When your lure isn't producing

[bryand82487]

How do you guys determine whether you should change colors and keep the same bait or change baits all together?

[Shane J]

First, I'll try different presentations with it, and if they still don't hit it, I'll change location. If neither of those gets me bit, I'll switch it up until I start putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

[fishingkidPA]

First, I'll try different presentations with it, and if they still don't hit it, I'll change location. If neither of those gets me bit, I'll switch it up until I start putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

X2 since i fish small lakes and ponds i can usually fish all around with one lure, if it isnt working ill switch.

[Marty]

How do you guys determine whether you should change colors and keep the same bait or change baits all together?

Since I don't place extremely high importance on color, I'm more likely to switch lures and/or location. I just don't stick with the same lure in another color, although that's strictly personal preference based on my opinions.

[Senkoman12]

How do you guys determine whether you should change colors and keep the same bait or change baits all together?

Since I don't place extremely high importance on color, I'm more likely to switch lures and/or location. I just don't stick with the same lure in another color, although that's strictly personal preference based on my opinions.

i agree with Marty. i also dont place extreme importance on color. i usually try a different location, lure or presentation ie. go from texas to a wacky rig

[TimJ]

most days, unless we are locked onto something, I will start by throwing something different from my partner, including lure type or colour of same lure.

Also, I have driven a few partners crazy because I always have a second, different lure tied on and will pick it up randomly and fish it. funny thing is, it has saved our butt more than a few times. example: we are flipping a weedline and catching bass but I throw a pop-r or buzzbait away from the weedline, and, boom, the bigger fish are on the flat.

I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes I'm not sure when to change but I will let the fish tell me...with a little luck.

TJ

[Lund Explorer]

How do you guys determine whether you should change colors and keep the same bait or change baits all together?

To begin with, I never go fishing with just one lure.  You can reduce the need to worry about any specific bait not performing by starting each day with several different types of baits, and rotating through your selection consistently.

Most days, I find myself with at least two horizontal searching style baits, and two more that are more vertical in nature.  I will usually start out working an area with a spinnerbait, crankbait, or topwater to see if I can catch any active fish.  If that doesn't work, or if the bite slows down, then I will switch to a vertical presentation with a T-Rig worm or jig.  these baits will not only catch active fish, but can also trigger neutral or inactive fish if it is placed within their reduced sized strike zone.

With regards to colors, I mostly stay with something that closely resembles the predominate forage for the body of water that I'm fishing.  This means bluegill or baby bass colors on some lakes, and shad colors on others.  Jigs colors will be close to the crawdads in that lake, and plastic worms are based on water clarity.

And just for giggles, there is always that darn bubblegum color that works for no apparent reason. 

[Raul]

Before I even think about changing color I 'd rather change presentation first and if that doesn 't bring me results then I change location.

[Uncle Leo]

Color selection is the first thing you look at based on water clarity. Once that is determined I place very little on color unless I change lakes or the water clarity changes from one area of the lake. Location is next to be considered as to give you the best opportunity to have bass present. Then lure presentation changes can and should be considered. If still no bites change location and repeat the cycle as necessary.

[WanderLust]

Color would be more important for an unfamilar body of water especially from shore, imo.

Generally speaking I fish natural forage in clear water & darker or louder presentations in murky water.

Changing retrieve and location before changing colors.

[Getfished]

I usually select a color I have confidence in based on water and light conditions. I keep at least 4 different presentation styles on my deck. I rotate through them rapidly a few times until I can determine if fish are present and how they are positioned, their mood or activity level. I may be throwing a squarebill or a buzzbait or twitchin a frog but I will also pitch some dark colored plastic or a jig/trailer combo  before I leave. Color is not too big of an issue.

[WRB]

How do you guys determine whether you should change colors and keep the same bait or change baits all together?

Location, location, location; fish for bass where bass are located. The type of lure and color depends on where you fish and what the bass are eating.

Find the bass, then determine what to use.

