# Maumee River - Grub color (and why)?



## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

What color curlytail grubs do you use during the run ... and why?

I have heard so many theories as to why certain colors work / don't work; I'd like to hear your reasons.

Examples I have heard:
- Same color as crayfish and leeches in the river (brown/black)
- Same color as shiners (silver, white)
- Better visibility (white, chartruese, pink)
- Color of blood excites the fish (red tails or heads)
- Walleye see certain colors better (chartruese, pink, white)
- Stands out from everything else (blue, purple)
- Sparkle attracts/entices fish (gold and silver Flaked)
- Color of Fish Eggs (orange, pink)

I have a variety of colors, but keep coming back to a pink/silver combo or chartruese. I have no conclusive proof that these colors are any better or worse than others.


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

That really narrows it down


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## ufaquaoiler (Jan 14, 2010)

pink, chartruese, and white body/red tail are my 3 weapons of choice. as to why, because they fill my stringer is a good enough reason for me  black can also be effective in murky water. dont be afraid to experiment with different colors or methods either. if everyone else is getting skunked and you are throwing the same thing as everybody else, then im sure you can guess what ur gonna get.


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## HOCKEY (Jan 27, 2008)

berky power grubs, 2 inch or 3 inch tails watermelon, christmas tree, or rainbow out fishes any color 2 to 1, its the scent first then color, purple during main run if you 
want females, pink, good at times, white has its time, yellow and orange early and late in season. chartuse 2 inch size always works.


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## fshnfreak (Feb 24, 2007)

heres my theory if u dont have confidence in the bait ur throwin it wont catch fish no matter what the color. the confidence theory comes into play more how u fish the bait rather than the color. if u drag ur bait in front of a hungry fish and present it right he/she will bite thats the bottom line imho.


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## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

I have basicly used powerbait tails for the last eight years.I think the scent along with the action of the tail are hard to beat.chartruse,white,yellow chartruese smoke with red flake, lemon merainge.Those are my favorites.I do have a few secret colors that aren't powerebaits that also produce.But like I said those are secret colors and the water clarity has to be just right.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I only carry 50 colors of tails, if i am at a baitshop and see an oddball color I buy it. You never know when a weird color is going to be hot.


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

ur snagging, it dont matter....they inhale it all


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

they cant see anything in the maumee, the smaller the better, they just suck it in there mouths....haha


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## JimmyZ (May 18, 2004)

I go darker colors dirty water, clearer water lighter. If visibility is more than a foot I really like chartruese head and tail, works very well. 

Who knows what the heck it all looks like under the water several feet? I believe at certain times other colors are more visible than others. The way we see baits and the way a fish sees a bait is totally different.


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## ufaquaoiler (Jan 14, 2010)

everyone will have their favorite colors they swear by, but my best advice is to experiment and see what works best for you. i also do what swantucky does and buy a few wierd colors here and there. it is pretty fun when the fish only want that color and you are the only one that has it. i also have a trick of the trade for altering my carolina rig that i find works better than plain grub in some cases so dont be afraid to experiment with your rig outside the weight, floater, tail, and optional beads either! it is perfectly legal, but a bit more expensive to snag and lose so i dont pull it out all the time and NEVER use it first when going to a new area so i dont lose it in 2 casts! i will say ive NEVER seen anyone do this but me in maumee and i aint gonna tell either  just remember that when nobody is catching fish, if you do the same thing as everyone else then you will also catch nothing. dont be afraid to cut your imagination loose and experiment on slow days!


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

jignwalleye said:


> they cant see anything in the maumee, the smaller the better, they just suck it in there mouths....haha


Like your woman does in dark alleys???


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## sickle (Apr 15, 2004)

swantucky said:


> Like your woman does in dark alleys???


Good stuff!!!


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

swantucky said:


> Like your woman does in dark alleys???


lmao  Thats not very nice Tucky


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## chet (Mar 11, 2008)

edit


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

Butt Butter Yellow
Chart speckle always good
Solid Chart I have so many random colors to name. But I'll throw a bunch different colors in the same plastic bag and let them crossbreed and get some funky colors. Those ones have there special little days when others won't work


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

there is technique, i admit that....but it doesnt matter....i suck at it....but my buddies are good. nice walleyes swantucky, those are monsters


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

some people live for the maumee, i dont see any point other then its fun and different then anything on earth, the meat tastes like ass and the walleyes look retarded, but this thread is about color of tails, and i respect that


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## Mr. Moony (Sep 10, 2008)

jignwalleye said:


> ur snagging, it dont matter....they inhale it all


your on the wrong side of the tracks now !!!!!!!


