12-01-2003, 11:54 PM
[cool][size 2]The "official" poll for this week is about baits. I would like to toss out another question. How about colors for baits and lures? [/size]
[size 2]Most of us have had days when there was only one magic color. If you didn't use it, you zipped. And, I have seen that happen with natural baits and "bottle baits" as well as fancy lures and flies.[/size]
[size 2]I have my own little mental database I go through as the seasons change and the fish I am targeting are subject to changes in temperature, water clarity and light conditions. I also factor in what I think their primary forage might be, if I want to "match the hatch".[/size]
[size 2]Without going through a whole litany of plastics, spoons, spinners, hardbaits and flies, I'll just be generalized...with a little nod to species differences.[/size]
[size 2]As a general rule, I follow the old adage that you use light colors for clear water and bright conditions...whites or silvers. In cold and/or stained water, I start with darker colors...blacks, browns, dark olive, motor oil, purple, etc. And, I use a brass or copper blade rather than nickle.[/size]
[size 2]In really cold water, when the fish are sluggish, I fish the hot colors...chartreuse and hot pink. And, I fish them slow and steady.[/size]
[size 2]For trout, it has been my observation that whites and silvers...including some red and or blue...are favored by rainbows. Browns, cutts and brookies will hit those colors too, but usually respond better to yellows, blacks and golds. Although I have caught lots of hefty bows on black wooly buggers and jigs with a bit of red flashabou mixed in.[/size]
[size 2]Largemouth bass, and some smallies, will often smack anything that resembles a crawdad...in size, color and action. But, crawdads can be different colors in different waters. If you are not sure, go with a black jig with some blue, purple or chartreuse mixed in. Solid dark greens or motoroil are also good. Straight purple is hard to beat on many waters. Don't know why, but largies are programmed to eat purple.[/size]
[size 2]White bass, perch, sunfish, walleyes and other minnow-feeding species will smack small spinners and spoons of either gold or silver...adhering to the standards of water clarity and temperature. They will also eat a lot of jigs in colors from white, to yellow to black to chartreuse to hot pink. If you can find em, you can usually hook them.[/size]
[size 2]Final word. Purple is an overlooked color for both trout and walleye. I use either straight purple or a combo of black and purple...especially in early season. Black tailed wooly buggers with a purple body can be dynamite. The same fly or jig with a dark red (claret) body is also a winner.[/size]
[size 2]Let's hear it on colors.[/size]
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[size 2]Most of us have had days when there was only one magic color. If you didn't use it, you zipped. And, I have seen that happen with natural baits and "bottle baits" as well as fancy lures and flies.[/size]
[size 2]I have my own little mental database I go through as the seasons change and the fish I am targeting are subject to changes in temperature, water clarity and light conditions. I also factor in what I think their primary forage might be, if I want to "match the hatch".[/size]
[size 2]Without going through a whole litany of plastics, spoons, spinners, hardbaits and flies, I'll just be generalized...with a little nod to species differences.[/size]
[size 2]As a general rule, I follow the old adage that you use light colors for clear water and bright conditions...whites or silvers. In cold and/or stained water, I start with darker colors...blacks, browns, dark olive, motor oil, purple, etc. And, I use a brass or copper blade rather than nickle.[/size]
[size 2]In really cold water, when the fish are sluggish, I fish the hot colors...chartreuse and hot pink. And, I fish them slow and steady.[/size]
[size 2]For trout, it has been my observation that whites and silvers...including some red and or blue...are favored by rainbows. Browns, cutts and brookies will hit those colors too, but usually respond better to yellows, blacks and golds. Although I have caught lots of hefty bows on black wooly buggers and jigs with a bit of red flashabou mixed in.[/size]
[size 2]Largemouth bass, and some smallies, will often smack anything that resembles a crawdad...in size, color and action. But, crawdads can be different colors in different waters. If you are not sure, go with a black jig with some blue, purple or chartreuse mixed in. Solid dark greens or motoroil are also good. Straight purple is hard to beat on many waters. Don't know why, but largies are programmed to eat purple.[/size]
[size 2]White bass, perch, sunfish, walleyes and other minnow-feeding species will smack small spinners and spoons of either gold or silver...adhering to the standards of water clarity and temperature. They will also eat a lot of jigs in colors from white, to yellow to black to chartreuse to hot pink. If you can find em, you can usually hook them.[/size]
[size 2]Final word. Purple is an overlooked color for both trout and walleye. I use either straight purple or a combo of black and purple...especially in early season. Black tailed wooly buggers with a purple body can be dynamite. The same fly or jig with a dark red (claret) body is also a winner.[/size]
[size 2]Let's hear it on colors.[/size]
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