Colors for Stickbaits in cold, clear water

[Wizard]

For decades I braved the cold weather to fish LOZ, Truman, Table Rock and Norfork. The early stickbaits were in colors that were for Spring ... not the clear, cold water of Highland lakes. Often, anglers took sandpaper to the baits and repainted them. I was young, really into bass fishing and experimented with winter colors. Another problem we faced was the 100 mile north/south distance between LOZ/Truman and Table Rock/Norfork. In that 100 miles lies the transition from southern Threadfin Shad to northern Gizzard Shad. I'll give you some color combos to try in your lakes.

 Threadfin Shad

Table Rock Shad- a Tim Horton color sold around the country.

Purple Fade- First coat in all chartreuse. Second coat is heavy purple back thinning to a light mist of purple on the sides. Bottom is a quick spritz of purple mist. The final coat is clear. In the water, the chartreuse adds a slight glow to the purple misted sides and a heavier glow to the lure's bottom. It has a unique glow in the water.

Unholy Ghost- first coat is pearl white over the lure. Second coat is misted purple which allows some white to show through on the back and sides. Third coat is VERY light pink misted VERY lightly over the back and fading out on the sides. Final coat is clear. This color combo looks like a Threadfin in winter. Again, one of the secrets I have kept to myself.

 Gizzard Shad

Most of the maker's color combos for Gizzard Shad will work down to about 36 degrees water temp. From 36 degrees down to 33 degrees you need another color combo Again, this is my color combo.

LOZ Shad- it's best to use a blank for this paint. First coat is a dull white I think of as "dead man color" over the lure. Second coat is a pearl white over the top and using a small brush, pearl white is dabbed a bit on the sides. Final coat is clear. In the water, it looks much like a dying winter Gizzard Shad.

Wizard

[D.W. Verts]

Clown too. Always Clown...

Dale

[Hobious]

clear water i use natural colors.

i only have two colors in my box.  senko 925 and blackblue

[Smallie_Stalker]

Don't forget a clear lure. You can add a feather tail if you want.  Maybe a very very small amount of glitter if you think it will help.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[Oldfart9999]

Silver/black or silver blue and clown seem to fill the bill for me. Sometimes something with gold sides, but I'm a simple kind of guy.
Rodney

[Wizard]

One thing I point to when asked for a specific color combo is what does your baitfish look like as it dies in winter. A Gizzard shad starts to turn a blotchy white, areas of scales fall off and the shad swims slowly and erratically. As death approaches it may swim on it's side or upside down. Death is a slow spiral/glide towards the bottom before interior gas forms and it moves with the water.

Threadfin have some color in their scales which gives the shad an iridescence in water. As the shad dies and turns to blotchy white, the color of purple iridescence remains in some scales and a yellowish hue appears in the dull white.

Shad is the main bait in highland lakes. Other areas of the country have other bait as the prominent food for bass.

Wizard