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## die4irish (Jun 8, 2004)

jignwalleye said:


> ur snagging, it dont matter....they inhale it all


Lets not go there any more guys


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

jignwalleye said:


> some people live for the maumee, i dont see any point other then its fun and different then anything on earth, the meat tastes like ass and the walleyes look retarded, but this thread is about color of tails, and i respect that


Well you pretty much summed up the fact that you are ripping on those who can because you suck at it. Nice


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Can we please keep the replies to this on topic ... ?!

I'm looking for what color curlytail grubs everyone uses during the run as a matter of general knowledge. But more specifically - I also want to know *why* you use the color that you do.

Thanks!
Dan


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

I use 3 colors, white, pink, and chart. and never really needed any others. I have used orange a few times in the past but didn't do as well with it as the other colors I mentioned above.



I think I hear banjos playing somewhere!


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

jignwalleye said:


> ur snagging, it dont matter....they inhale it all


Wait, by "inhale it all" I am going to assume you mean that they inhale it all into their mouth especially since your second post in this thread you said, "they just suck it in their mouths". So, what you are claiming is that the fish are getting hooked in the mouth. I think someone needs to look up the definition of snagging.

I usually have red, pink or charterusse on the end of my line.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

jignwalleye said:


> some people live for the maumee, i dont see any point other then its fun and different then anything on earth, the meat tastes like ass and the walleyes look retarded, but this thread is about color of tails, and i respect that


Having a hard time making sense of this comment. These same fish are being caught out in the lake in June and July what makes them taste like ass in March and April? And how do you know what ass tastes like are you some sort of connoisseur? The snagging comments are getting old people, if you don't prefer to fish the run then don't. But don't talk smack about the guys that do. Get over it already!


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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

I usually use chartruese, pink, and orange. But, I will also take some goofy colors just in case I'm not getting anything. Hopefully everyone will have a productive and safe walleye run this year.... I'm not keeping anything for the freezer this year, just taking pictures.


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## Fishin' Coach (May 19, 2004)

are you some sort of connoisseur?

ass connoisseur.... NICE 


1st of all, why get on here at all if your not into river walleye fishing... I don't like catfishing... not that I have anything against it...but you never see me writing on an Ohio river thread weighing in on the using bluegills for bait...I could care less

Thanks for the outstanding input... at least change your location on your posts... You make the rest of us here in Hancock Co look bad. jeeesh :clown:


By the Way, 1mecheng
Any color as long as it's yellow  and then orange, pink, and white... and the any myriad of 100 others... 
JMHO that being said I probably catch 98% of my fish on berkley yellow or Jann's netcraft Silk Chart...


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## grubbz (Feb 8, 2010)

I'm looking for what color curlytail grubs everyone uses during the run as a matter of general knowledge. But more specifically - I also want to know *why* you use the color that you do.

I start out with chart. or pink\white. Why? Confidence. I've caught them on these colors in the past and am confident that if the fish are biting I can catch them with these colors again. Same reason you fish with a purple hair jig on the reef, because you caught them with this color the last time. Same with fishing anytime anywhere. You start out with what you have confidence in. When you are confident that you are going to catch fish, you get in the zone quicker, so to speak. Now, if the fish have lockjaw, time to try another collor and mix it up.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

1mecheng said:


> Can we please keep the replies to this on topic ... ?!
> 
> I'm looking for what color curlytail grubs everyone uses during the run as a matter of general knowledge. But more specifically - I also want to know *why* you use the color that you do.
> 
> ...


I guess confidence in a color has alot to do with what I put on. As others have said if it has caught fish before it will catch fish agian.

I hate to give up too much of what I do down there but I guess I will. I generally will make no more than 15-20 casts with a tail color. I can cover the long and short water in that amount of casts. If I don't pull a fish I switch color and cover the water agian. Repeat this enough you will find what color is working that day. That is why I carry so many colors, you never know what will be hot from one day to the next. Sure chartruse, yellow, orange, whatever color you like will catch fish on any given day. What seperates the men from the boys is being able to figure out what is working that day.

There are so many varibles it would take pages to try and type it all out. Water temp, dirty, semidirty, clean water, sunny or cloudy day, rising or falling water level. The list is endless. 

