Does Plug Type & Color Really Matter ?

[fcap60]

STOP-before you jump all over this post, we all know that the type of plug and the colors you choose matter. I know that each and every one of you will have a story about a certain situation about when the bass were only hitting one type of lure and in a very specific color, but my question is: Does it REALLY matter. Another words, over the course of a season to what degree does style and color really matter in your ability to catch fish.

For example, let's say you are very familiar hot spot with a piece of water is set up just the way you like it- you take a good bass from this stretch every time. So now you head down to the spot, the conditions are just perfect and instead of using your "go to plug" for the past 5 seasons (black redfin with 10cc of water), instead, you say what the heck, and snap on another plug (chartresue with bright orange head)-that same plug that's been sitting in your basement for 5 years b/c your afraid to use it. Let's assume the plug has a somewhat similar action and is not (metal, deep diver, etc.) Will it REALLY make a difference. ?

Last June I had the opportunity to fish Martha's Vineyard with a few friends. When we arrived, there was talk of big fish on the move and feeding on squid. Pink SS darters were the hot plug of choice and locals wanted us to bring some to MV from the mainland.

So on the first night, sure enough people were catching LARGE on pink SS darters. It was dark as can be and you could not see your hands in front yourself . I snapped on a black needle and sure enough started hooking up regulary. Many people switched over from poink SS darters to black needles.

After 2 fish, I wanted to experiment, so I put on a bottle plug, within 15 minutes I hooked up a couple more times and some people switched over again. 15 minutes later, I put on a sinking rebel (that's right the kind of lure that has been in my basement for years). It was yellow over silver. Three casts later, I had 2 fish. My buddy got spooled that night on a herring colored needle and I finally kept rotating through all my plugs/colors to see if it REALLY made a difference.

Here's my point.
If you asked the group to my right, what plug/color works in June under a new moon when the squid are around, the response would likely be PINK SS DARTERS RULE !

If you asked the group to my left the same question: the response would probably be: black night/black plugs-BLACK NEEDLEFISH RULE.

If you asked me and my buddy who were experimenting for 3 nights straight on fish up to 30lbs, we would say: It doesn't matter much if you find the right presentation. The presentation was a big part of our success on those 3 nights. For example, on one night, they wanted the needles twitched, the next night you needed to reel them in slow, and the last night -dead sticking the needles in the current worked best.

After that trip to MV last year, I experimented a little with my plug selection and color preference. In fact, I did almost everything the opposite of what worked in previous years. I cannot tell you how many times I left my beloved refins in the car and instead started the night with a different plug and in a color that went against what I traditionally believed in. At the end of the season, I don't think it made a bit of difference.

So I know that plug selection and color does matter, but I'm not so convinced anymore that it REALLY matters all the time.

Frank

[JFigliuolo]

I tend to sgree with you, When the fish are active they'll hit about anything. I've also seen times when fish will ONLY hit a certain plug, but I also believe that is more the exception than the rule.

I think MOST of the time, what matters, is putting the lure in front of the fish. That's pretty much what make me choose lures. Depending on where I am going I try to pack plugs that will work all levels of the water column. I think that is MUCH more important than color. That being said... I won't go anywhere w/ my yellow& red darter

[Andy D]

When there are as many fish feeding in a certain area as there were on those 3 nites Ithink the competition between feeding fish will cause them to be not so selective. If your plug swims by, that fish will probably grab it before another fish can get it. When you are fishig your " favorite spot " and the numbers of fish in that area are small I think they will tend to be more selective ( only keying on plugs that imitate the forage in the area). Just my opinion.

[Skitterpop]

No


not necessarily

[Mike P]

80% of the time---yes

20% of the time---no

[quick decision]

You must with a lot of people.

[Mr. Sandman]

From what I have read, if you are fishing at night....it does not matter. Why? Striped bass can not see color at night. This is a biological fact. During the day they can see color but their eyesight is pretty poor. Their eyesight at night is much much better, something like 90X better. They have a set of rods and cones that transition at dusk and dawn almost like two completly different sets of eyes. Some think that is why bass tend to feed then, because at that time both are working and they have an advantage. But at night they only see B&W. There is a book or two on this subject written by a eye surgeon who is really into fishing.
When I fish at night I concentrate on profiles and contrasts of colors not the color themselves. I think the profile and action is more important then color. That said I tend to fish with olive backed and white bottomed lures and some with darker colors only because I think they look more like what is out there. I don't think a bass can tell pink from yellow from blue at night but there is probably subtle difference in the translation into black and white.
Also I think a bass will eat just about anything if he is hungry. IMO all those colors are to sell more fishing lures to fisherman who don't want to be without every available color.

