Soft Plastic Color : Black & Blue Flake Vs. Black & Red Flake ?

[ChrisD46]

The above color choices have always confused me as to when you select one over the other ? What conditions or elements determines your selection criteria as to using one over the other ?

[Catch and Grease]

I think black and blue flake is prettier so I use that.

[Munkin]

Red flake has worked better for me.

 

Allen

[The Next KVD]

Its all personal preference. Those colors are going to be used in the same circumstances which is usually off colored water or worse.  I don't think it matters as I have thrown both with good results.  The icing on the cake for me was one day I ran out of some black with blue flk tubes and the closest thing I had was black w/ red flk. and continued to pound the fish.  I now really only carry one of those colors now after that experience.

[Catt]

I would rather black with a blue tail or claws over black with blue flack.

But I would rather black neon (flake) over black with a red tail or claws.

[Team9nine]

Whichever bait I happen to grab first or have with me. If the bass are so smart that they'll reject my bait over flake color, I'd rather move along and find stupider fish  Better than trying to rotate through a dozen flake colors to figure out the right one to get bit. If I'm not getting bit, for all I know it might be because the fish simply aren't there - may have nothing to do with flake color 

 

-T9

[Brian-S]

Typically use Black and Blue... but maybe just by popularity.. no rhyme or reason LOL. Now, I love Black and Blue Laminate!! 

Try both when one is working and try to see which you have more confidence in 

 

Brian 

[Felix77]

Sometimes you feel like a nut ...

[Arv]

I would select based on which is cheaper. I'd have a hard time feeling like it really makes that much of a difference 99%of the time

[F14A-B]

Sometimes you don't ...

[Big C]

I don't know what these guys are talking about.  There is a HUGE difference between the two.  Blk/blue is strictly for stained water (visibility about a foot).  Blk/red is used only for slightly muddy water (visiblity no deeper than a ruler). 

[Comfortably Numb]

Fish see red better in shallow water.

 

Blue better in deeper water.

 

So water depth is how I would choose.

[Catt]

Fish see red better in shallow water.

Blue better in deeper water.

So water depth is how I would choose.

So will not bite black neon in deep water?

And bass will not bite black-n-blue in shallow water?

[fishbowl807]

Make it simple just use black lol

[War Eagle 44]

I don't know what these guys are talking about.  There is a HUGE difference between the two.  Blk/blue is strictly for stained water (visibility about a foot).  Blk/red is used only for slightly muddy water (visiblity no deeper than a ruler). 

 

HaHaHa!!

[Montanaro]

If you want to be precise on color choice...go with the color that resembles local craws.

Some craws are dark black or dark brown with blue highlights or red highlights.

Clearer the water the more I try to match.

Otherwise I pick my favorite jig (sometimes red sometimes blue) and a matching trailer,

[PersicoTrotaVA]

When it's sunny I usually use the black/red and when it's cloudy, I go with the black/blue.  When I'm really feeling freaky I will fish black/blue in the sun and black/red under the clouds.

[Comfortably Numb]

So will not bite black neon in deep water?

And bass will not bite black-n-blue in shallow water?

 

Personally I could care less about color and I think the bass do too.

 

Techically I am repeating what scientist say. They say red is first to lose its color as water deepens. Blue is near the last. 

 

So if you want fish to see your red bait as red then fish it more shallow. 

[bigbill]

It's a choice of what works at that time?

Black with red flake brushogs work for me the bass love'm.

It's either the black with red flake brushogs.

The Amber/orange/red colored with gold flake senkos.

The electric blue color with silver flake senkos.

I can't argue with what color they like, it works.

[Catt]

Personally I could care less about color and I think the bass do too.

Techically I am repeating what scientist say. They say red is first to lose its color as water deepens. Blue is near the last.

So if you want fish to see your red bait as red then fish it more shallow.

Technically speaking ya listening to thr wrong group!

The first research conducted on color visibility at different depths was conducted by the USN; thr research had nothing to do with bass. The observed results were as seen through human eyes and a human mind.

Tell me how does a bass find my black neon worm, craw worm, lizard, creature, or jig sitting perfectly still on the bottom in 25' of water on a moonless night?

[Chris at Tech]

Here's how I do it -- don't buy colors that are so similar

 

I've simplified my fishing especially with plastics by limiting my colors to some version of GP, some version of watermelon, junebug and some version of black.  This makes my choice on the water a lot easier.

[PersicoTrotaVA]

Technically speaking ya listening to thr wrong group!

The first research conducted on color visibility at different depths was conducted by the USN; thr research had nothing to do with bass. The observed results were as seen through human eyes and a human mind.

Tell me how does a bass find my black neon worm, craw worm, lizard, creature, or jig sitting perfectly still on the bottom in 25' of water on a moonless night?

I'd listen to this man.

 

I kept saltwater aquariums for 15 years and I did a lot of research on light and how its visible in water.  One trick I have learned is that when a color is reflected off the surface it usually doesn't penetrate deep enough to be visible.  I would suggest using that color and see what happens. 

[smalljaw67]

Normally it doesn't matter but when I'm fishing river smallmouth it can, and often does, make a huge difference, especially when the water is low. I know a lot will laugh but when we head out we have tubes in straight black, and black neon which is black with red flake.  Black with blue flake doesn't seem to make any difference, if they are hitting black, they hit black with blue flake but they may not hit a black neon, that color is either on or off. If the black neon is on, you won't get a bite on a straight black bait, I proved that to a few people who didn't believe it. For our lakes that have smallmouth in them it is different, it doesn't seem to make too much of a difference,  but I'm guessing because the water is so much clearer in the river that the smallmouth feed based on sight more, so they react to color more than fish in more stained conditions. So unless you are fishing extremely clear water for smallmouth, I wouldn't think the difference in flakes is going to matter too much.

[Big C]

"Match the Hatch" can also play a role.  If all the black worms in your lake have blue sparkles use blue flake, if not go with red. 

[RanndomUndead]

So will not bite black neon in deep water?

And bass will not bite black-n-blue in shallow water?

Red is the first color to turn black in water,

Blue is the fifth.

ROYGBIV, Find your depth, find your color.