The best piece of advice I could give anyone is to keep a journal. It does not have to be fancy, just the basics. Water level, water temp, time of day, where you fished, fish caught, cloud cover. If you keep track of this stuff for a couple years it is not a matter of guessing where the fish will be, you KNOW where they will be.


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

fshnfreak said:


> heres my theory if u dont have confidence in the bait ur throwin it wont catch fish no matter what the color. the confidence theory comes into play more how u fish the bait rather than the color. if u drag ur bait in front of a hungry fish and present it right he/she will bite thats the bottom line imho.



Not ever have fished the Maumee River (I plan on it this year) as fishing goes I think that fshnfreak hits the nail on the head Confidence is what I think is the color. It With a good amount of fishing knowledge .

Also though swantucky has Some very very good points. Not just for the run but a lot of other types of fishing. Grant it the fish are in the Maumee more so then a lake or a pond. but sauger fishing at the dams salmon fishing and so on it is a good theory on finding "the color"


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

yup, what he said, color doesnt matter...this is not salmon run in a beautiful crystal clear waters of michigan, its the murkyness and visabilitly of 3in in the maumee, its all about confidence...i suck, but i always fill my stringer will legal fish


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

I agree, its either coincidence or luck that they start to hit on a certain color. I believe if you get the perfect drift in front of a nice jack, he is gunna hit. I also believe many "legals" are "snagged", just a personal opinion don't get mad at me for chiming in lol


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## crg (Dec 7, 2006)

i agree, there is no rhyme or reason to the color, to test that theory one day last season my buddy caught 2 legal jackss on a bare hook, inside out in the corner of the mouth


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

haha, thanks for the backup....see u guys....hahahahahaha bare hooks!!! "oh what color what color?" i might say i suck, but i might be better then you! ha


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## jignwalleye (Sep 6, 2009)

anyone who thinks that the walleye are chasing the grubs down and hitting them are ridiculous... and if thats the case, why are u "experts" casting minnows...


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Clear w/ metal flake.


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## grubbz (Feb 8, 2010)

NorthSouthOhioFisherman said:


> I agree, its either coincidence or luck that they start to hit on a certain color. I believe if you get the perfect drift in front of a nice jack, he is gunna hit. I also believe many "legals" are "snagged", just a personal opinion don't get mad at me for chiming in lol


I don't keep snagged fish.
I hope you put back any fish you honestly believed was snagged. 
If I caught a fish, and it appeared legal, but I knew it was snagged, I wouldn't feel right keeping it.
There is no way to justify keeping a fish you honestly thought was snagged. 
"either coincidence or luck" - thats fishing!


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## grubbz (Feb 8, 2010)

jignwalleye said:


> anyone who thinks that the walleye are chasing the grubs down and hitting them are ridiculous... and if thats the case, why are u "experts" casting minnows...


I've only fished the maumee run a few times, I missed seeing the experts who were casting minnows. Color probably doesn't matter, but, out of curiosity, what color do you use? Do you always use the same color?


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## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

Actually I and my brother have done the jig and minnow thing in the Maumee.YEARS ago after a seminar from Winkelman we tried slipping the current in my boat.did it work?Well kind of.we got bit and when you did you knew it.Did we catch any eyes doing this no.yes we did get bit several times,but trying to get a hook-up was diffulcult due to the section of river we were fishing.That section was from the the bridge in Maumee down to Orleans park.The depth varies greatly in that stretch of river and you were never sure if you were on a rock or an eye till you bought the jig back up with only a minnows head or lips left on the hook.I will stick to my Powerbaits and either the floaters or quarter ounce lead heads.


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## paintED (Mar 8, 2007)

Its crazy how every year at this time its like having a conversation about religion or politics when you start bringing up the river run . I went to see the movie Coal Country. It was a documentary about mountain top removal or MTR coal mining. Great movie. But as a congressman was speaking and trying to introduce the the director of the movie some heckler with a political agenda kept interrupting as he was trying to speak. I wanted to walk over and politely drag him from the theatre. He has the first amendment just like me,but he was ruining a majority of the folks in that theatres evening. Just leave if you don't agree. If you don't like how I look there are three other directions to look in. Agitators...I don't get them.


