another epic "colors" discussion

[c17Lat]

just a question about the color red: how far deep in the water do bass start to not be able to see red?

[Guest avid]

I'm sorry guys, but I just can't do this color this thing again.

Didn't we have another post on this like Yesterday??????????????

Yup, just like we had a bunch of "best spinning reel" threads yet you still started another one, just the other day. Seriously, you didn't know that even though the design is inferior, the Stella and Stradic were good reels before asking the question? And since you hate Christmas, Holiday threads are off limits too. Keep this up and we will only have curent lake reports to reply to.

Take all this tongue in cheek... I'm not trying to be a jacka$$ just pointing out that probably 75% + of what happens here can be read about in the archives... but the interactive nature of this board is what people like.

Now go buy your wife a nice present... she deserves it for putting up with the grinch!! ;D

I don't ususally feel the need nor desire to defend a previous post I have made, but this is one of the exceptions. If you look at my question. It wasn't  a broad 'what is best" query. I have very definite needs and wants and I spelled out what those where. Since you follow my posts you should know, that in fact I do not know much of anything about spinning reels since I don't like them and therefore do not use them. Nuff said.

PS> Please don't make me regret sharing personal information RE: the reason the holidays are not so 'happy' for me. I consider BassResource.com to be a fellowship. More than that really. Many here are like my extended family.

Y'all know I can dish it out pretty good and and take it as well, but this "grinch" thing was a low blow.

I know you were trying to be "tongue in cheek" but I wasn't complaing about long lines at dept. stores. My story was one of pain. I knew it was risky, but others used the opportunity to unburden themselves as well.

Your a good guy and I know you meant no harm. I certainly hold no ill will towards you. I just felt I needed to set the record straight.

It's all good.

avid

[justfishin]

I think color is used more to hook fisherman by the dealers than fish. I always attempt to stay natural, especially if its gin clear or shallow. I pay attention to what color crawdads,shad,minnows are when they spit them up. Also, I noticed that the crawdads in the Susquehanna usually are the same color as their surroundings. Its sandy around the Harrisburg Airport and the mudbugs are usually a little lighter in color than around City Island where the bottom is more dark with mud. My opinion is that where ever you are fishing, what are the fish foraging on? Shad,perch,mudbugs? Match the forage. Thats why I use a lot of green pumpkin, watermelon,smokes,reds,whites and so on. Water clarity certainly can make a difference as well. I feel that bass 75% of the time use their lateral line more than we think. For reaction strikes on spinnerbaits. traps,buzzbaits I think a little louder the color does not hurt. For instance in the spring here, I sore arm a lot of 1/2 chartruese with chartruese blades spinnerbaits and the smallies just about pull the rod out your hand when they hit. Of course I am no different than anyone else. I am particular about colors as well. My green pumkin gitzits have red flake in them. Do the fish  care? I doubt it, but I feel better using this color. For worm fishing I almost always use a Blue fleck, red shad, watermelon,smoke or green pumpkin ,almost exclusivly. Again, do the fish care? Probably not but, I feel more confident with this choice of colors because to be honest, they work for me. My rule is the clearer the water the more supple and natural the bait should be, if it is really dirty I go bigger in order displace more water so it can be picked up on the lateral line. I have a friend that ties on a different color ever 10 minutes and from what I can see, my bait is wet a lot more than his. You got to have it in the water in order for it to work, I tell him. Yes, he just laughs at me. I'm trying to find what color they are hittin, he always explains. Stick to the natural stuff, and fiqure out the forage and you will do well and the best part is you don't have to lug around 100 lb tackle bags. Good luck.

[scott000]

what colors work well both in clear and dingy water for plastics?

[roadwarrior]

"Dark" works in all water. If I were to chose one color combination only, it would be watermelon with black flakes.

[Hookem]

After years of getting the latest colors/patterns among the hundred or so I have bought......

I load three and only three cranks into the tackle box.

1. Chrome/Blue Rattletrap

2. Brown Crawdad Bomber Model A, shallow runner 8-)

3. Brown Crawdad Bomber Model A shallow runner, that I completely colored black for night fishing. 8-)

All other cranks are sitting in a box on shelf in the back room. One day, I'll take it out and reminisce. Then I'll beat myself up for spending the money on something that only catches fishermen. :'(

Someone mentioned Color Selector........its been on the shelf in the back room for almost 20 years. :

[scott000]

"Dark" works in all water. If I were to chose one color combination only, it would be watermelon with black flakes.

really? it works in stained water?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

It sure do!

[dink]

Some other good stained water colors are junebug, black neon, black grape, red shad, blue fleck, plum, red bug........ ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[flechero]

Avid,

Please know I was only trying to get a chuckle, and point out that most of what has been posted, has been posted in some form or fashion before.

I meant no harm and certainly wouldn't knowingly make fun of a painful past... we have a couple people in our own family who would describe themselves about the way you did as far as not enjoying the holidays... we joke with them about it all the time and it usually makes them laugh and cheer up a little. I really thought you would take it the same way. I guess my family is not "the norm" and I should have steered clear of potential sore spots.

I offer a sincere apology.

