Confusion about what color lures to use in dirty water

[pauldconyers]

I’m a bit confused regarding what lure color to use in dirtier water. I have always heard choose a dark color as it will create a better silhouette because the fish will see it better. However I watched a lot of KVD and other pro video tips last night and he was talking about the importance of throwing a bright colored bait like a chartreuse color or something so they could see it easier. Kind of conflicting advice, what say you?

[TylerT123]

I’d fish something with a vibration/rattle and worry less about color and more about noise or what will draw attention.

[All about da bass]

6 minutes ago, TylerT123 said:

I’d fish something with a vibration/rattle and worry less about color and more about noise or what will draw attention.

I agree with that, but also on the color thing, first it depends on what the forage is that your trying to present as. Say there is a lot of shad in this lake, use colors like white and white and chartreuse. If there is alot of blue gill in the area throw some chartreuse and orange out there and give it a try. Throw these baits for the best vibration: spinner bait double Colorado gold color blades, rattle trap play around with the size and quantity of the rattles, chatterbait gold blade, buzz bait for this bait I'll bend the metal frame just so the blade knicks it and makes more sound when it spins. Throw a whopper plopper bone color. Good luck

[Koz]

We have a lot of sediment laden lagoons around here and despite the old adage of dark lures in dirty water in early spring I was slaying them throwing a white swimbait with a white Keitech trailer. I tossed a black swimbait and caught nothing in that same time frame.

 

As mentioned about, noisy lures and forage also come into play. But I think the best advice is to keep experimenting. What works for me in SC might not work for you in MO.

[Catt]

Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate! ?

[Happybeerbuzz]

Just don’t throw natural colors in dirty water which means no green or earth tones.  If the water is chocolate milk dirty, look for some cleaner water or go home.  Otherwise throw bold or dark colors, which ever you feel most confident in that day.

[NorthernBasser]

I'm gonna be pretty upset some day when scientists are able to tap into the minds of bass, only to find out that lure colors mean absolutely nothing to them, regardless of water clarity, water temps, time of year, etc.  

[Turkey sandwich]

In dirty water, sound/vibration should probably come first.  Second would be to favor a larger profile.  Third is probably color (go very dark or go very bright).  Fourth is probably your presentation speed.  If the water is really muddy, you want something that dos all of the above that you can work slowly enough for fish to find it.  

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate! ?

 

Y'all ever heard of Camouflage? ?

[MichaelCopeland]

In dirty water vibration, rattle or anything that makes a noise or disturbance should be the main factor. Second should be a larger profile and third should be color. Darker colors are usually the best because the bass actually see them better, but lighter, brighter colors work as well. Here in NW Louisiana even some of the more natural looking colors work very well. The main thing you should do is fish something that makes lots of noise or gives off lots of vibration. How fast or slow you work it, well let the bass decide. I usually don't get bit unless I'm quickly retrieving or burning it back. I fish a chatterbait most, if not all the time and I fish it really fast with a quick pumping action upwards. No matter how dirty the water was a bass usually finds it, if there's one anywhere near where I'm fishing and hammers it. Usually setting the hook themselves. Most productive colors for me in dirty water are breaking bream, green pumpkin, black/blue and junebug/junebug red. ?

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Don't over think it. Just throw what colors you have confidence in. 

 

I fish muddy stained water regularly, I've caught them on black/blue jigs, white buzzbaits, red craw cranks, black frogs and everything in between.

 

Don't get hung up on color, just because a pro uses that color. His fellow colleagues might be fishing a black jelly worm and catching more!

[Spankey]

Rat-L-Traps, Bomber A's, Bandits. Noisey as it get for me I guess. 

 

I don't put a lot of emphasis on color but solid black, chartreuse, purple and blue are colors I will throw. But natural colors work as well or not better at times. 

[thinkingredneck]

I think color matters, but profile and action are probably more important.   Part of the confusion seems that recommendations are to use bright colors in hard baits and spinners and dark baits in plastics and jigs.  I fish a very muddy reservoir and fish primarily worms and some jigs.  Junebug, black, black red glitter, candybug, scuppernong, black blue, and green pumpkin all work at times.  Junebug and Candybug get the nod most of the time.  Black and blue jigs, white spinners or white cartreuse.  Bright crank baits, what little I use them.  I am gonna have to try Catt's cinnamon neon junebug laminate.  Catt, what brand worm is that?

[Spankey]

But soft plastics are not a reaction bait. A rattling crankbait or spinnerbait would be in those conditions. My thought you were look for reaction strikes in heavy stained or dirty water conditions.    

[thinkingredneck]

If the water stays muddy and murky, those fish have adapted and have seemingly no trouble seeing a worm.  And some days color makes a difference.

[TOXIC]

Plastics ......S-l-o-w d-o-w-n.  Fist consideration is the water stained or muddy?  Yamamoto makes a few colors of senko that if there is any light penetration in stained water, they will put off an aura and actually appear to glow or have a halo in the water.  If it's actually muddy I go with the darkest colors.  Another thing to consider is if the water you are fishing is normally clear and discolored because of rain or some other factor, or is it naturally dark like Florida's tannin water?  My rule of thumb is that in normally clear water that has been stirred up, the bass may shut down for up to 3 days but then they have to eat.  

[Spankey]

3 hours ago, thinkingredneck said:

If the water stays muddy and murky, those fish have adapted and have seemingly no trouble seeing a worm.  And some days color makes a difference.

Never gave that a real hard thought. I guess some have that as a common condition. Sorry for bad thinking. I'm always dealing with some stain version. But not with what you have to deal with. 

[Choporoz]

I hedge my bets - generally dark - green pumpkin/blue/black -- but when its muddy, I dip the tips and tails in chartreuse JJ's Magic.

[scaleface]

Ive caught lots of bass with soft plastics and jigs in muddy water . I usually go   with black/chartreuse , its just a combo that has worked well for me so I continue to throw it . Also like to use Rattling jigs .

[All about da bass]

4 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I hedge my bets - generally dark - green pumpkin/blue/black -- but when its muddy, I dip the tips and tails in chartreuse JJ's Magic.

I throw green pumpkin with it dipped in that just about every time I fish muddy water.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

JJ's magic for the win! 

[Fishingmickey]

18 hours ago, Catt said:

Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate! ?

Dipped in Spike it and slathered with Megastrike?

[MIbassyaker]

I have a hard time getting my head around most color advice for dirty water. Seems to me the dirtier the water, the less color should matter at all.  Yes, bright colors might be seen a little better, or a little farther away, than dull colors. Yes, opaque colors may have a better silhouette (but that ought to be true of an opaque white just as it is of opaque black).  But natural colors, and even translucent colors, can catch bass just fine in dirty water.

 

Does your lure splash down, move, vibrate, bump into things? Yes? Then they will find it, just as they find everything else they eat.