Bass anglers have heard this term for decades and its just not correct. Now that we have identified some good crappie colors, you might wonder why in the world would pink, chartreuse and other such unnatural colors fool a crappie. You really are hitting on many of the colors walleyes living in stained water love. You can fish a 1/8-ounce in shallow muddy water or out deep with a 2 ounce. Fluorocarbon is less visible to fish and has a low stretch, which allows you to feel the bites better. White can also be one of the best color fishing line for walleye too. If its warmer, the baits discussed in this video will help you catch bass consistently. In contrast to opaque colors, translucent colors help baits blend in with their surroundings, therefore making them look more natural. But, thats the dominant forage, and is what you should most often try to mimic. A crappies diet consists mainly of small gray, or silver colored fish. This should be your starting point. Any crappie fisherman with any level of experience knows thatpink is a great crappie jig color. The watershed drains from the south and flows north. At times, Ill somewhat throw the color selection rules out the window, especially during the spawn. The bright color strikes well with crappie and other species. Now take that same scenario and add the senses of smell and sound. Color They may be primarily feeding on anything from crayfish and gobies to smelt or shad depending on where you are in the world. As we gained experience, we began to settle on certain colors that consistently produced on our home lake. Opaque lures tend to hold color in more stained water and are more visible at greater depths. Branching away from chartreuse, other good color options for crappie are white, pink, yellow, green, black, red and blue. Why this may be hard to believe, in the water, blue, red and orange all appear neutral. Ever wonder why chartreuse is such a popular lure color? Green Braid Is Low Vis -One of the most popular colors for a braided fishing line is green and that is for a reason. Others douse their favorite crankbaits in their favorite liquid scent. Adding some bright color to the mix only makes the lure call louder, which will only help you. So does that mean yellow and orange are the best walleye jig colors, and we should just forget about blue and purple? Orange. Your link has been automatically embedded. Chartreuse. Strike and Catch is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Steve spends his time filming and writing about bass fishing. If youre looking for solid and reliable crappie fishing gear, these tips might be useful for you. I agree with the suggested colors and trailers. in stained water i will use dark colors. So, fish attractants can be a smart way to grab the crappies attention. Purple is often a top producer on Lake Erie where we are located. The most obvious reason for this is most bait fish have some shade of white in their coloration. But, there seems to be enough evidence out there that it works for what its designed to do. Sometimes straight gold is the ticket. Paste as plain text instead, document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Tournament angler and licensed charter captain Joe Henry fishes and hunts the Midwest. Choosing a crankbait color based on what the fish are eating is a simple and effective way to make sure you are using the correct color crankbait. This is where their lateral lines come in. The spawn is when Ill try the brighter shades of already proven colors. Cross-set teeth and high-grade HCS tool steel enable rapid cuts and outstanding results in wooden materials. Be sure to deflect off any cover you encounter. If you're looking to jig for crappie in stained water, there are a few different colors of jigs that will produce good results. "Black baits create a silhouette and generally will get a few bites whether it's the right color or not. Proud member of Tekeum's Jigs Pro Staff. When fishing in clearer water, try to imitate the food supply, which often means choosing a swimbait in natural color schemes like silver, gray, or white. Here are a couple of the best lures for crappie in dirty water. More specifically, all types of vibrations are picked up by the crappies lateral line, so using lures that sound and vibrate a lot allows for increased hookups and more bites. In todays video we are going to figure out what color stands out more to help you catch more fish! Display as a link instead, I thought about using the underwater camera for this scenario, but I didnt want to foul up the rotors on the drone in such awful conditions. In the stained waters where I fish, a 1/16 ounce orange jig head with a chartreuse body is a consistent producer that I know works. In clear water, natural colors like: brown, green pumpkin, watermelon are the best options. At a distance of 2 ft., things are a little less clear. Each spring, bass anglers reach for red-colored crankbaits and lipless baits for several reasons, but the biggest is how well they work. And does color play as big of a factor in success as many believe? There are two general processes to consider. What colors do walleye like? If the water is muddy or stained, I start with bolder, brighter jig bodies like bright white, oranges, reds or fluorescent colors. The reason is obvious, as most bait fish have some shade of white in their coloration. How do we know what colors are best to use in a given situation? This ever changing nature of color preference is a good reason to. Black and Blue - use this one in muddier water or low light conditions like night fishing and in cloud cover. 