Best,

keith

(PM to follow)

[Guest avid]

I got the pm.  Thanks for the thoughtful words.

One of inherent shortcomings of internet communication is that even with emoticons it is difficult to convey "tone" inference" and other subtleties that body language and facial expressions for example would convey.

As I said.  You seem like a good guy.  I like to kid around and sometimes have unintentionally hurt or offended someone.

It  comes with the territory.

The improtant thing is that we were able to straighten out our misunderstanding like gentlemen.

Can't wait to meet you at fork.

avid.

[CK14]

in plastics i like pumpkinseed, watermelon, brownish, basicly natural colors.

in cranks i like fire tiger, sunfish, perch, and sometimes crawfish.....

[Catt]

Some one once asked Tom Mann why he made so many different colors baits, he replied to catch the fisherman! A fish has never bought single bait!

Take plastics anyone remember when motor oil was #1 or black grape or red shed or tequila sunrise or fire & ice and so on.

[Chris]

Tom Mann also was fishing a tournament one time and was catching fish hand over fist and told his competitors that he was winning the tournament because he was using a color he invented that no other company had...Motor oil. What is motor oil? purple and chartreuse. What makes it different? In the sunlight it turns colors to a green and the sunlight makes it almost glow or have an iridescence to it under water. Junebug is a great color around vegetation. It is three colors black, purple, green flake. Depending on what color the weeds are depends on which color is seen the most.  This means the fish can pick it out easier from the weeds. Watermelon red is another good color in clear water around weeds.. why? The red flake makes it distinctive from the weeds. Some companies also put chartreuse in it also to give it an iridescence. Many other plastics that have a flake or two tone produce because one color will be seen better than the other around cover, depth or water color. Many soft plastics are eye contact lures that don't displace much water or produce a vibration. You got to catch the eye of the bass for it to know it is there and color helps the fish find the lure or be able to depicted the lure from cover. Even if you have a creature lure that does displace a bunch of water on fall if the bass didn't pick it up on the fall it will do a search pattern to find the lure and if you don't move it or if they can't find it because it blends into the cover then they might pass it up. The lure needs to have a slight difference in color for it to stand out from the cover for the bass to investigate. The amount of light reflected off a lure gives the lure its color. This is kinda important because for example in shallow stained water redshad is a great color clear water also. You take the same lure out in deep water where sunlight is more filtered out and it isn't the best option. The color will appear more gray and will not stand out as much as it did in the shallow water. Contrasting colors are important because under different conditions one color will stand out and will help the bass depict the lure from the surrounding cover. Lures that are fished fast or have a constant vibration that the bass can track and locate just by noise color isn't as important but matching size, shape and general color of the hatch is important. The bass don't have enough time to get a good look at it. Same is true with slow worked lures in darker or stained water to a degree the fish can see size, shape, color but not detail. In clear water the fish can see all colors real well so colors are not as important because not many are filtered out..any color will work but natural colors will catch you more fish. When you get around cover then you need to think in terms of which color will stand out from the cover even in clear water.

[scott000]

is green pumpkin okay for dark water?

[Chris]

In stained water fishing shallow or tight to shore greenpumpkin is a great color. If the water is way muddy black, black/chartreuse or flipping blue would be better. Dark brown muddy water you want some orange in the lure. Green pea soup color water you want more purple or violate colors.

[Guest avid]

Well, this may not be THE final word on color,

but it comes close enough for me.

[ga_hawghauler]

I think color matters somewhat but it depends on the certain conditions such as water clarity, weather, and water temp . I think color plays a part somewhat because this past year me and my partner was fishing when the topwater bite was on. I was throwing a clear zara spook and wearing fish out while he tried two colors of zara spooks with no blowups. All of the baits were the same size and using the same presentation only difference was the color

[justfishin]

Those color selectors crack me up. I am not saying there is no science to them but c'mon. Those guys plug that stuff for a paycheck. This is only my small opinion. It reminds me of the old adds for the" Magnetic Wonder Head Ring " that will grow your hair back! When it comes to gadgits like this along with others like the Aqua View, and others that claim that their items were banned in professional tourn. because they worked too well, I get heartburn. Just fish, I say.

[Chris]

Interesting...

I was fishing a tournament and you know what I couldn't buy a bite. I was throwing a black and blue jig with a black pork frog fishing shallow in muddy water. I knew I was fishing in the right places and I knew the fish should be there but for some reason I got nothing. I was making perfect pitches with my jig and my presentation was flawless with proper boat control and the weather and conditions screamed jig bite. My boat partner was throwing everything in his box trying to figure out what's up with the fish thinking that the fish might have changed to a different lure or change positions in the cover. I changed my jig trailer to a black and yellow pork chunk and started whacking fish. The fish where having a problem seeing my lure.

I was fishing late fall and had been catching fish with a light jig fishing shallow. My jig skirt was black and blue with some green/yellow in it trailer was black blue flake zoom super chunk. Most of the day I caught fish on this jig and then later in the day I stopped getting bites. I changed to a sapphire blue trailer with the same jig and started whacking fish. Why? The sun was low and the fish could see the lighter blue better.        

