Paint lead heads or not? (Fish See Colors?)

[skiptomylu]

I have read some place about guys that were fishing with worms or something and the fish kept hitting their sinkers instead of the worm. It happened over and over and they tried some silver baits and the fish still preferred the lead sinkers.

This was in an article that was talking about fish seeing colors and as a matter of fact that some fish may see a larger spectrum of colors than humans do. So were or do the fish see color we can't when they see oxidized lead?

I know I have used a lot of unpainted jig heads, but I started painting all of my jig heads with something even if it's just clear to keep the lead from getting darker and darker dull gray. I am wondering now if that is a mistake, can they see more than we can and is for some reason we don't know the are attracted to oxidized dull gray lead heads?

Cont'd

[skiptomylu]

For some reason if I talk too much it will not post so I divided this...

Cont'd...

This had to do with something about cones in their eyes to be able to see color and how many they have Vs how many humans have. They also said catfish have none, but their sight is really good. However where we 3 different of these cones that allows us to distinguish like 300,000 shades of colors and some fish have 4 or even 5 of these cones and that would mean they can see colors we can't imagine.

Just a subject I am interested in and want to see what you all know or think about this stuff.

I am not suggesting we should only use unpainted heads, but maybe we should have some as part of our selections.

What do you guys and gals think?

Skip

[Baxter1]

I use mostly unpainted heads.I just started to use powder paint on some of my jigs.

[willsjwills]

I'm not sure if it is that they can see the flat finish on oxidized lead better at times, or if that shade of gray turns them on at that time of their feeding cycle for the day. I have a feeling they can see every color we expose them to, under certain circumstances, and the right color can trigger them to hit. I would not know if that certain color irritates them or if they're fooled in to thinking it's food. This may never be completely understood by a novice such as me, but we all know certain colors work today, and tomorrow they don't. Too many variables come into the equation that i'm not up to 100% on, light, degree of light, wind on water, color of water, depth you're fishing, time of the day, water temp., amount of current, moon and sun location, atmospheric pressure. Too many for me to try to figure out.

[fishhunter775]

The question of painted or not is always a debatable question with everyone having differant veiws.I think the fish go for the darker unpainted lead as it really imitates the color of a minnow or other baitfish.Just my thoughts.

[crappiechappy]

I'm not sure if the painted or un-painted heads work better because I only use painted ones, but I can tell you this without a shadow of a doubt. I paint my own jig heads and I don't put eyes on them any more because I can't tell any difference in the bite with or without them. Longline trolling is my primary technique with these heads.

[drill instructor]

For years me and my partner used only leadhead with no paint. Then when we started fishing tournaments we notice that the majority used painted ones of different colors. I added colors to my array of jigheads but my partner stuck with unpainted. Sometimes he catches more fish than i, but i think i outfish him most of the time. I still have a few jigheads that i dont paint, but have about every color thats available. The bottom line is it wont hurt to have both.

[Mo'nBack]

I don't paint my heads and use just the lead color unless I buy some already painted heads, which is rare. I haven't noticed a big difference in the bite from painted to non-painted on a regular basis for either. One does better on one day and the other does better the next day on the same water. What I have noticed is that I always catch more fish on a pure lead head that's new and still got the silver shine to it versus one that is dulled and a dark grey. I take my pocket knife and scrape my dull heads before I put them in the water to get the shine back.

[crappie cowboy]

Great Thread Skip, You know we all seem to go to great lenghts to buy all the right colors of jig bodies and then sometimes disreguard the jig head.
WE fishermen are strange ones. Years ago before all the color hype and line size hit the market, fisherman caught just as many crappie.
Maybe the hype on color is for our eyes and wallet. I've said this before, but
I know I've looked at lures and thought, man if I was a fish I'd jump on that lure.
I think we get wrapped up in the hype that is aimed at us from the lure makers, I know I do.
Not very long ago, if it didn't have CHARTREUSE on it, I wouldn't fish it, and how many crappie do you think that I missed by being like that, alot I'm sure.
I'm glad to report that I'm doing some better now, but I did have to spend some time in a CHARTREUSE recovery clinic, I'm still a little weak and have bouts having to wear my CHARTREUSE t-shirt and underwear, but slowly doing better.

srm

[skiptomylu]

Well my main point is that I don't think we should cut anything out that give us another option. I don't know what the different colors the fish see, but from my experience (probably over 55 years of fishing since I am almost 60) color matters and some times only one color really works the best and that can change from day to day.

I like to go out on my bulkhead and neighbors dock and catch a few bass from time to time and I am always hitting the same spots and one thing I notice is I better change color if not the bait I am using if I want to catch them the day after I was out there catching them.

Also I remember times when a strange color worm or something was the only color they would hit at a given spot and using that color until we ran out was great fishing. Run out of that color and that same spot and time was not so hot.

It would be great if we really knew what the fish see and what motivates them to bite, but I know having a choice of colors to choose from is key at times and other time it seems they will hit most anything or nothing which ever the case may be.

However I can't help but think on the bad days if I tried more colors would it have changed things? I also like to have a choice so I guess it good to have both painted and unpainted heads and I guess if some one wants unpainted heads I need to stop coating them with clear and or Silver.

Thanks for the input,

Skip