Blueback Herring colored lures

[Festivus]

I was going through my tackle and noticed I picked up some blueback herring colored topwaters and crankbaits, probably on sale. They don't look bad and shouldn't matter overall, actually look very similar to all the sexy shad derivatives that strike king puts out just without the shad dot. Thing is my time on the water time has been limited this year and my confidence color on any type of lure is chrome or shiny. Should I give them a good try or just sell them? Anybody throw this particular lure color in predominantly shad lakes? 

 

Also, what color would people say actual threadfin and gizzard shad are compared to blueback herring, what colors are in their scales? 

 

I'm looking at the sexy dawg topwater in sexy blueback herring and it has a pearly very slight blueish paintjob with the chartreuse stripe and no dot, their sexy shad has a white paintjob with sparkles, then their chartreuse shad has a blueish overall paintjob with the stripe and dot. Almost too many choices. Thanks for any insights. 

[Spankey]

The herring and gizzard Shad patterns are some of my top producers. I’ve found that those slight color variations don’t mean a real lot. Top water they may mean less because the bottom are all white anyway. 

[00bullitt]

I know match the hatch is a big thing, but I threw that out the window years ago. I mostly fish blue back herring lakes with threadfin shad in them as I live on Lake Hartwell and fish the SC/GA chain the most out of convenience. My most productive colors are a bluegill pattern and translucent greens. 

 

Topwater baits are eaten from the underside. Most often, the color on the bottom of the lure is the contrast unless ultra clear water. Black buzzbaits and whopper ploppers are also my most productive.

 

Remember, bass are bullies and eat their own. Predators often eat whats convenient. 

[Mbirdsley]

That blue back herring color by strike king is one of my better colors.  I’ve had good success with the kvd 300 deep jerk bait and killed it a couple times last year on a flat side. It doesn’t resemble any one bait fish in Michigan dead on but, it’s close enough to mimic a lot of different stuff. Big thing is it looks natural.   Some times close enough is good enough. 

[jimmyjoe]

   I've noticed that when I have one of those "almost" lures and retrieve it slow, fish may (or may not) turn away. But if I speed it up, I have better luck.                  jj

 

[Festivus]

Thanks for the feedback. Can anyone comment their experiences with bone versus the other white underside colors on topwater. I know it is a staple color and I have some and will usually choose it first but has anyone been able to compare bone to the sexy blueback herring or the sexy shad or chartreuse shad or the sexy chartreuse shad or the.....you get the idea. Thanks. 

[Spankey]

Those color patterns you mention I’ll pick up over a bone in a crankbait. 
 

I’ll throw a bone color topwater but I prefer black or dark color first. 

[Bluebasser86]

I had a request for some blueback herring colored baits for a guy that was supposed to fish the BASS tournament on Smith Lake that got canceled. I've never seen one in person so I just went off pictures.

[00bullitt]

Blueback Herring are anything but blue. The ones here on Hartwell have more of a green irredescence to them when you get one out of the water and very little black. Lots of flash too! They look like such an easy target for bass and stripers. They school in a very oblong pattern whereas threadfin are in balls and go in circles. They gotta be some dizzy little fish!

 

I've hooked a many Blueback on my trebles when ripping through schools, but have never once thought to snap a pic.

[Spankey]

There are so many good patterns out there. Every decent manufacturer makes at least one pattern. 
 

I don’t limit myself to just Herring or Shad patterns. But they do work in all fishable water clarities. The patterns are endless. 
 

They probably have Live Image cb’s with the exact herring you have in your waters. I don’t fish live image or LiveTarget baits. They don’t seem to produce well with bass. For me.