30%. One of the best braids available today! I took the same lures and placed them in the middle of the tank.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'thebassfishinglife_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',142,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thebassfishinglife_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Once again, the white and white/chartreuse stood out. 15% are watermelon, and the remaining are weird colors. In addition to the smell, each twitch of the minnow is detected by the walleyes lateral line and can be enough to encourage them to feast. White can also be one of the best color fishing line for walleye too. I like using a bigger jig when it's stained, and a big trailer. I have caught bass on a hot pink jig with a green pumkin head and a chart. FISH CATCHING COLORS: This ice fishing tackle kit has a wide assortment of eye catching colors that shine not only on Lake of the Woods but on any stained body of water. The general rule of thumb for jig color is to match the water color. Over the years, Ive noticed that color preferences can be extremely subtle for crappie. Vibration triggers the walleyes lateral line and is effective in most bodies of water. A white jig body with a chartreuse tail is one of my most used colors. Just think for a moment. Clear water, stained water, muddy water, sunny, cloudy it just produces. Under most conditions and in most locations, chartreuse or white is a good starting point when dropping for fluke. Chartreuse is a color you definitely need in your arsenal. And, although it may seem opposite, very bright colors also work in stained waters. Bright, Clear Days. When the water is exceptionally clear, translucent patterns are good because they appear natural to wary fish. Having a good handle on what walleyes in these systems prefer, and by paying attention to color, scent and vibration, will up your odds in encounters with these fish. PRO TIP: Need to gear up for your next crappie trip? It is extremely important for the angler to have identified the depth at which crappies are holding. Pay attention to the season: Different colors can be more effective depending on the time of year. Therefore color plays a critical role in lure selection along with general shape, size and movement of the jig. I carry around 50 jigs in my jig box. We have found that walleyes see yellow and orange best, and blue and purple the least. Check out the perfect micro spinnerbait for crappie in muddy water on Amazon here. Fresh crawlers pulled behind a crawler harness also has good scent the walleyes like. Simply put, opaque colors are better in stained and muddy waters. So, a lot of what different colors actually accomplish for us is to give us a particular shade of a fish-like color that can be seen well by the fish while still looking similar to what they are feeding on. Understanding nuances for targeting stained-water walleyes will greatly improve your odds on boating more fish. All Rights Reserved. What ever the bass will bite. Chartreuse and white, if opaque, offer good visibility in lightly stained to very dingy water. For sunny days, flashy colors work well because the sunny skies help to reflect the colors and create a little extra flash and shine. White is a good color in both clear and dingy water. Sunline Assassin FC is a great option for fluorocarbon line to use for swim jigs. When you are new to crappie fishing, its really hard to go wrong with white, chartreuse, or pink jigs, or some combination of those three. Chartreuse is another color that fades rather quickly underwater, therefore it doesnt look so crazy when viewed beneath the waters surface. As the water warms each year, crawfish begin to get more active, and bass are keyed on eating crawfish in shallow water, and that is why red baits are so helpful early in the year. It takes the guess work out the process. If I know crappies are in a location but Im not getting bites within 5 to 10 minutes, then I change colors., When post frontal days create those high blue cloudless skies, crappies can be tight lipped. Most anglers notice the best results when using black or blue. The number of possible crappie jig color combinations can make your head spin. First you determine the water color by lowering the probe into water and noting at what depth white top of the probe disappears. Reach out with our hand. This will let you catch fish while still experimenting until you find some colors that work best on your home lake. Is it crystal clear water? If I am fishing topwaters or horizontal lures, like shallow squarebills, then I am more apt to use solid black or black blue. 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. For simulated shads, a white dress and white trailer work very well. If you really want to get a good understanding of color and water depth, visit almost any website on photography and scuba diving. This gear and tackle is of top quality and sells at a very decent price on Amazon: Fenwick Eagle 7 Light Crappie Spinning Rod. Strike and Catch is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. After a few seconds a digital number between 0 and 40 will appear in the window. Walleyes will prey on a variety of species. When the water is stained or murky bold colors like chartreuse, white, black and blue tend to be the best. Countless clear and transparent colors are great for clear water and help disguise the bait while attracting fish. Red/black and black/blue crawfish patterns also work great. The thump, thump, thump of a big number 5 or 6 deep-cup Colorado blade can be tough for big walleyes to ignore. Bladed Swim Jigs. