Confused About What Color of Lure You Should Be Fishing?

Don't feel bad if that's the case. There are plenty more of us in the same boat.

Choosing the correct bait for the conditions we face any given fishing day can make the best among us stand and scratch our heads, to say the least. Thankfully, however, a handful of hues can cover just about every bass-fishing situation, whether it be soft plastics or hard baits.

When it comes to soft-plastic worms, creatures and other baits, one color is a favorite for bass anglers everywhere: green pumpkin. The old joke is "color doesn't matter, as long as it's green pumpkin," and that appears to ring true, no matter where you live. So, if you have only one choice, let's assume you can't go wrong with green pumpkin.

As expressed by bass fisherman and professional outdoor writer Tyler Brinks, "Solid colors are the way to go for dirty-water situations, and black or black and blue  are two proven other colors that always show up well and produce in stained and muddy water. White is another solid choice for soft plastics and jigs when the water if off-colored.

"When fishing clear water, green pumpkin is excellent, and so is any watermelon shade. These natural colors are excellent when the fish can see the bait well, as are translucent colors, such as pinks and purples. Another excellent choice for clear water soft baits is solid black, as it shows up well and looks natural."

If we're talking crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwaters, they, too, come in many different colors, but a handful are best sellers that will work everywhere. The three most significant factors to keep in mind are water color, brightness of the sun, and the forage in the waters you're fishing.

For highly visual baits like topwaters and jerkbaits, Brinks explained that the color selection often comes down to the water clarity and sun conditions.

"Generally, solid colors, like white or bone, are the best choices for the most cloudy days and when the water is slightly dirty," he said, adding that "a solid-colored jerkbait works wonders when fishing in lowlight, cloudy conditions. Solid white is easy for the fish to see when the water is stained. It creates a stark contrast to everything else, making it easy to locate.

"For sunny days, flashy colors work well, because the sunny skies help to reflect the colors and create a little extra flash and shine," noted Brinks. "Metallic colors, like chrome, are good choices for these conditions for both jerkbaits and topwaters.

"When the water is exceptionally clear, translucent patterns are good because they appear natural to wary fish," he continued. "Countless clear and transparent colors are great for clear water and help disguise the bait while attracting fish."

Brinks went on to say "the various styles of crankbaits are proven lures that catch fish on various lake types, and they are available in everything from super-shallow divers to those that reach extreme depths. Keeping it simple with color selection is the best rule of thumb for all crankbaits, and the most significant consideration is water clarity."

Each spring, bass anglers reach for red-colored crankbaits and lipless baits for several reasons, but the biggest is how well they work.

As Brinks explained, "Spring is usually when the rain or melting snow brings an influx of runoff into the lakes and rivers and creates stained water. Red shows up very well in these situations, and bass quickly can locate a bight red bait.

"Another reason that red is so popular and effective is because it imitates a favorite spring meal of bass: crawfish," he continued. "As the water warms each year, crawfish begin to get more active, and bass are keyed on eating crawfish in shallow water, and this is why red baits are so helpful early in the year."

The term "match the hatch" gets thrown around a lot in fishing circles, but it applies to crankbait fishing, where imitating what the fish are eating is a great way to pick the perfect color. According to Brinks, "Red-colored baits are a must for the spring months.

"Like the reds mentioned earlier, it can be helpful to choose a color based on the most common foragte in your waters," he said. "For example, it could be reds or browns for fish feeding on crawfish or whites and silver shades for bass that are more shad-oriented. Also, some incredible patterns perfectly imitate small bluegill or perch.

"Choosing a crankbait color based on what the fish are eating is a simple and effective way to make sure you're using the correct color crankbait. You can go with a simple crankbait color that loosely imitates what they are earing, or choose an ultra-realistic finish like those available from many lure companies."

There are still exceptions to the rule and times when it pays to be unconventional regarding water clarity and sky conditions and how they impact lure-color selection.

"One of these," said Brinks, "is when fishing for smallmouth bass, which often prefer gaudy colors like chartreuse, even in the clearest water you'll ever see. However, their aggressive nature makes them gravitate to bright colors, and they'll hit them with fury.

"Bright colors like chartreuse with a black back or fire tiger are very effective colors for fishing smallmouth, but they also are great options for fishing dirty water for all bass species. Even though they may not look like anything in nature, the fact they can be seen by bass in these situations makes them excellent tools, and they are worth a spot in your tacklebox.

"Picking the right lure color can be confusing," Brinks admitted, "but you can simplify the situation with many different options. Having a small group of the basics and some of your confidence colors will be more than enough to ensure that you have the right tool for the job."