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## chet (Mar 11, 2008)

Edit


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Now u are all over the place on this thread. You asked for the proper color and it would be just one clear w/flakes. I put one on a 3/4 oz lead head and really have one hell of a good time. I am not a snagger but have snagged my share of the ol walleye, that jig has a way of sneaking up on a few. But the fish are on the bottom so that is where i want to fish. Most of the fish taken on the floaters are "lined". I don"t even carry a stringer with me anymore so I don't get into the habit of "needing" a limit. I can catch the eaters in the lake in a few short weeks. So be safe and feed'em lead in heavy doses. I want to see some pictures of 31 inchers or better.


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## tcfootball61 (Mar 14, 2007)

Depends on a bunch of factors but my go to one is a pink or orange floater with a two tone 3" green/chart grub


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

from a science standpoint I offer a few things

walleye see reds and oranges best
black has the best contrast in dark water
so stands to reason they would work well.


and the other piece of science
walleye dont feed on the run. like salmon they can be caught, the trick is to drift somthing into thier mouth and set the hook. however, as soon as they are done spawning they eat like crazy on a fast retreat to the lake.
really guys the technique is using 4ft long leaders with floaters, thats the same way you fish for salmon out west.

frankly, I dont care its good for license sales and gets people outside, just know thats whats going on. its the best place in the world to get a 10lb eye from the bank so have fun and be curtious.

I will add, you should all try the same rig for river eyes or sauger in the fall when they put on the feed. its wierd how every fish now is barely hooked and the ones then are all way back in the throat.....


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## stex1220 (Mar 23, 2009)

Just take your favorite color and stick it down your pants wipe it up and down in your crack and then proceed to catch your limit:bananapowerslide:

Come on guys just go down there and try everything. Do you realy need to find out what color works? Here is a thought go find out what works for yourself If you realy need to read what color works im going to tell you right now..... Its .......Its........ Its what ever the weather and the water works out for you that day


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## grubbz (Feb 8, 2010)

paintED said:


> Its crazy how every year at this time its like having a conversation about religion or politics when you start bringing up the river run . If you don't like how I look there are three other directions to look in. Agitators...I don't get them.


I have a 4 year old at home, we often don't tell him if we are doing something fun tomorrow because the waiting will drive him crazy, and in turn he drives us nuts. 
I'm kinda the same way with the walleye run. I know it's gonna be any day, but the anticipation has me a little on edge and a little grouchy. Once my line is in the water, the world is great. 
I suspect it's the same for a few others too.


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Stex -
My question was posed simply to determine how everyone picked their color. It was not so important to me what the color du jour was.

As I suspected, the top 3 answers are:
1.) confidence
2.) it depends on the conditions
3.) what has worked well in the past for that particular angler

I find it interesting that scientific fact/charting/data is very low on the list. There is published info. out there about how walleye see (based on their eye structure), and the colors that they probably see the best.

I personally have many different color grubs that I can use, but I subscribe to the theory that certain colors are more visible (and thus, attractive) to the walleye than others. As an engineer by degree and by trade, I usually find myself taking the more scientific approach in my hobbies. 

I was curious to see if my philosophy on how I choose a grub color was similar to other posters in this forum.

Please think of this thread not as a simple way to pick the best color of grubs for the run, but more of a social/psychological question as to how anglers think and choose.


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## eyecatcher929 (Dec 3, 2009)

1mecheng said:


> What color curlytail grubs do you use during the run ... and why?
> 
> I have heard so many theories as to why certain colors work / don't work; I'd like to hear your reasons.
> 
> ...


It all comes down to what the walleye are really wanting at a certain point in time for that day. Alot of it has to do with water color, flow rate, water temperature, barometric pressure and overcast or clear skies. Every color you have listed here will catch walleye in different situations. All you can do is try everything you got until you find what they want. Just don't waste alot of time with 1 particular thing if your not getting any action. What works 1 hour, might not work the next. Take mental notes of the situation when you do find out what they want, and remember that for your next trip in that same situation. Alot of times it will help you hone in on exactly what they want next time. Goodluck!!!!


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## conley1414 (Feb 12, 2010)

The best color combo is a secret and i'm sure as hell not gonna give that secret away on here for everyone and their bother to know, so sorry you all can find your own combo of colors.


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

conley1414 said:


> The best color combo is a secret and i'm sure as hell not gonna give that secret away on here for everyone and their bother to know, so sorry you all can find your own combo of colors.


