I use dark colors on cloudy days and bright colors on bright days. I only get to fish stained water. Black, blue ,purple and red
I Know From Reading Different Posts, Publications And Sites That You Should Use Light Colored Jigs On Cloudy Days Because Of The Lack Of Sunlight Penetration To Make Them Easier To See. I Have Also Read That You Should Use Dark Colors In Stained Water. This Doesn't Make Sense To Me Because The Stained Water Also Limits Sunlight Penetration. Can Anyone Explain? The Lake I Fish Is Usually Stained Yearround. Suggestions For Cloudy Days In Stained Water???
I use dark colors on cloudy days and bright colors on bright days. I only get to fish stained water. Black, blue ,purple and red
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As was explained to me many years ago.
Black, Blue, Dark Purple & etc. in stained or muddy water will show up better .. Lighter colors blend in with all the particals in the water.
2 cents worth ... been working for me longer than I am going to say.
JSC
JSC On The Choctawhatchee
Dark skies, dark colors. Bright skies, use bright colors. For stained water, I use a combination of bright and dark colors: Black/Chartruese and Blue/White with Pink head works great for me.
Yes Sir!!
Bobby Garland Pro Staff Bass Pro Shop Pro Staff
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Just as an example spring before last I got into just using a few colors all spring almost because of the water clarity which was better than usual. Anyway on cloudy days I was using several different patterns, but most had a Chart or Fl Red Head and the body was from Fl yellow to my Black and green looking variegated and some others, but if the sun was out and the water I could see down 3'-4' I just about always used a Silver/Medium Blue/White tail or a two toned rabbit strips of white and Lt. Blue as the tail. I also was using a lot of Hot Orange & Chart on cloudy days for a tail.
So dark water, dark colors and some bright colors like the Fl Red head and Black and Green body and on bright days a light color jig.
I use a lot of Chart/Blue/Chart when cloudy and the silver/Blue/White with the sun out. In both cases the water was pretty clear for here. I could have fished these two all spring and done well.
Skip
One of the lakes I fish has murky/muddy water 100% of the time. Orange head/chart body/orange feathers works good. I usually tie a bigger profile jig for this lake, fatter chenille, fuller and longer feathers.
"If it swims...I want to catch it"
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Dark colors work best for us in very early morning and late evening (sundown 'til dark) conditions, also.
A book I have has this discussion about colors. Remember black and white are not colors. The lighter colors need light to hit them to be visible. That's why dark tubes, and even black work good at night, they don't need light to be visible. Take a whole white object and a black object into a completely dark room, the white you won't be able to see. The black you will.
Muddy water can't have much light penetration, so dark colors would work better. But then again, I've never looked thru a crappies eye.