Regional colors

[plawren53202]

14 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Purple  IS the Missouri color. It's been working for us too long.

What do you all think is the reason for this? Because although I never realized it's specifically a Missouri thing, you are absolutely correct.

 

I have to admit that here in Missouri, I have probably caught more fish on a purple/red tail worm than any other lure. For many years my bass fishing information was primarily influenced by family, and I have several family members whose bass fishing strategy is: show up at pond/lake, throw black buzzbait, throw purple fire tail worm, and if none are caught, then "they ain't bitin' today" and go home.

 

After being away from fishing for a while, over the last couple of years as I have gotten back into it my information is now heavily influenced by YouTube, Bass Resource, etc. First I had ever heard of "green pumpkin" or "watermelon" worms, which I now use all the time. One of my go-to baits now is a wacky rigged watermelon Dinger. I haven't even really thought of trying a purple worm until reading this thread. 

 

So, back to my original question, is there something that makes purple actually work better in Missouri? I tried to think through everything, regional crawdad varieties, baitfish, etc. and couldn't come up with anything. Or is it more like my family situation in my earlier years, purple just for whatever reason caught on in this area a long time ago and info gets passed down to family and friends. 

[Teal]

4 minutes ago, plawren53202 said:

 

 

So, back to my original question, is there something that makes purple actually work better in Missouri? I tried to think through everything, regional crawdad varieties, baitfish, etc. and couldn't come up with anything. Or is it more like my family situation in my earlier years, purple just for whatever reason caught on in this area a long time ago and info gets passed down to family and friends. 

I'm not from you area, but maybe it matches your local forage and water and the way the forage appear in light.

 

I could be coming from left field, but if generations of people from your area are throwing the purples and red created a new normal for the fish? Idk.  

 

All I know is that regional colors are the real deal.  When i fish down in Kississme and the Harris chains a few times a year the occochobee blue colors and June bug varients were king and out fished my greens and browns 5:1

 

 

[Mobasser]

11 minutes ago, plawren53202 said:

What do you all think is the reason for this? Because although I never realized it's specifically a Missouri thing, you are absolutely correct.

 

I have to admit that here in Missouri, I have probably caught more fish on a purple/red tail worm than any other lure. For many years my bass fishing information was primarily influenced by family, and I have several family members whose bass fishing strategy is: show up at pond/lake, throw black buzzbait, throw purple fire tail worm, and if none are caught, then "they ain't bitin' today" and go home.

 

After being away from fishing for a while, over the last couple of years as I have gotten back into it my information is now heavily influenced by YouTube, Bass Resource, etc. First I had ever heard of "green pumpkin" or "watermelon" worms, which I now use all the time. One of my go-to baits now is a wacky rigged watermelon Dinger. I haven't even really thought of trying a purple worm until reading this thread. 

 

So, back to my original question, is there something that makes purple actually work better in Missouri? I tried to think through everything, regional crawdad varieties, baitfish, etc. and couldn't come up with anything. Or is it more like my family situation in my earlier years, purple just for whatever reason caught on in this area a long time ago and info gets passed down to family and friends. 

I think it's something that caught on here in Missouri years ago. I've talked with many other fisherman that confirm this. As for why? I'm not really sure. I do know that purple has has been the best overall color for me.

[Mobasser]

8 minutes ago, Teal said:

I'm not from you area, but maybe it matches your local forage and water and the way the forage appear in light.

 

I could be coming from left field, but if generations of people from your area are throwing the purples and red created a new normal for the fish? Idk.  

 

All I know is that regional colors are the real deal.  When i fish down in Kississme and the Harris chains a few times a year the occochobee blue colors and June bug varients were king and out fished my greens and browns 5:1

 

 

I sometimes think the whole color thing is overblown. But, as some others have said, confidence plays a part too. When your throwing your fave color, your more apt to be on your toes. You EXPECT to get bit, because that's what's happened so many times before. You probably miss fewer fish because of having confidence in that certain color.

[Tennessee Boy]

I've kept a very detailed fishing journal for many years.  I've noticed my color preferences have changed over the years and I can't really explain why.  For example,  in the late 90s I caught a lot of fishing on watermelon seed.  I hardly ever fish it now. It never stopped working.  I just moved on to other colors over time.  I will say that purple has been always been a favorite.  I suspect it's the most popular color of all time.  I strongly believe in the research that shows bass can't see blue and that has simplified my color selection.  I probably won't buy any more blue lures after the 50,000 that I currently have are gone.

[scaleface]

Purple is my confidence color . A fellow angler I use to fish with a lot usually threw blueberry , me black grape . If they were hitting one they were hitting the other .

 

A local favorite spinnerbait color use to be white with red blades . I never caught a lot with it but other anglers swore by it . Another local favorite was a Pico Perch chartreuse with black spots .Once again I didnt have a lot of luck on it but did with other colors .