Really? Really? A secret? LOL


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Redhunter1012 said:


> Really? Really? A secret? LOL


Don't worry Red. Some guys are just extra fond of their glitter pink.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

conley1414 said:


> The best color combo is a secret and i'm sure as hell not gonna give that secret away on here for everyone and their bother to know, so sorry you all can find your own combo of colors.


then why in the hell did u even post a comment? Jessuusss

hey guys I have the best combo color for sure...but itss aa seeccrreettt!!! ahhhhh lol


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## Gern186 (Feb 2, 2010)

riverKing said:


> from a science standpoint I offer a few things
> 
> walleye see reds and oranges best
> black has the best contrast in dark water
> ...


Ok, this horse has been beat to death. FYI, there are different runs of fish in the river at different times.....some of the fish are further along in the spawning process than others. 

If they don't bite, then why do certain colors produce and others don't at certain times..... or why is it that every guy in a line of 50 guys that is using pink at a certain time of day catching fish when all of the guys using white or chartreuse not catching anything??? Then the same guys that aren't catching anything change to pink and WHAMO, fish on the first cast!! I tell you I have been around long enough and caught many fish down there to realize there is a reason why fish are caught on certain colors under varying conditions.

There are times when the sun is shining and I put on a clear tail with sparkle and I can knock the crap out of them when other colors aren't producing. I can also tell you that I have caught a crap ton of walleye in the last half hour of legal light when they weren't biting earlier in the evening. 

Tell me riverking, is it just blind luck and coincidence that these things happen almost every time down there??


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## NateTessler13 (Nov 5, 2007)

I favored red/orange grubs last year. The Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) are often spawning at the same time and place as the Walleye. Shorthead Redhorse are easily identified on the river by their bright red/orange tails. Walleye trying to get the best spots in and around the spawning grounds are chasing away other fish (including the Shorthead Redhorse). Seeing the red/orange grub coming at them, a Walleye may be reacting to his instinct to chase the sucker away (they do this by biting at their tails).


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

This whole thread is hilarious. My god guys! My favorite color is the one I have on. And guess what? It's not a damn secret cuz there's usually 20 other guys right next to me watching what I have on, as I'm watching what they are using just in case they have the goods and I don't. IMO, there are 2 main reasons guys like Swantucky, BFG, myself, and Gern and a few others outfish most others. Here is the 2 big secrets down there guys so listen up:

1. Location: And I don't mean which access your fishing like BW or Orleans or sidecut. All are good. I'm talking a specific damn rock I stand by at a precise water level. There's a reason we're killing them and your not when your 20' on either side. It's about reading the water. Ever so slight current variations will draw fish like a freaking magnet. Unless you hit that drift just right, it's as if the fish are not within 20 miles of you. So on those tough days you gotta find those little different "spots" that I'm talking about.

2. Feel: It's almost unbelievable how "In Tune" most of us experienced guys get with our whole rod and reel and the whole damn drift. It's almost subconcious when I feel a fish sometimes. You really can't explain it. I swear sometimes you can feel a walleye fart on your jig when you get into a "Zone". Find a rig that you really have confidence in being able to feel and become one with.

Edit: IMO, you want atleast a 6'6" medium or MH spinning rod. It has to have a solid backbone with a fast tip. I use a medium action Berkely Bionix in 7". This will be the 7th season at the run with that rod.


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

What he said ^^^^, Great info!


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## crg (Dec 7, 2006)

Redhunter1012 said:


> 1. Location: And I don't mean which access your fishing like BW or Orleans or sidecut. All are good. I'm talking a specific damn rock I stand by at a precise water level. There's a reason we're killing them and your not when your 20' on either side. It's about reading the water. Ever so slight current variations will draw fish like a freaking magnet. Unless you hit that drift just right, it's as if the fish are not within 20 miles of you. So on those tough days you gotta find those little different "spots" that I'm talking about.
> 
> 2. Feel: It's almost unbelievable how "In Tune" most of us experienced guys get with our whole rod and reel and the whole damn drift. It's almost subconcious when I feel a fish sometimes. You really can't explain it. I swear sometimes you can feel a walleye fart on your jig when you get into a "Zone". Find a rig that you really have confidence in being able to feel and become one with.


could not agree more both statements, i tried using a different rod last year than my usual run rod, just didnt have that feel, as soon as a switched back to my fav, had my for in an hour


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## conley1414 (Feb 12, 2010)

I was being sarcastic, calm down, its no secret, you go out there throw every color you have until you find the one that is working the best for that particular day simple as that. My fav is hot pink head and chartreuse 2" berkley power twister.


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