Tom

[SENKOSAM]

I agree about color but only as long as it falls into a small group of colors I have confidence in. Who hasn't changed color in one style bait and gotten better responses in an area or during a certain time of day? I've found that flash or flashy colors may put  fish off on a certain day where muted colors worked better. (Bubblegum is not my choice for summer.)

Lure style changes may be the key to some bites or none, given the structure, cover, conditions. Crankbaits come in a slew of actions and I believe that different wobbles (tight/wide) have good days or work better in certain seasons. Lucky Craft plugs have advocates that are willing to pay more for a certain action not found in say Bomber, Rebel or Rapala.

Bait size may be important certain times of year or on a particular day and lure size and style may dictate a rate of retrieve range as well as depth range necessary to reach fish.

Line size and type are important for certain lures, lure sizes and action. They also determine how deep a lure is worked at a certain speed.

Even rod action may affect a lure's action.

I compromise  somewhat when it comes to many of the suggestions made regarding making a fish bite, but sometimes compromising too far results in getting bit less often.

Less confidence in my choices can make for a very long day and it ebbs very fast after the first two hours of fishing with no bites or having my a** kicked by my partner. Zero confidence = lessening of ability to find active fish and less efficiency working structure and depth.

[IndianaBassin]

I rarely change colors as I try to determine that by water clarity.  Change tactics and presentations before I change the color.  However, there are those days where the off colored stuff works better than what should. 

[flippin and pitchin]

Everything posted so far is great advice.  Pertaining to color, this last fall I fished a crankbait on a three day trip and wacked them on the first color I threw.  I broke it off on a fish and was sick.  I only had one of that color.  I tied on a much different version of the same bait and continued the same presentation and actually did a bit better. Depth, speed, vibration are far more important than color I think. A two bait horizontal and two bait verticle system is a great way to figure them out.

[Mottfia]

That is no doubt the last of thing I'm worried about most days. When practicing I'll tie a few lures I'm confident with and I rotate lures based on the cover structure or depth. Now once I get a pattern nailed, I can get a little silly with my lures tying different weights and colors to improve my bite but like it has been said you must find the fish first and lures you are confident in work best

[Fish Chris]

When my lure isn't producing, 95% of the time, I won't blame it on the lure, and because of this, I'll change everything else, before I change the lure.

If I'm throwing swimbaits, I'm only throwing the Hud, #5. color, not critical, but I'll start out with the one I feel comfortable with, and then just leave it tied on. I'll try different spots, different depths, different retrieves..... every different thing I can think of, but never even worry about, or consider changing lures.

If I'm sight fishing, I might switch up from say a brown lure, to a flourescent one, just so I can see it better.... or from a dad type of soft plastic, to a bluegill type, but it almost never matters much anyway. The fish will either be receptive, or it won't. And again, I'll try all kinds of things... marking the nest... coming back later... long casts, etc, etc, before I'll bother to change lures.

If I'm fishing crawlers, sure, I'll change from an old, half dead, waterlogged one, to a lively fresh one

Generally speaking, I believe the vast majority of anglers put WAY TOO MUCH emphasis on the lure they are throwing, instead of all the other stuff, which IMPO is almost always SOOO much more important.

This is probably the #2 mistake I constantly see..... right behind the number 1# mistake > pulling up to a great spot, and parking on top of the fishes heads ! Doh !

Peace,

Fish

[SirSnookalot]

Many times when I'm bass fishing I change lures after I've caught a fish, reason being, is it the lure or are the fish just ON.  In most cases I find it's the fish and lure choice and color being of secondary importance.  I'm not scientific in any aspect of fishing, I just go get them........they are either on or off, I read no more into it.

[Bass XL]

Like many have pretty much summed up. It's more important to put that lure in front of the fish than worry about what color.

[Pa Angler]

If I'm not getting bit I'll change lures if I'm getting bumps I'll change color. It also depends on what water column I'm fishing I may need to go deeper I'll change to another baits depth characteristics and color changes if needed. If nothing works I'll go to another spot.

Tight Lines

Pa Angler