Also, this book did a lot with how colors transmit in seawater at different depths. Purple seems to travel the furthest and red the least as it gets absorbed first. Making this entire "Red HOOK" and red line craze confusing...do they work because the fish sees red and thinks the bait fish is injured or does it work because the red color gets absorbed first and is hard to see. or neither? I have seen both used in advertising....telling me that neither are right and it is a gimmick to sell more stuff.

Honestly, I think color provides confidence in the fishermans mind that "this has to work" and therefore he concentrates on presentation more. Just my thoughts.......

[Nebe]

Action and profile are more important IMO.

[kippy]

IMHO color does not matter. I have caught bass on all black on the brightest moonlit night. Profile and action is the key.

[CANAL RAT]

at night all the brightest colors are black so use dark colors at night and light colors in the day,i have had experinces that all fish would take was a certain color. i have also had experences when fish would not touch a plug but would hammer a leftys decevier(i fly fish also) i think the key was that the fly looked very life like and plugs do not even compare to a flys action.

[Skitterpop]

Originally Posted by Indanite

No


not necessarily

I was thinking color but type is very important most times in my experience. Sometimes they`ll hit most anything. Others its type/profile/action imparted/color all effected by numerous other factors as in tides, water clarity, degree of light,time,bait prevalent,etc. etc.

Most importantly are they where you are testing/fishing....

[Slammer223]

Very interesting.

[Sweetwater]

Plug type and color do matter. And I think significantly so.

Start with color: I don't think the specific color matters but certainly dark vs. light plugs make a huge difference. The old adage "dark at night and light at day" holds. At night, I've not found much difference between black and purple at night, and during the day "sand eel" colors, pink, yellow, and white will all produce.

When jigging, I've found that white, chartruese, and pink parachutes will do better when squid are around, but if you're fishing the Race or other areas with lobster about, dark purple, black, and deep red are the colors to use.

But maybe more than color, size and shape need to be considered. I've seen situations where guys are landing fish on 1 or 2 oz crippled herring but a 3 oz won't get a tap, especially when peanut bunker are around.

Likewise if the surf is heavy, a needle fish might be effective cutting through the chop when a polaris, pencil popper, or a danny just get's tossed around and are useless. But if the water is calm mambos and rebels might outproduce anthing (or possibly poppers).

[shadow]

Action and profile is most importent.However us fisherman can be very misleading on this subjuct because we all say color isn't importent then later say "oh yellow w/ a red head is a great color w/ that plug" or" black,gold,silver dannys are great"I know most of the time all it takes is a white or dark plug worked properly to catch.However whether it is because someone I respect once said something about some color or I'v done well w/ some color plug there is something that makes me use other colors then just white& black all the time.

[Crazy Alberto]

Under normal circumstances, it shouldn’t matter because bass are opportunist feeders! However, there are some common rules like dark night equals dark lures and vice a versa. At night I wouldn’t worry too much on a color pattern. If anything, try to work on the presentation and finding the proper feeding depth.

In fact, last year I took a young gentleman under my wings and on one late evening, we were fishing a structure and we fished about 25 feet apart. We did quite well and we managed to cull some very impressive fish up to 42 lbs. After the bite was over, I asked him what he was using… and he said to me… “ Ah, that’s a tricky question Al. You told me to concentrate on the presentation and fish it with confidence…and that’s what I did” So I insisted to ask only to find out that he was using the same lure but the complete opposite color.

“Crazy” Alberto
NonStopFisher@Optonline.net

[jkswimmer]

If all this is true why do bass favor pink needles over black on some nights.

[Skitterpop]

Water clarity mixed with light available affecting how they see that needle?

I`ve hit on white and black A-Salts same night and time frame

[Joe]

Sometimes it matters sometimes it does not.

But if you're going to make a trip to a place under just the right conditions and time of year, you've already set the stage and done the hardest part. But not always - when the hardware store on Block runs out of chartreuse Rustolium, maybe something's up.

The most important thing is finding the fish. For the guy who can find the fish consistently, filling in the rest of the blanks is a small matter - usually, the answers are right there in his night bag and have been for several seasons.

