productive colors and temp

[trackertxw175]

i seem to be catching everything recently on anything blue.month ago back to hot weather and springtime it was red or red flake. hot weather green pumpkin only. i know bass being cold blooded have their metabolism related to temp, but is vision related to temp besides water clarity?

[brownfish03]

Id say lure color has more of a corolation with water color or lackthereof...but, who knows, maybe there is some factor in relation to temperature? Good pondering question!

[softbaitmaker]

I have never been as color oriented as many anglers I know. I have always been more related to bait action. I think it is the action that draws more bites and strikes. As far as color goes, I really don't like colors that give the fish a real good look at it but can see the baits action and attracts the bass's attention because once it has the fish curious and the fish gets close enough it is going to taste test the bait to see if it is something they want. That has been my thought on the issue. I guess that comes from fishing baits on stained lakes and clear lakes in the same colors and the baits producing well on both and seldom matters about day or night. They just seem to work in all conditions. I have the opportunity many folks don't have and that is to be able to experiment wth so many different color combinations and it seems I always end up going back to the more bland plain earth tone colors 85% of the time with good to great success. JMHO......

[Tracker1861]

Over the years I have made myself believe that while some colors will out fish others, I feel strongly that a lot of that is total confidence. I used to own a ton of different colors in worms, creature baits and ect. but I have mostly shyed away from almost everything except my go-to confidence colors. Now in some cases I have seen colors come along that will out produce my normal colors but again, I feel a lot of that is confidence IMHO.

With that said, as Brownfish mentioned above I do believe that water color, moon phases and ect play a part in some colors out producing others. Maybe I am old fashioned but I try my best to keep to the KISS method (keep it simple stupid) of picking my colors. Besides, I found in my fishing that the more colors I carry around the more I spend in the bottom of my boat tying on another color instead of staying on the front of my boat with my confidence bait in the water.

[Dixie Baits]

I think its more of a confidence thing.

[BassinHomer]

When the water is fairly clear I find whatever color matches the bottom of the lake best usually produces, bass are used to their prey being camo with their surroundings so it makes sense that they would be more movement oriented than color but if the water is muddy I usually go dark

[Stump9000]

I know crawfish change colors at different times of the year but I never saw a blue one.

[hung up]

I have seen crawfish in all types of colors red,brown,green,blue,yellows some with spots with these colors

some just with streks of colors.

[brwnbass]

I can yell you norris goes thru color phases for each season of the year, but some work ok all the time, like green pumpkin.

[NiceGuy]

Id say lure color has more of a corolation with water color or lackthereof...but, who knows, maybe there is some factor in relation to temperature? Good pondering question!

i agree totally. dirty water has produced best 4 me when i go brighter, like white and darker blue ,green, black. not has much luck with those colors on a clear lake.need more neutral colors. maybe a confidence think also...

[Triton196]

I do believe that light conditions and water clarity play a big part in the color that works best at that time. I think that confidence does work into it but I have seen several times when a certain color just out produces any other color even at night. Tracker

[cnpitbull]

I see that most/all of the responses are in relation to plastics except for softy's. What about crankbaits? I'm assuming the responses will be similar but would like to know for sure either way. It seems to me that like a fly fisher matches the hatch, it would be a good idea to try and do the same with your lure. Crawdads, as mentioned earlier, are a good example. I fish for river smallies and have a plethora of crawfish patterns and colors. Koppers Live Targets have produced the best for me. They also have a blue pattern so there must be some blue ones somewhere, lol.

[brwnbass]

I have seen blue crawdads, in spring. I have seen a bunch of them in creeks & streams or springs. They are blue, green, purple colored.

[softbaitmaker]

Bottom composition is what causes Crawfish to change colors in most cases. They will adapt to their surrounding. In creeks and small clear streams and many smaller rivers Crawfish are normally a multi colored appearence becuase there are many colors in the bottom of creek. On Old Hickory lake which is primarily stained the Crawfish are a really dark brown 90% of the time. On Percy Priest lake which is a basically clear lake the crawfish are a green pumpkin looking color with a touch of blue lines working threw the bodylines 90% of the time. I use to capture crawfish and put them in a large Aquarium and observe them. I would change the gravel out and the crawfish would molt with in two days and become a soft shell for about 4 to 5 days and when the skeleton reformed on the outside they would be a different color to blend into the new gravel change. Just thought I would share just tidbit of information.

[brwnbass]

I use to capture crawfish and put them in a large Aquarium and observe them. I would change the gravel out and the crawfish would molt with in two days and become a soft shell for about 4 to 5 days and when the skeleton reformed on the outside they would be a different color to blend into the new gravel change. Just thought I would share just tidbit of information.

Yea, i did that with a couple of the blue ones, they changed color in about a week.

[JIGnJ()N]

Like mentioned above, It is really a confidence thing for me. I know that the lakes I primarily fish are really clear. So I opt to fish more natural colors, Pumpkin, Green pumpkin, Browns, Greens. Now when I fish the dirtier water, I throw darker colors. Black/Blue. Purple etc.. I look at it similar to night fishing when it comes to my Jigs. Clear Bright Nights, Days in clear water. THrow Natural color patterns. Dark cloudy Nights/Days. Throw a Dark color. In the murkier water, the darker colors seem to have a better outline for the fish to find it. (personal opinion)

Same goes for the crankbaits. In the clear water, I will throw ghost/partial translucent baits 90% of the time. Dirty water, Chartruse/Brown/ Chartruse Blue, Orange/Brown.....etc.