Plug colors vs Fish colors..Match or invert the hatch?

[Mr. Sandman]

I know this color topic has been discussed, and I don't want to re-open the color debate but while reading a fish eyesight book recently there was some discussion about how bait fish color has evolved. White or silver on the bottom and darker colors on the top. This is a camouflage from predators. As a fish looks up he sees the brightness of the surface and the bottom of the fish tends to blend in and help hide him from below. Same goes from above with birds.

After thinking about this I think I have been coloring my lures the wrong way... Why do I want my lure camouflaged? If you want you lure to stand out...wouldn't you want a black bottom and a light top? Perhaps this is way all black lures work well. I have colored a few in the reverse mode like this and hope to test a black/white and a white/back on the same night and see how it does this spring. Do you think it will matter?

[BigFish]

I give less credence to the color of a plug than I do the action or noise/vibration a plug makes. White belly for sure but as far as top color goes....whatever gives someone that "comfort zone" is up to the individual. I fished very few black/blurple plugs last season (if at all as I recall) and I slayed fish every night on the light colored bottom plugs. I think fish locate the plug via vibration most of the time before they may actually see it.......that is what they zero in on.....imo.

[stripercrazy]

I've all ways thought the same thing..rebel painted there plugs just like fish and they didn't work out well....afterhours creamcicle is one of the only plugs that come to mind painted like you said....its worth trying thats for sure

[Raven]

for whatever reason

there always seems to be the color of the day

no matter what species your after

[Rockfish9]

here we go again.... seems every year there is a new theory, I've been doing this long enough ( too long) to come to a few of my own conclusions.... first, IMHO and experience, color is the very last issue, movement is first and foremost, not just any movement, but movement that dictates how a baitfish would react to a certain envioroment.... the old, slow crawl and smaller presentation fits those nights when the water is still and the sea is full of fire, even under a decent moon if it's still... add a screaming rip and a jillion candle power moon and a slow movement isnt quite so natuaral.... with that babble out of the way, no doubt, different shades show under different conditions.... I'll speak mostly of nights because me and the sun dont mix.... except for maybe June and october.. I've seen false dawns when only a certain color would take fish after fish while the same plug in a different shade drew narry a strike, but this is the exception rather than the rule...

Size.... again, always the contrairian.... in my warped way of thinking, matching the hatch isnt always the ticket to the biggest fish.... give 'em something different... it's alot eaiser to convince them IMHO ( the fish) that something different, either larger( or smaller), or swimming differently is worth eating instead of trying to convince them that a hunk of wood perfectly matching ( right down to scale size) is desert...the differnt offering is kind of like a hunk of choclate cake after you have stuffed your maw with pasta.... it's just plain trempting...
the bottom line IMHO, is this, find a color you like, fish it hard and you will get your just reward.
I've developed these theories over 40 years, of chasing these silly lined fish , and although I've had some frustrating nights, they have treated me fairly..

My .02
Roc

[gone fishin]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

here we go again.... seems every year there is a new theory, I've been doing this long enough ( too long) to come to a few of my own conclusions.... first, IMHO and experience, color is the very last issue, movement is first and foremost, not just any movement, but movement that dictates how a baitfish would react to a certain envioroment.... the old, slow crawl and smaller presentation fits those nights when the water is still and the sea is full of fire, even under a decent moon if it's still... add a screaming rip and a jillion candle power moon and a slow movement isnt quite so natuaral.... with that babble out of the way, no doubt, different shades show under different conditions.... I'll speak mostly of nights because me and the sun dont mix.... except for maybe June and october.. I've seen false dawns when only a certain color would take fish after fish while the same plug in a different shade drew narry a strike, but this is the exception rather than the rule...

Size.... again, always the contrairian.... in my warped way of thinking, matching the hatch isnt always the ticket to the biggest fish.... give 'em something different... it's alot eaiser to convince them IMHO ( the fish) that something different, either larger( or smaller), or swimming differently is worth eating instead of trying to convince them that a hunk of wood perfectly matching ( right down to scale size) is desert...the differnt offering is kind of like a hunk of choclate cake after you have stuffed your maw with pasta.... it's just plain trempting...
the bottom line IMHO, is this, find a color you like, fish it hard and you will get your just reward.
I've developed these theories over 40 years, of chasing these silly lined fish , and although I've had some frustrating nights, they have treated me fairly..

My .02
Roc

Well said Joe. And if all else fails try yellow

[Mr. Krinkle]

I like making fancy lookin plugs with blacked out eyes, scales, and multi colors, but the fact is I almost exclusively fish Black, Yellow, and White. That's my theory.

[Mr. Sandman]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

few of my own conclusions.... first, IMHO and experience, color is the very last issue,

Then why do all the plugs in your avatar have a red head?



Actually I agree with you for the most part in that I don't believe that bass can distinguish colors at night due to the biology of their eyes. I am personally convinced of that. However they can see very very well at night all levels of grey and b/w. So my theory is that if you want your lure to stand out and look different from the pack, it is logical that you want the dark side on the bottom because all the bait fish have white on the bottom. right?

While these are not finished...you get the idea:

[Raven]

Ying and Yang

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

Then why do all the plugs in your avatar have a red head?



Actually I agree with you for the most part in that I don't believe that bass can distinguish colors at night due to the biology of their eyes. I am personally convinced of that. However they can see very very well at night all levels of grey and b/w. So my theory is that if you want your lure to stand out and look different from the pack, it is logical that you want the dark side on the bottom because all the bait fish have white on the bottom. right?

While these are not finished...you get the idea:

Red heads need love too!..... I like to be prepared, feel that the rtwo tone tends to lend to changing back grounds (moon behind clouds, rock piles etc.).... why do I build 20 diffeent styles in multiple colors.... nature of the beast... that one grey dawn I mentioned in my post still haunts me and it was over 20 years ago, "pikie"( that was the anglers name) with a constsant bent rod, the only differance between him and the rest of us was the PINK googoo he was trolling, blue, white, black, even yellow NG ,the fish were having pink and pink only... I rectified the situation the next mornig... now I always carry PINK!.... if everything was etched in stone, what challenge would it be..... i've never caught a fish that could read yet.. when I do......

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by stripercrazy

I've all ways thought the same thing..rebel painted there plugs just like fish and they didn't work out well....:

Is that sarcastic?
Other than prefering a redfin for distance, if I had my choice I'd throw a 7" silver black rebel in almost any condition other than a roaring surf. More fish over 20lb than any other in my bag....

[Brasilva]

if is that way the fish will never see my lures is so colorfull, that is very bad,,,,,,

[Raven]

let the fish tell you that...

[saltydog]

This is almost as bad as fly fishin to big a fly to small a fly, lots of color, no color,seems to me it's all about WHERE your FISHIN. reading the water Id say is the most important. knowing where the
fish are hanging out at. then getting SOMETHING to them. COLOR would be the NEXT thing. I know you can pull fish up off the bottom in CLEAR WATER. as long as they SEE it. done it w/ plugs an flys an color was NOT the reason, SEEING the bait was. thats my 2 cents
GOOD LUCK GOOD PLUGGIN