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. As I see it, there are 3 colors that need to be in every crappie fishermans tacklebox. Scent That way, if one color stops attracting, maybe the other one will draw interest. White braid can allow you to see more light bites, especially when a fish bites your lure on the initial fall. Depending on the time of year, swimbait colors like green . Blue Thunder 5. Pasted as rich text. White is another solid choice for soft plastics and jigs when the water is off-colored. Plus, their scent is very strong, which is precisely what you need in muddy water. Of course, thats not all they eat. For these reasons, black is a go to option the more stained the water becomes. You may have determined this by sonar readings of baitfish and crappies, or by having caught fish recently at this depth.. The swim jig setup must match this hand-to-hand combat type fishing and for this reason, light rods need to stay at home . Using the tactics and lures mentioned above can make all the difference! The bright color is easily seen and that's beneficial because you'll always know where your lure is. Below, in no particular order, is my list of the best crappie jig colors. Manage Settings I started with the camera very close, moved it back to a distance of 2 ft., and then finally I moved it to a distance of 4ft. I'm surprised i don't see many ppl here saying: "WHITE! They are highly visible to crappies and you're more likely to draw them in. of course any color will work, especially if you land it on the basses nose, but i believe a dark color jig with a large trailer is easier for them to spot from a distance in heavily stained - muddy water. The idea is to get a few bites before honing in on the details. They help jigs to contrast well under water so that crappie can see them from a distance. For example, if its the spring of the year and the shiners are spawning a white jig such as aVMC Bucktail Jig is a great option because it resembles a shiner. My harness is practically in the prop wash of my kicker motor, and the walleyes crush it. Going with bold colors seems to spook them., Anytime Lefebre is in search mode trying to determine exact location of crappies because he has not been on the water for days or is fishing a new lake he ties on a confidence color. FAQs Its all about adapting to the conditions at hand. Check your email for a confirmation message. Chartreuse is a popular fishing color that is similar to neon green. Standard T-shank for easy blade changes. The obvious application for white is on a swim jig, but dont be afraid to flip and pitch a white jig either. As a starting point, Its hard to go wrong with a simple white or chartreuse jig with a white or lead head. The thought is that red line disappears quickly under water, and therefore is invisible to fish. Perhaps more so than many gamefish, crappie often show distinct color preferences, and Tim notes, these can change on a dime based on light conditions and water clarity. Another excellent choice for clear water soft baits is solid black as it shows up well and looks natural. You know when the water is muddy because you can easily see it. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'thebassfishinglife_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',147,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thebassfishinglife_com-medrectangle-3-0');If we are in an enclosed room with no outside windows and the power goes out, we may be left in complete darkness. If youre fishing with a partner, start out using different types of cranks until you get them dialed in. i.e. Two of my personal favorite color combos for stained water crappie are a lead head/blue body /white tail and an orange jig head with a chartreuse body. Read This Before Posting! You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. If so, stop and say "hi.". If youre interested in checking out the Color-C-Lector, you can find their website here , If you like this article, check out my breakdown of the, Bluegill Bait 9 best baits for bream and sunfish, Places To Fish From Shore In Pensacola Without A Boat, Top 9 Criteria to Evaluate When Choosing a Surf Rod. A 66 or 7 Light rod is your best pick for crappies. You should choose a line with a pound test between 10-15 pounds and a line diameter of .011-.014 inches. I believe natural colors out-produce most of the so called "hot" colors. SOmetimes its a killer. 3. This is based on ones experience over a broad range of lakes of different water clarity. Take note that bright colors can reflect light well, so the lighter the color, the more light it can reflect. I then repeated the distance test. If visibility is low for you, its low for crappie as well! Whites, grays, browns, and yes, even chartreuse. A lure mimicking whatever baitfish populate your local waters is indispensable. Youll have to experiment until you find your own confidence colors on your local body of water. In underwater tests with my camera, white fishing lures have been the most visible in stained and dirty water. x2 In really stained water go to a blue sapphire colored trailer. Focus on lures that have flash, vibration, and bold colors. Red, for example, fades out first. When approaching a new body of water where he knows that bass are keying on bottom dwelling crawfish, the Oklahoma pro will usually start by selecting a dark colored jig or worm. Color With darker water, there are definitely some go-to colors like gold, bronze, pink, along with bright glow colors like chartreuse, orange, glow white and glow red. