I like for dirty water. Occasionally, I throw a very brightly colored bait, chartreuse or pink or some combination, but I throw them in all water clarity.

Dude don't you know that the only colors you should use for crystal clear water are "natural" colors or you won't catch a thing, c'mon ! But what the heck do I know ? I've only been bass fishing for three and a half decades.

[J Francho]

Lol, Raul, I think this is probably a topic we agree on. COLOR is way down on my list when unlocking the puzzle. REALISM starts to come into play if I'm throwing bigger baits. And really, I can probably throw that out the window, since I catch a good many swim bait fish on a follow up bait. So often, the big bait draws them out, and I polish them off with a jig or worm. But this about crank baits, which are smaller, and move quite a bit faster in the water. I've had days where color really mattered, but I've never figured out any rhyme or reason to it. Something different worked that day. Why? "Because!" To quote my old timer bud, Marty Friedman. If you like a color, and you feel like you'll catch on it, you throw it more. Therefore, it's a more productive color. Throw in some conditional patterning, like water clarity, that affects what you throw, and it usually bears out that some choice was the right choice. Is it exactly true all the time? It is if that's all you do in those conditions.

[Catch and Grease]

Lol, Raul, I think this is probably a topic we agree on. COLOR is way down on my list when unlocking the puzzle. REALISM starts to come into play if I'm throwing bigger baits. And really, I can probably throw that out the window, since I catch a good many swim bait fish on a follow up bait. So often, the big bait draws them out, and I polish them off with a jig or worm. But this about crank baits, which are smaller, and move quite a bit faster in the water. I've had days where color really mattered, but I've never figured out any rhyme or reason to it. Something different worked that day. Why? "Because!" To quote my old timer bud, Marty Friedman. If you like a color, and you feel like you'll catch on it, you throw it more. Therefore, it's a more productive color. Throw in some conditional patterning, like water clarity, that affects what you throw, and it usually bears out that some choice was the right choice. Is it exactly true all the time? It is if that's all you do in those conditions.

.

I have been slaying the bass with a chartreuse crankbait in low visibility water for a long time and it became my confidence color pretty soon, but then I got to thinking why don't I throw this in clear water once in awhile? So I went to my local gin clear lake and caught 6 on the color, Switched to a natural color and caught 5 more. So it got me thinking, does color even matter on little baits like small cranks?

[Raul]

.

I have been slaying the bass with a chartreuse crankbait in low visibility water for a long time and it became my confidence color pretty soon, but then I got to thinking why don't I throw this in clear water once in awhile? So I went to my local gin clear lake and caught 6 on the color, Switched to a natural color and caught 5 more. So it got me thinking, does color even matter on little baits like small cranks?

 

That is something we have discusssed ad nauseam, we know that there are circumstances where only very specific colors work, I have experienced those circumstances in which if you didn´t have a particular color/pattern you were screwed big time, but, those are so rare that after thousands of trips I can recall those trips in which such thing happened, so first of all is to locate the fish, then select the bait, choose the color YOU LIKE and fish it. For example, I like Red Shad for my soft plastics, I´ve caught a truckload of fish on red shad, you think red shad is THAT productive, it´s productive for me because I fish it oftenly so I think the productivity of X or Y depends a lot more on the guy than on the color/pattern.

 

So which is the best color/pattern for X or Y ? -----> to start the color/pattern you like and feel confident with.

[MacP]

Strike King Series 5 and 6.  I fish Sexy Shad pretty routinely in clear water.

 

My bite lately is on the XD Strike Kings.  Chart Shad and Sexy Shad.  Two weeks ago they were on 3XD.  Last week 5XD.  This week I stocked up on 6XDs in case they are deeper.

[roadwarrior]

So which is the best color/pattern for X or Y ? -----> to start the color/pattern you like and feel confident with.

 

Excellent advice!

 

 

 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I know you said crankbait but if you are fishing Lower Otay and Perris, why are you not throwing swimbaits!?!  Jealous. LOL

[einscodek]

Usually in clearwater I do throw the smaller cranks more often and I find the louder colors are actually better for the smaller cranks.

Must admit I do throw my Scatter Rap in babybass alot though as well in clearwater.

[TNBassin']

Dude don't you know that the only colors you should use for crystal clear water are "natural" colors or you won't catch a thing, c'mon ! But what the heck do I know ? I've only been bass fishing for three and a half decades.

I agree with you on color choices. Not so much your tone.

[Catch and Grease]

I agree with you on color choices. Not so much your tone.

I think he was being sarcastic...

[bassnbornboy]

Appreciated!