Top colors for soft plastics for panfishing and river trout

[cyprian10]

Just starting out so seeking advice to prevent ending up with loads of unnecessary tackle. I've seen a few colors on youtube that seem to be consistent catchers like blue ice for clear water conditions. Looking to stock up on trout\crappie magnets and small shads particularly pintails. I want to builld a collection of the prime types and colours.

[Spoonminnow]

Just my opinion (of which everyone knows I have a lot of lol), but lure action, size, shape and tail design matter most with color finishing last (unless it's the wrong color of course of which there aren't too many.) That's to say that if the four lure characteristics are right, you can count on a small group of colors to do just fine, enhancing what a fish sees.

A lot to digest, but simply stated: go smaller, retrieve slower and at the depth fish might be. Your lure is your ultimate fish finder and gives you a picture of what they'll bite that day. Favorites will evolve, but one other thing to remember is water color and sun brightness.

When a fish looks at a lure that just caught its attention, that attention is riveted - longer for vertical presentations and less for horizontal retrieves. If a fish is easy to motivate into biting, it will follow and possibly bite multiple times horizontal-to- bottom retrieves. When under float, off bottom or mid-depth, fish are teased by slight lure actions enhanced by color - which is not what you or I or a fish sees depending on time of day, cloud cover, water color and depth fished.

Recently I found that a green color that almost matched an algae green water color didn't contrast enough for fish to see. It's like wearing a light gray outfit in a fog. I changed to pumpkin (green or brown) and started doing better. Even pearl wasn't doing it unless part of a laminate (two tone) with olive green. This color combo has done well in algae-dying waters I recently fished:


This one also did well in the same waters due to contrast with the sky and underwater background:


as did this brighter color in the same design:


No one has the answer to your question which only you will discover over time. Not hue only, but lighter darker or somewhere in between is number one. Look through the many posts for examples of the color variety many of the fine anglers on crappie.com have posted which proves - Color is in the Eye of the Beholder. JMHO

[WVSkip]

No such thing as "unnecessary tackle"

[shipahoy41]

Just my opinion but I believe a dual color lure will always have at least one color visible to the fish whether the water is stained, muddy or clear. I personally prefer chartreuse and any other color as my go to combination. (Chartreuse and white or Chartreuse and black) There will always be a place for something blood red to attract active fish because it makes it appear their prey is wounded. This could be a plastic bead or part of the lure color itself. Welcome to c.com my friend.

Mike

[Spoonminnow]

No such thing as "unnecessary tackle"

My basement is proof !!

[catchNgrease]

A black for evening fishing
A gold for muddy waters
Blue ice is a good one
Monkey milk is a great one
A couple different shades of pink
Chartreuse and black
Chartreuse
Pink and black
Blue & white.
Red & white
My most confidence bait was a patriot by Bobby Garland and now I fish a Cosmic Blast by Slabnator
If you got room for it you will benefit from two styles of each. A curly tail for reeling and trolling and a straight tail for jigging. DitchBasser on the Alabama board would say add some 1/16 white maribou
My opinion and a dollar will get you a cup a coffee.

Sent from my E6810 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[Alphahawk]

Going to depend on the river for trout but a white TM is a must. Get some chartreuse and pink jig heads for the trout. For panfish Sow Bug and Bison are killer colors with a black or unpainted head.



Regards