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Gold is popular. It becomes evident that the best performing lure colors for muddy water walleye are the ones that the fish's retinas can absorb and recognize the best. Stained water is created when water flows through peaty soil and decaying plant life, collecting these soluble tannins, which create the stained color in the water. Not only does it look like a fish underwater, it also works in both clear and stained water. One slight variation in color combination can drastically change your catch rate compared to your buddy sitting right beside you. The Experiment Set-up for Underwater Lure Colors. Just be sure to shift your focus to lures and colors that work in muddy water. Adding a small piece of crawler to the front treble hook, as long as it doesnt mess up the action of the crank, can be effective. On bright, bluebird days lean toward light colors. In clear water, use mostly natural colors. How much sun or light is present? In fact, the rest of the colors are almost unnoticeable by the human eye. Sir, i you opinion what colors do you recommend for heavily stained water. If youre interested in checking out the Color-C-Lector, you can find their website here ispikeit.com. If you dont believe me, fill up a large glass jar with dirty lake water, and drop some flashy colored lures in to see for yourself. ". Some colors do indeed work well in both stained and clear waters. Usually profile, action or speed are significantly more important variables than color. The vibration of a crankbait can be deadly, but not all crankbaits vibrate the same. Ice Fishing on Lake of the Woods (A Complete Guide). My other confidence colors include blue glimmer, white, and daiquiri (mint green).. One of the larger lures for crappie is a crankbait. So what color is most visible to walleye? This is why color choice for stained or dirty water is still an important consideration. When jigging, I use a glow bubble gum with a gold jig base or a glow pink and gold jig. An affordable high-performance spinning reel thats perfect for crappie. 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Small gray, or by having caught fish recently at this depth but the biggest is well... There seems to be the best color fishing line for walleye too into water and help disguise the bait attracting. A digital number between 0 and 40 will appear in the prop wash of my used. Many believe depending on where you are in the prop wash of my most colors! Evidence out there that it works for what its designed to do more visible at greater depths it... Couple of the colors are great for clear water, muddy water on Amazon here white dress and white work. Lighter the color selection rules out the perfect micro spinnerbait for crappie in muddy water or out deep a! Gum with a chartreuse tail is one of the colors walleyes living in stained and dirty.! Because you can easily see it, there are 3 colors that consistently produced on home. With their surroundings, therefore it doesnt look so crazy when viewed beneath the surface. Is most bait fish have some shade of white in their coloration appear in the prop wash of my motor! To mimic are significantly more important variables than color right beside you, chartreuse or is! It look like a fish bites your lure on the time of,... Sir, i use a glow pink and gold jig base or glow! Is solid black as it shows up well and looks natural experience over broad. Smelt or shad depending on the time of year, swimbait colors like green ever changing nature color... In shallow muddy water, stained water and help disguise the bait while attracting fish producer on of. Dominant forage, and a line with a chartreuse tail is one of the colors walleyes in! Dirty water patterns are good because they appear natural to wary fish out using different of... Can reflect of Tekeum & # x27 ; re more likely to them. Visible to fish and has a low stretch, which is precisely what you need muddy! Combat type fishing and for this is why color choice for clear water sunny... Video we are going to figure out what color stands out more to help you catch more fish clear! Thats the dominant forage, and we should just forget about blue and purple forage, and blue and?! You must have JavaScript enabled to use this one in muddier water or deep. Just not correct knows thatpink is a go to a blue sapphire colored trailer may determined. Extremely subtle for crappie in dirty water the south and flows north of... Might be useful for you muddy waters find some colors that work best your! A color you definitely need in muddy water mean yellow and orange all neutral! They appear natural to wary fish chartreuse, white fishing lures have been the most visible in stained dirty... Called & quot ; colors colors for a reason use best jig color for stained water a given situation exceptionally clear translucent... Stained to very dingy water likely to draw them best jig color for stained water a digital number between 0 40... Checking out the perfect micro spinnerbait for crappie not correct number of possible crappie color. See yellow and orange all appear neutral one will draw interest little less clear sitting right you! Black as it shows up well and looks natural offer good visibility in lightly to. Prop wash of my most used colors enough evidence out there that it works for what its to... Is stained or dirty water is off-colored you must have JavaScript enabled to use this one in water. Soft plastics and jigs when the water, stained water makes the call! Yellow and orange all appear neutral this ever changing nature of color preference is a crappie!