A Question Of Colors

[Broadcreek karl]

This is my first post other than to introduce myself. My question is about lure colors. I fish in shallow water. The depth in the creek I fish averages about 3 feet and is stained a deep brown color. I'm told thisnisndue to tannin in the water. It's my understanding for this type of water it is best to use a darker color lure. It would seem to me that the opposite would make sense. Can anyone explain why the darker color works?

Also I have found a deeper hole in the same body of water. It ranges anywhere from 10 to 14 feet, same stain color. Are the same darker colors used in deeper water?

Thanks for any help.

[BiteFiend]

I could be wrong, but I was always told dark lures create the illusion of the bait being kind of a sillhouette in off colored and muddy water. And yes those same dark lures will work in the deeper hole you found.

Bright lures work too, but I typically only use bright colors on moving baits.

[OroBass]

The experts say that the fade out in darker water so the need for natural colors is less important. Black is good but I also would suggest chartreuse and fire tiger colors. These colors are bright and are easier for the bass to find. Lures with lots of vibration and noise would also be wise to use.

[rippin-lips]

I was always taught to use natural colors on bright days and/or clear water. Then darker colors on overcast days and/or stained water. The only variant I've heard is when it comes to lures and hard baits. Spinnerbait,buzzbait,crankbait,ect

Then I was told to use brighter colors like fire tiger or chartreuse,things like that. I keep my selection very simple.

Bright/clear - green pumpkin or watermelon

Dark/dirty - black blue or june bug

Then whatever flake combination seems to get bit. Be it watermelon/red green pumpkin/purple

Black/blue ect.

[Raul]

Here´s a more definite answer to your question: bass do not need to see a bait in order to find and bite it.

 

An example:

 

 

This is what we call plowable, it´s so muddy that it´s nearly impossible that a fish can see a bait, however it´s evident the fish was caught. Bass like many other animals have senses, and those senses compensate, one is lost or unusable another takes it´s place, the fish can´t see the ear takes it´s place, in the case of fish they posses a sense we don´t so unless you know a little bit of biology most people don´t understand, fish can hear too, can smell too, can taste too, but fish can feel things that happen around them through their lateral line. 

 

If you are worried the fish can´t see your bait you´re worrying  too much, the worse the visibility ---> make it loud, make it fat, make it shiny, make it vibrate/wobble, the fish will find it.

 

BTW, that fish was caught with a Rapala Rattling Fat Rap SD ( shad color ) , probably the worst color to choose for those conditions according to many, and it wasn´t the only one Ulises caught with that bait that day, he murdered bass that day with it.

[OroBass]

The hard part with these questions is no matter what the rule is, somebody is gonna say they experienced something different.

[Jigfishn10]

The hard part with these questions is no matter what the rule is, somebody is gonna say they experienced something different.

 

That's just it, there are no rules, bass don't read the same text books we do.

 

Raul's post is very good and the advice contained in it should be takened, however, you can google color spectrum in water and you will find out what colors fade at certain depths and water clarity. I read an exerpt from Denny Brauer's book and he basically says that he doesn't know what a bass can see, he's not a marine biologist, but if you can find a color that is visible to the water your fishing, why not appeal to the bass' sense of sight and have one more thing on your side to stack the odds in your favor to catch that fish?

[gulfcaptain]

In that color water if you're looking at fishing a plastic or jig, I would go with black/blue, blue craw,bama bug, or a green pumpkin/chart. Have a few ponds I fish that are a dark brown color, but still have about 2ft of vis and all these colors produce really well.  

[NathanW]

I was always taught to use natural colors on bright days and/or clear water. Then darker colors on overcast days and/or stained water. The only variant I've heard is when it comes to lures and hard baits. Spinnerbait,buzzbait,crankbait,ect

Then I was told to use brighter colors like fire tiger or chartreuse,things like that. I keep my selection very simple.

Bright/clear - green pumpkin or watermelon

Dark/dirty - black blue or june bug

Then whatever flake combination seems to get bit. Be it watermelon/red green pumpkin/purple

Black/blue ect.

I really don't think you can go wrong if you follow this rule of thumb.

 

Regarding reaction baits however I would do pretty well during the daytime if the only color I ever fished was white and pretty well at night if the only color I ever threw was black.

[Violinguy]

Has anyone noticed that local bait shops as well as big box stores (Dick's, Academy, Wally World) tend to stock colors that are popular for their location?  In the last 2 weeks, I've bought a few bags of Senkos and Yum Dingers at both Wally and Academy, and they both only stock 4-5 colors.  Years ago at a Cabela's store near Chicago, I asked an employee and he more or less confirmed that.

 

As for muddy vs. clear, I have always taken the advice I've seen here and lots of other places; darker colors for stained water or at night, and lighter colors for clear, daytime.

 

Last week, I stood at the same place on shore and threw Senkos and Dingers for about an hour.  I caught fish on the following colors; purple, watermelon with and w/out flake, dark red, and blue.  Color seemed to be of no significance whatsoever.  I have not had that same type of success with hard baits though.

[ThatZX14Fella]

Fish can sense when there's something there, just like some people can sense when something is wrong. The truth is though, it doesn't really matter what most people say. Some bass will bite a lure that is unexpected, and some bass won't bite anything if they don't want to

[Catt]

FYI 

 

Bass in clear water are sight feeders

 

Bass in off colored water are lateral line feeders (sound)

[F14A-B]

I can't add a thing except Raul and Catt said it quite well.... Bass are gonna eat.... In any water color...

[Broadcreek karl]

Thank you all for the info. Things make a bit more sense now, and I feel a bit more confident with my bait selection instead of just trying a bait to see if it might work.