I was fishing a topwater lure most of the day in clear water targeting points. Most of the day I had been catching them on natural colors. When the sun was setting the topwater bite fizzled I changed to a watermelon color topwater lure and started whacking fish. Fish can see the green better in low light.

I was cranking a bandit fishing shallow using khaki color because it looked like an albino shad that you sometimes see in shad schools. Most of the day I caught fish on this lure. The sky turned overcast and the bite stopped cold. I changed to a chartreuse and blue back and started whacking fish.

I was fishing a lake in late fall early winter and had been catching fish on crankbaits but the bite was real slow. On one cast I hooked a shad and noticed that the nose and mouth of the shad was bright orange from the cold water or from feeding. I changed to a parrot colored crankbait (parrot-orange nose, green/olive back, tan/cream sides, orange belly) and ended up having one of the best winter fishing trips ever. Water color was brown.

I was fishing a clear lake that had an algae bloom. The water was pea soup and because of the temp most of the fish where deep hanging on sunken brush piles. I caught fish noodling a violate purple straight worm called an air worm (it is a worm made in Japan that the tail is hollow and traps air). This was the only color that worked and I tried many.

I was fishing in Florida with a culprit red shad worm. I had one spot that the fish would just nip at the worm and spit it. (yes it was a bass not a bluegill) I was having a real hard time catching a bass out of this area. I decided to turn the worm over figuring that the bass might be having a hard time seeing the bait. Before I was fishing it red side down this time I fished it red side up and started whacking fish.

I was fishing late fall and found fish positioned on a flat. I had been catching fish swimming a white jig. Late afternoon the sky became overcast and my jig bite went to pot. I started fishing a spinnerbait thinking it was what I should be doing and only had one fish boil on my bait. I changed to a black and chartreuse jig with a chartreuse zoom twin tail grub and started swimming it through the flat and caught some of largest fish of the day.

I could give you example after example but I think you get the idea :

[Guest avid]

Well, there you have it, color definitly is not a factor.   ;D

[Catt]

Was it color or did the fish simply start biting?

[RoLo]

Was it color or did the fish simply start biting?

Fisherman tend to use color to explain their successes

and tend to blame the weather for their failures.

Take away those two variables, and we'd be intellectually bankrupt

Roger

[Chris]

Many years ago when I first started my lure company I was shopping around for a place to print my labels for my packaging. I met an old gentleman that was in the printing business that was a fishermen. He brought me back to a back room and pointed out a sign that was hanging on the wall that was printed in red letters that said "colors matter." He told me to read the sign out loud so I did then he flipped a switch and the room lighting changed to a red lite room. He then asked me to read the same sign and the sign had no letters. The letters blended in with the light. Your lures do the same thing under water. They either blend in or are able to be seen. When you get around different kinds of weeds, brush, or different bottom colors, different water clarity's, different light conditions, or color water, the color is either seen better or just blends in. Do lure companies make a point to come out with a ton of colors to up their sales..sure but by the same token under different conditions some colors excel and some colors fall short. Bass cannot see all colors all of the time because if they did then the baitfish wouldn't have a chance to grow big or reproduce. The bass would clean house and eat everything it can put its mouth around. If you talk to people who own a fish tank that has a bass in it they will tell you that anytime they put a baitfish in the tank the bass eats it. Most people keep a clean tank I would think so the bass can see anything that is dropped in it. In the wild, water color changes and most places have weeds or other cover that the baitfish hang around. When conditions change the bass can either see the baitfish real well because they don't blend in or they can't because they do blend in. Baitfish do change colors in order to blend in with its surroundings. This is because if a bass could see them all of the time and if they didn't blend into the surroundings life would be short. It is natures way of checks and balances that helps each survive and flourish while keeping populations of each in check.

*Weather and water temp determines activity level of the bass.

*Color determines success or failure of a bass to see your offering.

*Yes Catt it was color when light conditions, surroundings changes the amount of colors that can be seen also changes. There is a big difference between fish that become active because of pressure systems or you catch one fish in a school and the rest turn on and fish that start to feed because they now can see your bait. In every example that I gave If I used the original colors that I started with the catch rate wouldn't be the same. I was fishing another tournament when the guy at the back was using a PBJ/Banana Bandit crankbait (violate purple back yellow sides). I was using a Luckycraft chartreuse black back crankbait. I caught my limit in the first 1/2 hour of the tournament the guy in the back of the boat had 2 fish a 5lb and a 3 and I had squeekers. We changed up and fished back through the same area using soft plastics. He was using redbug I was using black blue flake. I upgraded two fish and he finished up his limit with an 4lb fish, another 3, and a 2 pounder. The fish could see that reddish purple color in the greenish water better then the colors I was throwing. We caught fish the whole tournament so it wasn't like the fish just became active.

[Catt]

I agree with colors as seen under different light conditions, different backgrounds, and at different depths. But one has to keep in mind all of these results are through man's eyes and man's brain.

I also can list numerous occasions where after catching 1 or 2 bass on a particular color you would not get another bite until you changed colors. I quite confident that some instances it was color that triggered the strike and some were simply the mood of the bass changed.

Based on what man perceives colors underwater to be it would be wise for the angler to carry every available color and combinations know.