bass bait color question.

[ctom]

I shoot zero "bass" baits and most of what plastics I own to fish bass I just buy and most are frogs. In Dobyn's Tritons post about the "Bama Bug", the colors are green over blue". Nice looking bait, but why are those colors so common in bass baits? Actually there are a ton of colors that bass guys make and that are commonly available from box stores that have color combinations using really dark colors.

Are bass sensitive to these darker combinations or is the water type such that they stand out better? There are dozens of variations of dark greens that have red flake or purple flake or green flake added that get partnered with some other really deep dark color. Why not bright, vibrant colors?

[Bob]

most are trying to match craw's or baitfish. Bama Bug is actually a dirty green pumpkin over junebug.

[Billmo]

Tom if you look there are some bright colors out there for bass baits.. Robo makes some really popular bright color(At least popular on the west coast).  As far as other baits I think we have it in our heads that bass want a natural presentation. 

Remember there are always exceptions to any rules.  Strawberry, Tomato, and bright purple are popular in the summer out here but in the spring and fall most throw natural colors. (we don't have winter )

[ghostbaits]

If I was a bass, I'd tell you!!!       

Experience tells me that those colors would be good along with other "dark" colors together. I experiment with lmainate colors and three color baits alot!!!! Black and blue will catch anywhere, any conditions. Pearl white is the only "bright" color I even used and that is rare.

Darker colors give contrast as I understand it and since the fish cannot really see colors anyway, in the stained waters we have down south, a transcluscent bait or bright bait to our eyes would basically be non existant to the fish.

Least that is what the last green back told me!!!! 

Jim

[pjmcla]

Some flavor of green with red flake is almost universally popular.  Most are a subdued green as well. Many people say "match the hatch".  Then there is Bubblegum;  and Chartreuse ( another universal color ).   Blend in or shock them; if one does not work, try the opposite.   

[ctom]

That crawfish idea works for me now.

Most all of my bassing is done with top-water baits or spinnerbaits. All of these tend to be bright colors.

Thanks for the input guys.

[Jerry V]

I will concur that most people fishing for Bass are doing one of two things... trying to imitate a crayfish or trying to imitate a bait fish depending on what the Bass are feeding on at that particular time.  Therefore you see a lot of colors that blend in or are very natural looking like a crayfish.  Sometimes a baitfish imitation will use some "louder" colors but most generally are still pretty natural looking.  This is a generalization and I know there are people that catch the fire out of Bass using loud colors at particular times.  I think the Crappie, Walleye, and Trout/Salmon are a little more keen to the bright colors for what ever reason. 

My 2 bits,

Jerry

[Dave]

Anything of a natural earth tone color is key! Most of the time if you pull up a insect species chart for your local lake, it will give you the common colors of local bugs and so forth that fish feed.  Pumpkin Green, browns and blacks are really common colors regardless of location in the united states. I completely agree with Jerry, 9 x out of 10 people try to mimic a craw, water dog, shad, snakes, etc. These are a natural food source for bass and other predator fish...   

[ghostbaits]

One of the best days I have ever had (over 30lbs in 5 fish) was on a yellow and bubblegum swirled senco type bait.... My partner had some as nothing else was working..

We actually tried other colors (gp, watermelon, black/blue) with no bites or minimal success. This was clear water so the bait could not have been confused with a baitfish or crawfish....

I will also say this, it depends GREATLY on how you are fishing. If you are flipping mats, many times color does not matter, just presentation and action of bait. Frog fishing also. Action is key, color doesn't matter most of the time. If you are trying to mimic a crawfish with a bait, then certainly it should try to "match the hatch". I would say the same for baitfish....

Jim

[DobynsTriton]

some colors imitate lampreys too if theyre in your lake

[ctom]

.........."imitate lampreys"..............

Oh yes, we have a small lamprey in some streams and rivers. They don't get very large, 4"-6" maybe. I rank lamprey right up there with eels.

 

[DobynsTriton]

i havent caught a fish with one locked on to it but i have caught a ton with reapers with a flappy tail.ive done really good fishin them on a shakey head

[ctom]

I'll hook up a sauger with a lamprey stuck to it every once in a great while. Get that fish out of the water and the lamprey will release in a blink. On the floor of a boat they can be fun to get hold of. Like and eel. Lampreys I step on. Ugly things. I know a lot of people who have found them attached to river fish and some of our larger streams harbor them too.

I've caught four eels over many years. All have been in the 32-34 inch range. All were taken using live bait. The line gets cut today. An eel won't stay in a net and once they hit the boat floor they are about as easy to grab as a rattlesnake. And they will bite. Man I got a nasty infection from one's bite on the back of my calf.

I fish bass each year for a couple weeks while crappies spawn. I generally do a top-water bait. SkitterPops are my favorite after doing a little switcho-chango with the hooks. For me the blue over chrome with an orange belly patch works best. That's what prompted this post about color. But now it makes sense.

Where I fish there is a current that runs for along about 3/4 mile of pads and reeds. The edges of this run fall into slightly deeper water where the current runs. Under the weeds the water is about 4 feet pretty consistent, 6 to 8 feet in current. Under the pads the largemouths are everywhere along with some mega-pike and dogfish. Out on the edge we see many smallies and we can get a few of those to chase the top-waters or a spinnerbait. I've often thought that maybe getting a craw imitation down there on a heavy bass-type jig might get more of the smallies so now I need to go thru my baits to see if I need to buy some natural looking craws. When I was on staff with Culprit I had tons of the stuff to use. Now that I have more time, I have less tackle. lol.

[Denny Welch]

Baby bass senkos and hula grubs on a 3/8 ounce football head work well out here.  I've been pouring some of my own senkos using HDA instead of salt, but it's too soon to tell whether it's working.  The sink rate is great, but I'm not too convinced yet about the absence of salt.