Does color matter in soft plastics? Not today!

[Spoonminnow]

I pour my own and we used various colors and designs. The day was bright, windy and TOUGH!, but we managed crappie over 10 1/2", some nice perch, a very large white perch and other species on grubs with the following colors:
Bright florescent pink body and solid bright chartreuse trail (thin tail)
green pumpkin with metal flakes
white
solid chartreuse minnow

Two different designs were used:
thin tail minnow shape
thin rat tail grub
Strike King grub hybrid (replaced thin tail with one longer)

Curly tail grubs did the worst.

At first 1/16 oz was used to catch fish early and then the wind went from 7-15 mph allowing me to tie on a 1/8 oz ball head jig with the above. No change in the size of fish or fish caught in the pm.

This tells me that the presentation (long distance casts, slow retrieves with small rod tip pops and pauses) was equally important.

The reservoir is being drawn down to feed a major city reservoir and the water is down 5', exposing areas not seen, but at the same time crowding fish away from shorelines and humps now exposed. The fish were scattered without pattern and were by no means where they usually are this time of year. Other anglers left early because the action was slow for them not realizing the pm bite picked up, even in bright sun and a wind. Anchoring every 40' was crucial as well as fan casting around the boat in what seemed the best depth - 4-6'. The lake normally has water 6-10' with deep areas over 14'. Big change.

[ifish]

Interesting report. Neat seeing how people fish different parts of the country. I was trying to start a little crappie store and sent out samples and I sure got a lot of opinions according to the style of fishing. Reminds me of how barbecue is different in parts of the good ole USA. I use a lot of white right now. Seems to be the better color. I (2) pole and keep 2 different baits on and the fish let me know what they like. Curious about the custom SK grub. I use Mo-majic (do-it)only. I like to twitch it a little and that tail is great.

[Spoonminnow]

Went to a different lake today and decided to try different colors and lure sizes with the same two jig weights. Caught mostly crappie and yellow perch using:
1/16 and 1/8 oz (1/8 being the largest I'll use)
solid Fluorescent chart. (dyed a white grub)
fluorescent pink body and solid fl. chartreuse tail
green pumpkin with chart. flakes
translucent chartreuse with gold flakes or with black and chart. flakes
bright white

No difference in numbers and quality of fish (except this lake has few +11" crappie). Fish were also in open water, not schooled and didn't hit hard much of the time. Bait design was again flat tail and prong tail.

Conclusion: unnaturally bright colors, some with flash also worked well in both lakes; two jig head sizes got hit - even a 4.5" crappie got hooked on a 1/8 oz. jig head. Cold fronts may be starting to end the summer pattern locations, tight fish school sizes and numbers. Two other new lakes will be fished this week and I'll report the lure designs and color selections.

Sorry, but what all of this tells me is that slow retrieves and lure style/action is paramount and that a few good colors will do most anywhere.

[lowe175]

I will agree with you most of the time we put way to much into color. That being said I have seen them be picky sometimes though not often. Seems like a couple of times a year I will have days where you have to use the right color or you want get a bite. Ifish I love the mo magic baits they are quickly becoming one of my favorite baits.

[wicklundrh]

I have lakes where they will hit just about anything. Other lakes, it must have a certain color to the bait. Has a lot to do with the water clarity. I don't know how the fish see the bait but an orange colored bait in one body of water looks totally different in another!

[INTIMIDATOR]

Our lake in OHIO is about 2500 acres, deep, full of cover, and fertile. The water is dark due to all the organic matter...Right now it is FULL of 2 inch gizzard shad.
They are 2 totally different bites on the lake....daytime and evening.
In the day, if you don't use a natural color that mimics a shad, you will go home with nothing...period! If you use shad mimics, you will limit on Crappie and take home nice Walleye....just like we did all week! Bright jigheads will not get bites either, just plain lead, or silver/natural colors.
Then about 5pm when the sun starts to go down, the bite changes to GLOW in the dark colors....if you use natural colors, you will not catch a single fish...as soon as you put a glow color on, you will limit...if you switch back to natural, you will stop catching fish...
Jig head design or color has no bearing at night...the more glow the better.

It's been said before...everywhere is different...sometimes match the hatch is still the rule!

Good Fishing
Brent

[Fatman]

Great report!! With the water down that far I'd make sure to mark your map or how ever you guys punch buttons on your locations so the location is saved!!

ifish - I love the Mo's grub!!! If the action slows down with the tail flat out behind it - turn it sideways and it gives it a really cool action on a slow retreive!!

[Spoonminnow]

Mo's thin tail grub:


That design can't be beat - even under a stick float!
Same as my own:


Big Bite Baits MinnR (left below) and my own (on the right) are similar to other company prong/ thin tail grubs I strongly recommend.

[Spoonminnow]

The lures pictured are by far my two favorite designs and I wouldn't fish without them because they provoke when fish are neutral, just hanging out. Speed matters and the tails will quiver with no angler input - tickling the lateral line IMO. Provoke one and provoke all fish and any species nearby. Can't tell you how many times three fish species got caught in the same square yard using them. Again, it's good to know other companies make them so anglers can give them a try - MinnR and Mo's for starters and that anglers can easily make their own, no mold or dye needed (the three lures on the right, Spike-It used on #3).

[snake River]

mo's baits are a good one I have two of the molds to make them they were a big hit for me on the snake River last year as we caught a wide variety of panfish smallmouth bass of course crappie perch in a few bluegills believe it or not .