Choosing Lure Color

             I always tell people that lure color should be one of the last things you change when fish aren’t biting. Change size, shape, even presentation, before you change color. Since they are near-sighted, vision is close to the bottom of the list of senses that fish use when feeding. Moreover, the wavelength of certain colors and the available light plays a large part in which colors fish see best. A little understanding of the senses fish use goes a long way.

              The biggest factors in lure selection should be shape (or profile) of your lure and the type of bait, if any, that you put on it. Fish use their lateral line system, which is made up of hair-like mechanoreceptors called neuromasts that detect changes in water pressure created by vibrations or displacement. Their lateral line system is so sensitive that fish can even determine which direction the vibration is coming from by which direction their lateral line hairs move. Fish can key in on an object’s movements from much greater distances than their vision can often detect. There are several good lures on the market, such as the Rattlin' Blade Spoon from Clam Pro Tackle and the Salmo Chubby Darter, that displace water and can be used to “call” fish from a distance. Lures like the Chubby Darter will also show up well on a Vexilar because of their larger surface area.

Fish also have a very sensitive olfactory system, which they use to detect odors in the water. Olfactory detection of food is limited by currents’ directions: if a fish is up-current from its prey then the odors will be pulled away from the predator; however, if the current is in the fish’s favor, then it can detect odors from much greater distances than its lateral line system can detect vibrations. Soft plastics can create vibration, but some are also scented. Maki Plastics are not only hand-poured, but are also impregnated with a worm particle and fish protein in an anise oil called Maki Juice. Sometimes the combination of vibration and scent will pull fish in close enough to see your lure. Only after a fish has zeroed in on its meal using its lateral line or olfactory system will it rely on its vision. So, unless there are fish directly under or around you, you don’t need to worry much about what color lure you are using.

            When there are fish within sight of your lure, then color becomes important. You want a color that will stand out to your target species. This is where water quality comes into play. When there is a high algae content (which is less common in winter) water appears green, high tannin content from leaves will leave water reddish brown, and a high silt content will leave water almost red. Choose a lure that will be visible to fish, not to you.

The old adage is to match your lure color to the light conditions. Use bright colors on bright days, neutral colors on cloudy days, and dark colors at night. Red is the first color to disappear since it has the shortest wavelength, followed by orange, yellow, green, and blue. The deeper your lure sinks, the more these colors (in that order) will disappear or turn black. As light fades, these colors will disappear or appear black to fish. Gold and silver are only good on bright days because they reflect the available light. If the available light is grey or black, that is what the lure will reflect. The goal is to make your lure stick out to the fish, not the fisherman. 

If you look in or around any of my fishing gear you will almost always see more than one Clam Jig Box. Because they hold so many small panfish jigs, I can carry several jigs in many different colors. I typically have red, orange, green, blue, white, and gold lures in every jig box; I usually start out with something green or white, depending on where I am fishing. Where I'm fishing, and what I'm fishing for always dictates which lure I choose, and in what color. Knowing the natural forage of your target species can also give you a leg up. 

The available light and type of prey your quarry is chasing will determine which color lure you should ultimately use, but a good starting point is to match the available light – bright colors on bright days, etc. – but before you change color, change your presentation. Sometimes the slightest difference in the way you present your jig will have far more impact than anything else.

Tim Moore is owner/operator of Tim Moore Outdoors Guide Service and Promotions. Learn more by visiting www.TimMooreOutdoors.com.