[big jay]

I read an article once quoting the owner of Moldcraft lures saying - the action of the lures catches the fish, and the colors catch the fisherman. I thought that was pretty funny.

[Slammer223]

Good point Big Jay,I know I've been caught by a lot of cool looking lures!

[baldwin]

Frank,
It seems that on that Vineyard night there were loads of fish there. Intense competition for bait will cause fish to grab a bait (or lure) without hesitation, and the lure won't matter as much. If you throw the lure into a large, actively feeding school, someone's gonna grab it. In contrast, if you've ever seen a large fish in a location with lots of bait, it can be much more difficult to get him to bite. He can be more selective, often following the lure and trying to decide whether to take it.

As for color vision, fish (like all color-perceiving animals) use their cone cells in their eyes during the day, and light-gathering rods at night. Red disappears first in the water column, I believe that the blue and green end of the spectrum travels farthest. That is why chartreuse works so well at depth and in murky water.

As far as black always working better than light colors at night, I've done very well on many nights with a white plug, while others were doing much worse with black. I can't say for sure whether it was the color that mattered, but it's something to think about. Baitfish don't turn darker at night. They just look grey or black, depending on the angle of the light, the bait, and the predatory fish. The bass still find those silver bunker at night.

Another factor is selectivity of feeding. It seems that the more of a certain type of bait is present, the more the predator may be keyed in on a certain size, action, or even color. I believe that color may be the least important of those three factors, but definitely plays a role in some situations.

[fcap60]

George Balwin:

George - "Baitfish don't turn darker at night. They just look grey or black, depending on the angle of the light, the bait, and the predatory fish. The bass still find those silver bunker at night"

George- I was waiting for your response and I'll never forget those words you told me on Cuttyhunk a few years back "Baitfish don't turn darker at night" It's so true and I remember you scoring on White Danny's while others, myself included, went with black and did not do as well.

Just a couple of comments, I experimented with colors/plugs all last year, the trip to the Vineyard was just the beginning. This year I hope to continue to mix up techniques/colors/methods, etc. b/c that's what keeps it interesting.

[DZ]

Color & Plug: It's important if YOU think it matters.

Color & Plug: It does matter if you let it.

DZ

[choggieman]

I think size of a plug is much more important than color. If fish are on 6" mullet then a gibbs trolling swimmer might not be the ticket.
More often than not the confidence a fisherman has in the color he choses goes a long long way. There are colors some swear by and others despise, but does that keep either party from catching fish? Nope.
On another note, if the fishing is mayhem and fish are everywhere you may be able to cast a potato peeler with trebles on it and hook up. BUt only if it is chartreuse!

[RIROCKHOUND]

I dunno.. a big swimmer when the bass are on peanuts can be killer...

[Swimmer]

Even better answers!

[capesams]

Originally Posted by Sweetwater

Plug type and color do matter. And I think significantly so.

Start with color: I don't think the specific color matters but certainly dark vs. light plugs make a huge difference. The old adage "dark at night and light at day" holds. At night, I've not found much difference between black and purple at night, and during the day "sand eel" colors, pink, yellow, and white will all produce.

When jigging, I've found that white, chartruese, and pink parachutes will do better when squid are around, but if you're fishing the Race or other areas with lobster about, dark purple, black, and deep red are the colors to use.

But maybe more than color, size and shape need to be considered. I've seen situations where guys are landing fish on 1 or 2 oz crippled herring but a 3 oz won't get a tap, especially when peanut bunker are around.

Likewise if the surf is heavy, a needle fish might be effective cutting through the chop when a polaris, pencil popper, or a danny just get's tossed around and are useless. But if the water is calm mambos and rebels might outproduce anthing (or possibly poppers).

I totally agree..when pulling wire..I can take the same weight jig in 4 different sold colors and catch most fish on one color where the other color's don't even get looked at.

[Skitterpop]

on a dark night...on top or not too far down into the column

White plugs often catch?



This year I`m going to rig some white S...-..s and see what happens
but you can bet I`ll have black with me also

[Skitterpop]

moved

[cheferson]

Originally Posted by capesams

I totally agree..when pulling wire..I can take the same weight jig in 4 different sold colors and catch most fish on one color where the other color's don't even get looked at.

Dont certain colors have better visibility depending on the depth of water because some light wavelengths only get down to a certain depth??