# bright colors in clear water



## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

has anyone ever heard of bright colors like white orange and such performing well in clear water for bass? thats all that works on my home waters.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Yes, white works really well in clear water, especially with overcast conditions


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## CRAPPIE LOVER (Feb 11, 2007)

..castmaster00...I don't think age has anything to do with it...To me it is showing the intelligence in you...Ask all the questions you have ..someone on OGF will have an answer...This is the only way to learn anything...When you are 85 you will still have a question...No one knows everything they may say they do ...But they are BSing you...My Grandpa told me NO QUESTION IS STUPID...Look forward to hearing from you......YOU GOT ONE QUESTION ANSWERED...C.L...


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

fishingredhawk said:


> Yes, white works really well in clear water, especially with overcast conditions


white is the only colr of spinner bait that they will hit but get this, there is nothing white in the lake. no shad. just sunfish. wonder why it works.......


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

casmaster00,

A lot of times the color of the bait has little to do with why the fish will bite. With a spinnerbait, the vibration and flash from the blades are the main factors in soliciting a strike. Those components trick the bass into thinking there is a school of minnows (or other small bait fish) or bluegill swimming by. Color allows the bass to better locate the bait, but just because the color doesn't resemble anything natural doesn't mean the bass won't strike it. 

There are many other examples of bass eating baits that don't resemble anything in their environment. For example, a buzzbait. Or a jig that is fished in a pond where there aren't any crayfish. The bass just sees an easy meal (or a threat!!!) and instinctively strikes it because (a) it believes it is food (b) it sees the bait as a threat to itself or its fry and/or (c) it is reacting to something coming too close to it.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

fishingredhawk said:


> casmaster00,
> 
> A lot of times the color of the bait has little to do with why the fish will bite. With a spinnerbait, the vibration and flash from the blades are the main factors in soliciting a strike. Those components trick the bass into thinking there is a school of minnows (or other small bait fish) or bluegill swimming by. Color allows the bass to better locate the bait, but just because the color doesn't resemble anything natural doesn't mean the bass won't strike it.
> 
> There are many other examples of bass eating baits that don't resemble anything in their environment. For example, a buzzbait. Or a jig that is fished in a pond where there aren't any crayfish. The bass just sees an easy meal (or a threat!!!) and instinctively strikes it because (a) it believes it is food (b) it sees the bait as a threat to itself or its fry and/or (c) it is reacting to something coming too close to it.


ill take that into consideration thanks. that has been plauging me for a long time thanks.


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

Great explanation there fishingredhawk.
Also castmaster00 dont give fish to much credit for brains, basic survival skills is about it from reproduction to eating. Most fish never see a worm until it is presented to them on a hook.


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## metzbgsu (Jun 28, 2008)

White and chartreuse is another solid option when fishing spinners in clear water. Both that and just white I think most people, myself included, have the best success with.

I sometimes like to try newer things though, as fishing patterns do change. Even white ones with strands of blue, red and orange have caught some bass for me.


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## flippin fool (Apr 3, 2006)

if anyone has fished wellington upground for bass they know all about clear water. i have not found a color the bass wont hit there yet.


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

Bass are like two year olds. 

They check things by putting them in their mouths!  

Now the larger/older ones are usually more particular! :B


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

most of the bass that hit the white spinnerbaits are 4+ pounds. the place that i fish used to be a hatchery. 8lbers have come out of there but the usual is around 2 1/2 lbs. it is a great fishery. i just wish that they would open up the outflow creek so that the lake could drain.


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

castermaster00,

That's a great fishery!! :B 

I'm surprised the darker or natural colors don't work better for you in clear water but every lake is different.  

I am always surprised what works in one lake but not another??? 

Freaking bass - they evidently don't know the fundamentals!!


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

seapro said:


> castermaster00,
> Freaking bass - they evidently don't know the fundamentals!!


maybe they know something that we dont


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

reaction type lures such as spinnerbaits aren't usually meant to be examined by the bass, they have a very short time to decide to hit or not, so bright colors help make the bait easy to find and they tend to bring out agression. If you were dragging a worm on the bottom you would most likely find that the fish dont prefer a white worm over a darker more natural color. Besides small bluegill are more silvery white, than any other color. Only bigger gills get the distinct greens and golds. Top color spinnerbait for me in clear water ponds with gills would be one silver and one gold blade tandem, with a translucent chartruse and white skirt. Like so.

Keep thinking, trying to understand WHY one thing works and another dosen't is what makes a great fisherman. question everything!


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

well i have use a yellow floating worm in open water with success.


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## CARP 104 (Apr 19, 2004)

I think in most circumstances, natural or translucent colors will outfish bright colors in very clear water. However bright colors WILL catch bass in clear water. The main reasons why I believe fishingredhawk has covered pretty well. 

Some bright colors give off a halo light effect around the bait which is really cool, and can definitely get the attention of nearby bass.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

all colors of lure catch fish. I can catch a fish on a neon orange bass jig, or on a purple and pink spinnerbait. Finding what works better than the rest for each situation is the real quest. Sometimes color just dosen't matter much, sometimes it matters tons


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## bunkeru2k (Aug 26, 2005)

the best bait I had for super clear waters was the bright red Cherryseed Gulp 7" turtleback worms. Used them on a couple of different places in SW Ohio and they worked where nothing else did.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Cast - something these guys didn't mention that a buddy told me when I was younger was that just because the color doesn't occur IN the lake, doesn't mean that color doesn't end up in the lake. There are an awful lot of easy meals that end up there via the clumsy bird.

I would think that a white spinner and a field mouse or baby bird that's been dropped by a bird of prey probably look pretty similar in terms of color. 

Like these guys said - they see easy meal or threat, they'll try it.


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## mj39 (Jan 2, 2009)

yeah i dont think colo is that important for spinner baits, the shine and vibration is most important, although id have to say that ive had the most hits on white spinnerbaits or white and red.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

why would they hit a school bus yellow 8 in. worm though? it just doesn't make sense. what is 8 inches long and is bright yellow that occurs naturally?


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

castmaster00 said:


> what is 8 inches long and is bright yellow that occurs naturally?


A cowardly male adult film star?


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## flippin fool (Apr 3, 2006)

that was wrong.... funyy but wrong


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## bassmaniac (May 10, 2004)

It's been my expeience that as long as the bait looks like an easy meal, bass will eat it, no matter the color. Untill the bass associate certain colors with danger, they will eat it, it's all conditioning the bass. Thats why I prefer stained water, the fish don't get a good look at the bait. In clear water when the bite gets tough, thats when more natural colors come into play.


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