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Thread: Colors in stained water

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speck'n Gator
    Just curious if any of you have any favorite tube/jig colors for fishing in stained water. Alot of the lakes I fish in have tea colored water. Lately I have been using a BPS Electric orange/Rootbeer tube that has been producing pretty well.
    Think contrast, not color. All colors simply become shades of gray after a certain depth, depending on water clarity and light penetration. The more stained the water, the faster a lure loses color. So technically, it becomes a matter of contrast, not color. That's why most fish feed up or ambush prey from dark places, the prey or lure stands out (contrasts) better under the available light source. So, it would make sense, under most conditons, dark lures would be better than light. Anything dark would work under your conditions. That's why orange/rootbear works, but any dark lure or dark combination should. You really don't need a lot of colors. Try this experiment, hold a clear glass of your lake water up to the light and drop in different color combinations lures to see which show up better.

    Keep an open mind. Lure manufactures make lures to catch fisherman not to catch fish. For instance, if they made topwater baits with reverse color, dark bottom/light top instead of dark top/light bottom, fisherman would catch a lot more fish, but would they sell? Personally, I paint the bottoms of my topwater baits black. Fish simply see the lure better, I catch more fish. Dave

    Also, In muddy or low light conditions, think more about size and noise. Fish rely more on sound to find prey than sight. Under these conditions I would use a larger bait with rattles.
    Last edited by sunfish; 03-29-2006 at 11:23 AM.

  2. #12
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    Wow Dave, you might have just saved me thousands of dollars
    Just kiddin, that good info, i guess thats why black/chart is my go to bait.
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  3. #13
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    where I fish is at best stained on a good day but usually muddy. Black/Chart. is one of my favorites. I hear Purple/Chart. is a good choice too.

    I think it was Wally Marshall that said the transparent colors of Chartreuse are not as effective in muddy water as the opacque Chartreuse.

    I am experimenting right now using the opacque Chartreuse in the glow color. So far it looks like it might be a good color for muddy conditions.
    CATCH A BIG-UN

  4. #14
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    Sunfish is right on the money:
    A fish looking up though the water at the sky will see a lighter colored sky. Any light colored object on the surface will blend in with the lighter colored sky behind it. Think fish eye view and put yourself in the fish's position. A dark bottom colored object will stand out and be contrasted against the light colored sky.

    On the other hand a dark sky will need a light bottom colored lure to stand out against the darker background (cloudy sky).

    The above all apply if the fish are deep and looking up at the sky.

    But in shallow water 3ft or less the lure could easily fall to the bottom before the fish can get to it. Then you need to have the top of the lure contrasting with the bottom of the lake so that it will stand out.




    Quote Originally Posted by sunfish
    Think contrast, not color. All colors simply become shades of gray after a certain depth, depending on water clarity and light penetration. The more stained the water, the faster a lure loses color. So technically, it becomes a matter of contrast, not color. That's why most fish feed up or ambush prey from dark places, the prey or lure stands out (contrasts) better under the available light source. So, it would make sense, under most conditons, dark lures would be better than light. Anything dark would work under your conditions. That's why orange/rootbear works, but any dark lure or dark combination should. You really don't need a lot of colors. Try this experiment, hold a clear glass of your lake water up to the light and drop in different color combinations lures to see which show up better.

    Keep an open mind. Lure manufactures make lures to catch fisherman not to catch fish. For instance, if they made topwater baits with reverse color, dark bottom/light top instead of dark top/light bottom, fisherman would catch a lot more fish, but would they sell? Personally, I paint the bottoms of my topwater baits black. Fish simply see the lure better, I catch more fish. Dave

    Also, In muddy or low light conditions, think more about size and noise. Fish rely more on sound to find prey than sight. Under these conditions I would use a larger bait with rattles.
    Regards,

    Moose1am

  5. #15
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    Talking I paint my own heads.

    Quote Originally Posted by Speck'n Gator
    Just curious if any of you have any favorite tube/jig colors for fishing in stained water. Alot of the lakes I fish in have tea colored water. Lately I have been using a BPS Electric orange/Rootbeer tube that has been producing pretty well.
    Try this. Go to a hobby shop and get you some floresent green model car paint and paint your jig heads, I think they see that floresent green well. Then add a 2" red and chartruse tube. I like bigger baits in stained or muddy water.
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  6. #16
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    CrappiePappy is offline Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Thumbs up Sure do Speck'n .....

    Quote Originally Posted by Speck'n Gator
    Just curious if any of you have any favorite tube/jig colors for fishing in stained water. Alot of the lakes I fish in have tea colored water. Lately I have been using a BPS Electric orange/Rootbeer tube that has been producing pretty well.

    BPS Sparkle Squirt 1.5" tube in Elec Blue/Char

    Now, I don't advocate that the BPS brand is better, or even that the 'salt' added factor makes a difference ... it's just the brand/color that I have used with success, in many different lakes.
    Why do I believe it's successful ?? .... contrast, flash, visibility !! It has all the factors of clarity covered.
    The lakes I fish, in KY/TN/AL, are all "stained" water lakes ... most of the time you lose sight of a chartreuse jig, after the first foot of water (or less). The water looks blue/green to green, when the lakes have been stable for a while ... and greenish brown after a lot of boat traffic or rain runoff. I haven't ever fished "tanic" water lakes, what you call "tea colored" water. But, your "rootbeer/orange" color sounds comparable, in those water clarity conditions, to my "blue/char" in my waters of choice. But, I wouldn't be afraid to use orange/char in your waters, or even black/white, either. ...... cp

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