So what’s the verdict for stained water - do you want dark colors or bright colors?

[Ohioguy25]

I keep seeing both, with a slight nod in favor of dark more recently.  Which is more visible to the fish, and which colors specifically?

[galyonj]

How stained are we talkin' here?

[casts_by_fly]

"do you want dark colors or bright colors?"

 

Yes.

[gim]

I personally use brighter colors in stained water and more natural colors in clear water.  But that's just me.

[scaleface]

Waters here are always stained. I use bright colors until around spawn and then switch to more subdued hues because 99 per cent of the fishermen are chucking chartreuse/white lures.  Deep cranks I still go to chartreuses and whites a lot but experiment around. Texas rigs , purples are hard to beat .

[Southernbasser]

15 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I personally use brighter colors in stained water and more natural colors in clear water.  But that's just me.

[Troy85]

Most of the time I go dark.  Usually just Black and Blue.  Sometimes I'll just straight white, but I'd say 8 outta 10 times I'm going dark.

[TriStateBassin106]

I have a thread on this but it's for more greenish tinted stained water, but usually if it's not green and just slighty stained I try to fish naturals like green pumpkins and browns when it's sunny and throw blacks and blues colored soft plastics when in lowlight conditions. 

[Cbump]

Bait fish don’t change colors based off water clarity therefore I don’t worry about It. I use whatever I feel like using and don’t believe It matters too much. 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Cbump said:

Bait fish don’t change colors based off water clarity therefore I don’t worry about It. I use whatever I feel like using and don’t believe It matters too much. 

 

Yes sir ?

 

If anything I would lean towards contrasting colors. Black-n-Blue, Red Shad, Tequila Sunrise, Okeechobee Craw. 

[Ohioguy25]

5 hours ago, galyonj said:

How stained are we talkin' here?

Less than 6”

4 hours ago, Troy85 said:

Most of the time I go dark.  Usually just Black and Blue.  Sometimes I'll just straight white, but I'd say 8 outta 10 times I'm going dark.

Hard to beat that black and blue Jackhammer 

3 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

I have a thread on this but it's for more greenish tinted stained water, but usually if it's not green and just slighty stained I try to fish naturals like green pumpkins and browns when it's sunny and throw blacks and blues colored soft plastics when in lowlight conditions. 

What about for green?

[NorthernBasser]

Remember, if you want your lure to stand out in stained water, use black/dark-colored baits. And if you want your braid to blend in so the fish don't notice it, take a black Sharpie to it and color the last few feet of it.

 

[Ohioguy25]

55 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Remember, if you want your lure to stand out in stained water, use black/dark-colored baits. And if you want your braid to blend in so the fish don't notice it, take a black Sharpie to it and color the last few feet of it.

 

First I’ve heard of the braid thing, isn’t that what a leader is for?

[gim]

4 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

First I’ve heard of the braid thing, isn’t that what a leader is for?

I think he was joking.

[swhit140]

Black/Blue, White, Junebug, Chartreuse,Green Pumpkin are my main colors in Nebraska, most of the water clarity I fish is less that 2ft clarity.

[Jar11591]

It’s rare that I fish water that isn’t clear to ultra clear, but when I am in dingy stained water I use black with some shiny blue or purple flare. 

[gunsinger]

I've been killin' it lately with black/blue in stained water.  Made the change because they were completely ignoring my watermelon/red flake go to yum dinger.

[PhishLI]

Heavy weeds keep the water here pretty clean. Tanic, but clean. Locally I've had terrible luck for years with bright colors or flashy blades. With soft baits, variations of blue get the most attention followed by green.

 

However, in different lakes 25 miles east of me, which are quite similar and just as weedy and clean, they like variations of golds and sungill flavors, but won't touch the blues.

 

Try feeding them several different color presentations and let them tell you, but over time. Don't get fooled by a one-hit-wonder-day with a specific color then go crazy buying baits in that color. Go nuts after you've confirmed that you actually have a winner.

[Bird]

Just got done fishing today in heavily stained water " Chickohomy" and did best on June bug Senko.

BUT didn't have a great day ?

[GReb]

Darker plastics. Chart cranks. Black top water. Bream skirts. Gold blades. 

[Ohioguy25]

27 minutes ago, GReb said:

Darker plastics. Chart cranks. Black top water. Bream skirts. Gold blades. 

I don’t throw top under 12” viz

[NorthernBasser]

3 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

First I’ve heard of the braid thing, isn’t that what a leader is for?

A lot of people who fish straight braid does this when the braid gets faded. 

[Koz]

In my experience it depends upon the body of water.

[Mbirdsley]

9 times out 10 i’m going dark.  if it’s a shad lake or river i may throw some white in the mix. 

[Columbia Craw]

Evidence demands a verdict.  The fish have to tell you.  It’s interesting that during the MLF Heavy Hitter event on Lake Palestine, a heavily turbid, stained and colored location,  some competitors threw black and blue swim jigs and some three all white and each got bit.  Omori got bit on a chartreuse crankbait.  Fish see differently that humans.  I kind of lean toward what creates contrast rather than a visible color.  That explains to me why green pumpkin is so effective.