[Mobasser]

Ya, the whole color thing with plastics is weird in some ways. Some of the better worm fisherman I've known only used 2 or 3 colors, and caught scores of fish.I do think that confidence plays a big part here. An older guy I fished with years ago swore by a blk/ blue Culprit, and did great with them. He never used purple.

[plawren53202]

24 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I think it's something that caught on here in Missouri years ago. I've talked with many other fisherman that confirm this. As for why? I'm not really sure. I do know that purple has has been the best overall color for me.

Alright so now when I'm supposed to be working this discussion has me pondering the philosophical and scientific basis for using a purple worm.

 

The question that jumps out at me is, aside from regional popularity, why does it work? For those of you who use purple, are there specific settings where it works better? Pond, lake, river? Largemouths, smallmouths, spots? Certain season? Certain type of cover? 

 

My prior experience with purple has been catching largemouths in ponds. No real difference that I can remember in time of year or type of cover. And I can remember it working in both clear and stained ponds. But recently I have started fishing a lot for river/creek smallmouths also (in MO, if that makes a difference) so I am wondering if it would apply there as well. 

 

If there's no scientific basis and it is purely a matter of human psychology/confidence, then at one point in my life my full confidence would have been in a purple worm. Now it would definitely be other colors, like watermelon, Okechobee craw (green pumpkin/blue), and black/blue.

[Mobasser]

In one of the smaller lakes I fish, bluegill are the main forage. Purple always works here. Just a plain purple worm- no flakes or different color tails. Because that color has worked so well, I stick with it.

2 minutes ago, plawren53202 said:

Alright so now when I'm supposed to be working this discussion has me pondering the philosophical and scientific basis for using a purple worm.

 

The question that jumps out at me is, aside from regional popularity, why does it work? For those of you who use purple, are there specific settings where it works better? Pond, lake, river? Largemouths, smallmouths, spots? Certain season? Certain type of cover? 

 

My prior experience with purple has been catching largemouths in ponds. No real difference that I can remember in time of year or type of cover. And I can remember it working in both clear and stained ponds. But recently I have started fishing a lot for river/creek smallmouths also (in MO, if that makes a difference) so I am wondering if it would apply there as well. 

Well, that's what's so good about this site. It makes us ponder all this info, and talk about it. I would say if your in Missouri, give that purple a shot- anywhere.

[scaleface]

The brown and green pumpkin colors that are so popular , I have only had so-so success with them and have used them quite a bit . Purple is more consistent  where I fish . It can be any form of purple too . Electric grape , tequila sunrise....I had a two year hot streak in  local tourneys and pocketed about five thousand dollars during that time . Every penny   came on   electric grape lizard's .  

[Mobasser]

Lots of guys are influenced by what tournament fisherman use, and win money on. That alone helps to sell certain colors of baits. But, those baits may not always work the best on your lakes.My dad and I used to watch Virgil Ward every week. I remember one show where he said that purple and grape colors were the best on Ozark area lakes. Virgil was one of my early heroes, and if he said something, it was gospel! So, there must have been something to this certain color even years ago, that was proven in Missouri. Exactly why? I don't know....

6 minutes ago, scaleface said:

The brown and green pumpkin colors that are so popular , I have only had so-so success with them and have used them quite a bit . Purple is more consistent  where I fish . It can be any form of purple too . Electric grape , tequila sunrise....I had a two year hot streak in  local tourneys and pocketed about five thousand dollars during that time . Every penny   came on   electric grape lizard's .  

I agree on green pumpkin. It's been hot now with lots of guys. It's my least favourite color. Its caught very few bass for me.

[Mobasser]

I've read that some red shades are popular in Texas. Craws with red claws etc. I think there's a company that makes some baits in Texas Red.

[Tennessee Boy]

I'll suggest a reason for purple's success. I can't prove this.  Let's just call it an untested hypothesis based on the scientific research on bass vision. 

 

Purple is a combination of blue and red.  Bass can't see blue but people can.  To bass,  purple is a very dark red.  A dark dried blood colored worm might look the same to a bass and work just as well but might not be as appealing as purple to us humans.  So purple is the compromise that appeals to both bass and humans.

 

Again,  this is just a theory.

 

 

[plawren53202]

1 minute ago, Mobasser said:

I've read that some red shades are popular in Texas. Craws with red claws etc. I think there's a company that makes some baits in Texas Red.

One of Strike King's red craw patterns is called "Rayburn Red." I have it in both the Red Eye Shad and KVD 1.5. Coincidentally I have had really good luck with that pattern this past late fall/early winter and again this spring...here in Missouri ?

[OkobojiEagle]

Several decades ago I was influenced by a pretty good bass angler who drilled into my head to carry some dark, some light and some bright.  Since then I've carried 3 freezer bags of plastics... 1 bag dark (mostly green pumpkin, but it might have a couple black or other dark color I've thrown in for sh*ts and giggles).  1 bag light (pearls and Ayu shades).  1 bag bright ( for me that's pumpkin with yellow).  Each bag has 3 or 4 shapes... makes selecting baits for water color/ depth/ presentation, quick and simply.

