Explain colors and what forage they represent....

Started by afmarko99, March 17, 2008, 12:58:18 PM

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afmarko99

Ok guys/gals I appreciate the help with my jig question and I had some great respsonses.  I have another question to pick some brains.

I have been fishing chartruse since I was a kid but recently have really started to wonder what does this color represent?  I know that bass love it down here in our murky waters and I am assuming it is easier for them to spot but what exactly is it mimicing?

I understand most bait colors but there are a few that I don't.  I could always assume but I would like to know for sure what they are designed to mimic.  Lets look at Karu Lures - Vibraspins.

Chartruese = ?
White = Obviously a Shad.
Blue Terror = Sacalait?
Purple Haze = Bluegill?
Tequila = Bluegill?
Cool Watermelon = Lizard? Frog?

I have a lot of the new Stanley spinnerbaits.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=74213&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Some are self explanitory but what about:

Firetiger = ?

Plastic worms, crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps get even crazier.  I won't start listing all of those but I hope you guys are starting to see where I am coming from. 

It is easy to get overwhelmed when choosing colors.  I hear a lot of people say it comes down more to the profile of the bait but sometimes one color worm outfishes another along with other style baits.  I figure if I can keep a memory bank of what the colors represent I will know which ones to buy for my area and which ones to use at which times.

Thanks in advance.

bassinbrad

Quote from: afmarko99 on March 17, 2008, 12:58:18 PM
Ok guys/gals I appreciate the help with my jig question and I had some great respsonses.  I have another question to pick some brains.

I have been fishing chartruse since I was a kid but recently have really started to wonder what does this color represent?  I know that bass love it down here in our murky waters and I am assuming it is easier for them to spot but what exactly is it mimicing?

I understand most bait colors but there are a few that I don't.  I could always assume but I would like to know for sure what they are designed to mimic.  Lets look at Karu Lures - Vibraspins.

Chartruese = ?
White = Obviously a Shad.
Blue Terror = Sacalait?
Purple Haze = Bluegill?
Tequila = Bluegill?
Cool Watermelon = Lizard? Frog?

I have a lot of the new Stanley spinnerbaits.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=74213&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Some are self explanitory but what about:

Firetiger = ?

Plastic worms, crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps get even crazier.  I won't start listing all of those but I hope you guys are starting to see where I am coming from. 

It is easy to get overwhelmed when choosing colors.  I hear a lot of people say it comes down more to the profile of the bait but sometimes one color worm outfishes another along with other style baits.  I figure if I can keep a memory bank of what the colors represent I will know which ones to buy for my area and which ones to use at which times.

Thanks in advance.

Alot of the equation depends on local forage.
For instance:
In Lakes here in Eastern K.Y. and W.V. the primary forage is a bluegill/shad combination. Chartruese generally represents a sunfish, or at least thats what I use in lakes where they are the primart forage. Firetiger is generally a dirty/stained water bait because of the ability of the colors to stand out. As far as worms, and plastics are concerned. while using a tube, I will try and flip over some rocks at said lake to see aht color the crawfish are. that will dictate what color tube I will use. Worms....well....I like dark colors. natural hues. Green pumpkin, there is a color called cinnamon purple form Zoom that I do extremely well with using a finesse worm of that color on a shaky head. All I can tell you on worms and other plastics is to experiment. Rat-l-traps are like cranks. Match the size and color forage that the lake has and you should be successful. I do alot of smallmouth fishing. When it comes to those, color is vital to catching them in the clear streams and lakes they inhabit. Remember, all lakes do not have shad. some have gobies, or similar fish, some have bluegill, blueback herring, tennessee shad, gizzard shad. Some rivers down south have shrimp in them. Bass have even been known to eat small turtles and crabs. My best advice is to find out what preyfish are in the lake, and try to match the hatch.


Brad Preece

easternshore

Don't forget, fish don't see colors the way we do! The bluegill pattern or tennessee shad is not exactly what the fish sees on your bait. Fish use UltraViolet light to see in depths underwater. Anything greater than 3-4 feet in murky/stained water and red loses its contrast totally to a fish.

The chartreuse and purple back Lucky Craft RC 2.5 i use stands out plenty in stained water. Simulates great characteristics of the color, but most of all brings notice to the fish more than replicates bait. Check out ultraviolet paint versus the typical lure paint...underwater your lure becomes mostly a shadow of an object, compared to the UV, so you will want it to stand out.

For soft plastics, all you need is black, green pumpkin, maybe junebug for stained...

checkout http://bassbuzz.outdoorsfanmedia.com/br_news_article.asp?thecat=2&ID=88

NateG

it's pretty much been covered, stick with your white/ grey colors when imitating small baitfish. Green pumpkin can be just about anything from a snake to a frog to a minnow  to a craw, firetiger and chartreuse are used mainly in stained waters to represent bluegills or similar forage fish

afmarko99


mikenestle

In my opinion color=confidence. One of my go to baits is a bubblegum senko. I have fished all over the country and have never, ever seen anything alive in the water that looks like bazooka joe bubble gum. The bass tries to eat it because of the way it moves. I will pay better attention and work it more than another color because I have caught alot of fish on the color. I believe it is simple as that.
Mike

GotstaFish

A lot of colors are simply reaction colors. Bass are curious and they have no hands so they use their mouths to check things out to see if it may be food. The colors you listed are all "reaction colors". If you look on our site we also have colors to match the hatch. Confidence in colors is also key to success  ;)
Karl@KaRuLures.com

jesseboi

Quote from: mikenestle on March 17, 2008, 09:56:42 PM
In my opinion color=confidence. One of my go to baits is a bubblegum senko. I have fished all over the country and have never, ever seen anything alive in the water that looks like bazooka joe bubble gum. The bass tries to eat it because of the way it moves. I will pay better attention and work it more than another color because I have caught alot of fish on the color. I believe it is simple as that.

I bought some bubblegum senko's the other day and noticed that when it gets under the water at about 2-3 feet it loosed this bright pink color and shows more of a off white color. So the fish see something a lot different than we do.
Keep on Bassin'. My motto is to treat the bass like a business. Always stay one step ahead of your competition. Learn to improvise and constantly change to meet your adversary: the BASS.

GotstaFish

Most all colors disappear in the first 7 feet of depth. Colors come into play more in shallow water.
Karl@KaRuLures.com

WRBass

#9
The subject of color is an ongoing discussion that someday we will be able understand.
How fresh water largemouth bass, or any other game fish, see color and why they react to certain colors is unknown. The number of studies and scientific reports is large and only contradict each other and experiences of fisherman.
The best barometer of effective colors used for various lures is determining what sells the best in each region.
The number 1 selling soft plastic color is watermelon green.
The number 1 selling color pork rind jig trailer brown.
Both soft plastics and jig trailers are slow moving lures that bass take a good look at before committing to strike.
The number 1 selling spinnerbait color is white/chartreuse.
The number 1 selling crankbait color is fire tiger; green/chartrues.
Both of these lures are fast moving reaction type baits that the bass doesn't get a good look at before striking.
Each region of the country will have specific color combinations that are popular. Why? who knows for sure, so let the bass decide what they prefer. 
My personal favorite jig color combination is; black/brown purple and works well for me anywhere, anytime.
The color chartreuse is a common highlight hue found in shad and bluegill, along with neon blue/purple hues. In clear water with good depth of light, color nuances can be  important. In off color water the profile of the lure and some bright highlight colors are good choices.
WRB