Clear bait question

[CTom]

Since I and the wife have been laying here half dead with this wonderful flu crap [she has the flu, I have lung issues] I dug out my fishing journal to look over what I accomplished over the last open water season. I noticed part way into last season that clear baits, those without any colorant, hi lite or pearl, seemed to really take a lot of fish. While basically clear in the plastic department they did have uv enhancement and glitter. Some of the baits were made as a solid clear while others had either a chartreuse, hot pink or fluorescent orange tail. By far and away in my journal the solid clear and the clear/chartreuse tail caught about equal numbers of fish and combined put the other two tail colors back in the shadows. I'll note that I really only cook up three of what I call clear colors: firecracker, bluegill, and a clear with fire-opal micro glitter. All three get done as a solid and with the tail colors. The journal showed no one of those colors being better than the other two and basically when a clear color was hot any one of the three would do well.

So, how many of you favor a clear bait? Do you see periods when a clear bait excels, such as early/late day or cloudy vs. sunny? How about warmer or colder water periods? I'll be clear here that I am fishing crappies so try to stay inside those thought lines if you can. I'd like to see if what my journal is showing me is consistent with what others have noted.

[snake River]

On clear or transparent on the fl orange with gold glitter in chartreuse tale seem to work the best for me in the evenings in the summer months water temperature about 65 to 70° and clear water. we have pretty good luck with quite a few of that clear colors but the orange and chartreuse were the best. of forgot to mention air temperature 99° and a little bit warmer. July and August and through September.

[CTom]

Bob...when I said clear, I meant without any colorant. Clear, like in water.

[DrNip]

What clarity of water you fishing? I have mud bowl lakes around here and haven't really tried anything translucent.

[CTom]

Most all of our water is stained and most can be run-off prone so muddy spells occur often too. Every once in a great while the waters around us clear up enough to allow a 10 foot secchi, but that's not common. Good clarity on the big river in this area is maybe 3 feet

[DrNip]

Going to have to try more clearer bait this year.

[snake River]

sorry about that Tom guess I shouldn't read a little bit more clear before I open my mouth I have never used crystal clear plastic baits to fish with.

[jackie53]

We fish the Famous White River which flows through several large Dams,Beaver,Bull shoals and the Norfork river flows through Norfork dam into the white River!! Which means gin clear water!! Some of the best colors or Firecracker,Clear with silver,Clear with gold flake,clear with orange flake!! Opal with glow pigments(makes a light green color) with chart or orange tail (bream) colors are good!! When we fish the border waters of Minn/canada we can take these same colors and do well in those waters!! Barlows tackle has some good opal colors in their plastics we order for these waters!!

[Mikeguard01]

Clear with gold flake and clear with black fake has been doing well for me.

[liftbite56]

Clear palstsol with black metal flake, gold, and silver...(Sand) killer bait in clear water