 

oe

[Catt]

On 5/5/2020 at 4:01 PM, Tennessee Boy said:

I fish my favorite colors the most.

I catch the most fish on the colors I fish the most.

My favorite colors are the ones I catch the most fish on.

 

So it could be more about my preferences than the preferences of the fish.

Maybe anglers in different regions have different color preferences just like people in different regions have different food preferences.

 

I'm just sayin....

 

Exactly ?

 

My absolutely favorite worm was a 7 1/2" Gene Larew Ringworms in Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate (Camouflage). 

 

I caught bass from West Texas to Central Florida & from the Gulf Coast to Ohio on that worm. Probably 25-28 of 35 of my double digit bass were caught on that worm.

 

Does that mean the bass love this worm...no it means I do!

[Mobasser]

I have 3 or 4 bags of green pumpkin worms, some plain, some with glitter. They look like they should work well, as an all around color in clear or stained water. I'm done with them. I put them in a big tote I have at home, and don't even plan on using them this summer. I wasted too much time throwing em last summer, when I should have been throwing purlple, grape, blues, or even solid black. Lots of guys will say I'm wrong on this color, but it hasn't worked for me. 

3 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Exactly ?

 

My absolutely favorite worm was a 7 1/2" Gene Larew Ringworms in Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate (Camouflage). 

 

I caught bass from West Texas to Central Florida & from the Gulf Coast to Ohio on that worm. Probably 25-28 of 35 double digit bass were caught on that worm.

 

Does that mean the bass love this worm...no it means I do!

Catt, maybe it's 90% confidence and 10% color.

[Tennessee Boy]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Exactly ?

 

My absolutely favorite worm was a 7 1/2" Gene Larew Ringworms in Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate (Camouflage). 

 

I caught bass from West Texas to Central Florida & from the Gulf Coast to Ohio on that worm. Probably 25-28 of 35 of my double digit bass were caught on that worm.

 

Does that mean the bass love this worm...no it means I do!

Yeah,  I think it's all in your head Catt....but I'm ordering some of those worms just in case.  ?

[Bassin' Brad]

6 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Exactly ?

 

My absolutely favorite worm was a 7 1/2" Gene Larew Ringworms in Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate (Camouflage). 

 

I caught bass from West Texas to Central Florida & from the Gulf Coast to Ohio on that worm. Probably 25-28 of 35 of my double digit bass were caught on that worm.

 

Does that mean the bass love this worm...no it means I do!

 

[Catt]

4 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Catt, maybe it's 90% confidence and 10% color.

 

I've seen times when color mattered, I've seen times color doesn't matter, & I've seen times I had constantly change color.

 

3 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Yeah,  I think it's all in your head Catt....but I'm ordering some of those worms just in case.  ?

 

Gene Larew no longer makes them ?

[Todd2]

I know this is about soft plastics but this happened to me yesterday and kind of applies. I found a little pattern with a shad color Shad Rap, then an hour or so later, I lost it. The only SR I had left was a Orange Craw pattern (not sure of the name) so I started whacking them again. Then, I lost it. So...out of Shad Raps...dug in and grabbed the first shallow runner I saw.. White Storm Smash Shad...yup, you guessed it.l..kept whacking them. That little pattern with the first Shad Rap Shad color was only in my head. But that was yesterday, tomorrow color might mean a little more but overall color means more to us than the fish on most days..IMO.

 

[Mobasser]

1 minute ago, Todd2 said:

I know this is about soft plastics but this happened to me yesterday and kind of applies. I found a little pattern with a shad color Shad Rap, then an hour or so later, I lost it. The only SR I had left was a Orange Craw pattern (not sure of the name) so I started whacking them again. Then, I lost it. So...out of Shad Raps...dug in and grabbed the first shallow runner I saw.. White Storm Smash Shad...yup, you guessed it.l..kept whacking them. That little pattern with the first Shad Rap Shad color was only in my head. But that was yesterday, tomorrow color might mean a little more but overall color means more to us than the fish on most days..IMO.

 

Good point. It sounds like you were into some aggressive fish too. I agree at certain times when the fish are really hitting well, color may not matter. On the slow days it's probably more important.

[redux]

I mainly use the standard Florida colors with pretty good success. But it really depends on the water clarity and time of year. And the moon phase

 

Black and Blue

Black and purple

June bug/candy bug

Watermelon red flake

Watermelon and blue

 

However, off-the-wall colors will work so I always carry something a bit silly to remind me to not be too serious.

[Logan S]

@Sam Mentioned it earlier...But Blue Crabs influence color choices in the tidal waters around here - Potomac, Upper Chesapeake, James/Chick Rivers, etc...

 

[Sam]

40 minutes ago, Logan S said:

@Sam Mentioned it earlier...But Blue Crabs influence color choices in the tidal waters around here - Potomac, Upper Chesapeake, James/Chick Rivers, etc...

 

X2