Have read darker colors for muddy or dirty water and lighter colors for clearer water. Then there is darker colors for low light conditions and bright colors for sunny or brighter days.
So when you have conditions with bright conditions with stained/muddy water or cloudy days with clear/green water what is best rule of thumb? Water clarity or sky clarity?
Soft Plastic Selection: Water Clarity or Sky Clarity
Re: Soft Plastic Selection: Water Clarity or Sky Clarity
I use three colors mainly when flats fishing
Avacado Red Glitter
Red Gold
Gold
Bright clear days and/or clean water - Gold
Overcast days and/or dark water - Avacado Red
Anything in between I throw the Red Gold
Avacado Red Glitter
Red Gold
Gold
Bright clear days and/or clean water - Gold
Overcast days and/or dark water - Avacado Red
Anything in between I throw the Red Gold
"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree." - Michael Crichton
Re: Soft Plastic Selection: Water Clarity or Sky Clarity
"Match the Hatch".
The rule of thumb I have gone by all these years. Next time you are out, check the bait around you. If your fishing grass flats, the bait tends to have a darker back, to blend in better with the grass. If you are on the beach, the bait is more silver to match the sand.
In the winter, when the water is clearer, I thinks its more important to down size your leader than the color of the lure. The bigger the leader and the clearer the water, the easier it is for fish to see it. I throw a DOA Shad Tail in Golden Bream all winter. Its a dark color bait and the water is extra clear. Why? Because the fish key in on smaller baits, and I think this mimic's a small crab or mud minnow. Totally opposite of what conventional wisdom would say.
In the summer, I can beef up the leader because the water is more stained. I will throw I Gold Dart all summer. I used to use a Exude RT Slug in Arkansas Shad color. It had a golden brown top and pearl bottom. That closely mimicked the bait fish. Caught lots of reds on that lure. Exude changed the color of it, and the new one doesn't work as well as the old. JMO Another color is Pearl, kind of of goes against what I just said, but in the summer you get more greenbacks on the flats and the prey fish key in on them.
The rule of thumb I have gone by all these years. Next time you are out, check the bait around you. If your fishing grass flats, the bait tends to have a darker back, to blend in better with the grass. If you are on the beach, the bait is more silver to match the sand.
In the winter, when the water is clearer, I thinks its more important to down size your leader than the color of the lure. The bigger the leader and the clearer the water, the easier it is for fish to see it. I throw a DOA Shad Tail in Golden Bream all winter. Its a dark color bait and the water is extra clear. Why? Because the fish key in on smaller baits, and I think this mimic's a small crab or mud minnow. Totally opposite of what conventional wisdom would say.
In the summer, I can beef up the leader because the water is more stained. I will throw I Gold Dart all summer. I used to use a Exude RT Slug in Arkansas Shad color. It had a golden brown top and pearl bottom. That closely mimicked the bait fish. Caught lots of reds on that lure. Exude changed the color of it, and the new one doesn't work as well as the old. JMO Another color is Pearl, kind of of goes against what I just said, but in the summer you get more greenbacks on the flats and the prey fish key in on them.
"Anytime I shag a buddies wife I always cut the lawn when I'm done " ~ The Leg End ~
-
GILs_GONE_WILD
- Posts: 2533
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm
- Location: Among the Mangroves of W. Central FL
Re: Soft Plastic Selection: Water Clarity or Sky Clarity
I catch ALL my Speckled Trout on a DOA Chartreuse Glitter paddle tail and sometimes a curly tail. Regarding color, this lure "matches" absolutely nothing out there. I use it during all four seasons ... and they eat it. Maybe they're tired of eating "the hatch" and want something different. I dunno. :-/
GIL
"Only the half-mad are wholly alive." ~~~ Edward Abbey
"Only the half-mad are wholly alive." ~~~ Edward Abbey
Re: Soft Plastic Selection: Water Clarity or Sky Clarity
I have been using a Brown/Glow soft plastic from 42 Tackle Co. and have been on fire with it. I first noticed it working the best in the muddy/brown stained water. I was just at Fort Desoto last weekend and had much clearer water and same great results. It has worked in all conditions. I have caught Snook, Reds, Trout, Flounder and Snapper on it so far.
You should check them out.
http://www.42TackleCo.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You should check them out.
http://www.42TackleCo.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;