Colors for Deep Divers

[Brett's_daddy]

I was looking at getting some 6XD's on sale and automatically added a chrome color for flash but then I got to thinking...how far down does light really penetrate in the water...even in clear water? These deep divers are going down 19ft., would there even be enough light down there to make a chrome bait flash?

[scaleface]

I usually go for shad or chartreuse when targeting 15 to 25 foot depths . Fire Tiger has performed well .

[softwateronly]

Hard to say, I have been on water where I can see the bottom in 19'  My water is clear, usually in the 8-12' range, so I throw natural colors.  Don't see how white ish is ever bad though.

 

scott

[Brett's_daddy]

19 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

Don't see how white ish is ever bad though.

I was actually speaking about the chrome color specifically…just wondered if it would flash that far down or I should just stick to shad and ghost style colors?

[softwateronly]

11 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

I was actually speaking about the chrome color specifically…just wondered if it would flash that far down or I should just stick to shad and ghost style colors?

 

I'm not well versed enough to know, but everything about a crank doesn't seem subtle.  Yet, serious and successful crank fisherman have loads of colors and flash levels, so it might matter.  My most successful crank dives 15-17' is natural and has a narrow strip of flash across it's side.  Seems like starting with a "loud" and "quiet" crank would be a good way to see how they're reacting.

 

scott

 

[WRB]

6XD’s claim 17’ depth. Take deep diving advertised diving depth with a grain of salt, you can’t cast far enough to achieve max diving depth. Trolling the deep divers it’s difficult to reach the advertised depths.

I would consider 14’ to 15’ possible for a few yards.

Colors for deep divers shouldn’t be any/different then medium divers 8’ to 10’, contrasting shades similar to the prey the bass are targeting. 2 tone with darker backs with lighter sides for baitfish and black and dark red for crawdads.

Tom

[Bankc]

11 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

I was actually speaking about the chrome color specifically…just wondered if it would flash that far down or I should just stick to shad and ghost style colors?

If the water is clear enough, it will.  It all depends on water clarity.  Light will get down pretty deep, even in stained water conditions.  If you can see a lure down to 10 feet, then I'd imagine a bass would have no problem seeing a lure down to 20.  This is because the light you're seeing has to travel 10 feet down and then 10 feet back up, and then it has to compete with all of the bright light surrounding you.  Deep down in the water, there's a lot less light to compete with.  So you don't need much to produce some flash.  

[casts_by_fly]

In crystal clear water and bright sunlight there should be enough light to make chrome flash.  I've seen it at 60' while diving with barracuda schools and they are flashing.  That said, that is crystal clear seawater.  Most freshwater will struggle to have that clarity to more than 20' or so.

 

If your primary baitfish around are shiny silver, then chrome would be a good option regardless of the depth.  The baitfish and the crankbaits will be at the same depths experiencing the same light conditions.  

[scaleface]

The Dredgers will reach advertised depth with 12 lb test . A 25.5 will easily hit 19 foot . As far as chrome goes , I have never tried that . 

[Vilas15]

If there isn't enough light to reflect on a shiny bait then by the same token there isn't enough light to see the bait at all and it wont matter what color it is. The only way to see color is by the specific wavelengths of light that are reflected and reach your eyes. I always try one of both in most new baits.

[FishTank]

I like the Citrus Shad, Blue Back Chartreuse,  and TN Shad. 

 

I always change the hooks on them.  They're not the greatest.  I do have a particular spot I like to use them where my depth finder reads 18-20ft  and I have no issues hitting the bottom but I do have to cast these things a country mile in order to hit that depth.

[jbrew73]

6 hours ago, FishTank said:

I like the Citrus Shad, Blue Back Chartreuse,  and TN Shad. 

 

I always change the hooks on them.  They're not the greatest.  I do have a particular spot I like to use them where my depth finder reads 18-20ft  and I have no issues hitting the bottom but I do have to cast these things a country mile in order to hit that depth.

What rod are you using?

[FishTank]

56 minutes ago, jbrew73 said:

What rod are you using?

 

I have thrown them on a couple different ones......

 

Quantum Tour KVD 7'10'' MH

Shimano Curado 7'4'' MH Mod

Megabass Valkryie 7'2 H Fast - this rod works great despite being labeled as Fast

 

 

 

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, jbrew73 said:

What rod are you using?

I don’t fish xds but I do fish dt-20’s. I use the falcon 7’ heavy (called lizard dragger or table rock) or the Hudson special (7’3” 5-power). Both are similar power and action even though the Hudson is a 5 power.  I’d call the Hudson a big 5 and the lizard dragger a light 6. 

[RDB]

I don’t use 6XD’s but I can reach advertised depths and on all of my deep divers with 10-12lb fluoro.  Today most companies don’t advertise max depths that are not achievable because anglers pretty quickly catch on and it’s not a good look.  If they do, you will usually find them taking a beating in reviews and posts.  As far as colors, if I were choosing 3, it would be something white, something bright, and something dark.  I don’t typically throw chrome in deep water unless it’s super clear.

 

Edit:  I use an Alpha Angler Mag Rebound - 7’6, MH, Mod, S2-glass

[Brett's_daddy]

I’m using a Lews David Fritts Perfect crankin’ rod, 7’6” MH/M.

[Bluebasser86]

Most of the lakes I fish are pretty stained so I keep color selection simple on deep cranks, a shad color and a chartreuse. 

[txchaser]

About ten days ago I was fishing a 4m+ (13ish feet, prob 12 on my heavier line) crank in green/white, and they were getting the back hook. Switched to a natural chrome in the same bait, and the rest of the fish were choking it. And this was in water with about 3.5ft of visibility.

 

So IMO the answer to your question is yes, at least in the 3-4x visibility range, they can see the difference between white and chrome.

[Catt]

Summer I throw one, 6th Sense Crush 300DD Shad Drone 

 

 

[Mbirdsley]

We troll silver plated spoons that have either fully been painted on the front side  or half and half on the front. Back side is always left painted.  We troll for  salmon any where from 20-120 ft deep on Lake Michigan.  Fish can see the flash that deep.  Lake Michigan is ultra clear now.  
 

even if the water isn’t clear fish still have to eat in stained water.  If they can find bait fish they will find your crank.  

[Munkin]

Only ones I can get to work past 10' are SK 5XD. With these I only use colors; chart blue back, white chart back ( both with rattles), and the silent silver/grey black back. The silent grey one works the best in clear and stained water. Blue back in muddier water that we don't have a lot of around here. Chart white one just works the best at one particular lake for whatever reason. 

 

Allen 

[ChrisD46]

"Citrus" is a very popular color for deep cranks .