Here are a few tips on colors. . . .Plus a whole lot more!


Color
Fish do not have an innate desire for any particular color. It is fact certain colors can be seen better under various water and light conditions which makes color a critical factor. Anadromous fish have eye receptors that are adapted to readily see the colors green in the ocean and red during spawning, but they will strike lures of any color if they can be seen. Color, then, is a prime mechanism for determining how a lure will contrast with its background so it can easily be seen. The second function of lure coloring is to provide lures with different brightness. As the fish’s metabolism changes with water temperature, a lure’s

Water As A Light Filter
When light travels through water, certain wavelengths are filtered out depending upon depth and water color. Sunlight contains all the colors of the rainbow, but as light travels through water, only certain colors in the spectrum penetrate depending upon the clarity of the water. So, the lure colors seen by the fisherman in the air are not the colors seen by the fish under water. Lure colors degrade substantially in the water, even clear water

Some colors change markedly under water. For example, fish see red as black under just a few feet of clear water, while fluorescent red becomes black to the fish at a distance in the same water.

The proper rule of thumb for choosing lure colors is "light lures for dark conditions and dark lures for bright conditions".

When fishing green water, like glacial runoff, stick to silver, fluorescent pink, red and orange, or fluorescent chartreuse color combinations. These are the only colors you'll need whether it’s sunny or overcast.

In turbid water, combinations of gold, black and fluorescent chartreuse work best. In clear water, low light conditions, combine silver with dark colors like black, metallic blue and green. during spawning runs, use combinations of fluorescent reds, oranges and pinks. When the water is cold and the sky is overcast, or in early morning or late afternoon, silver and fluorescent red combinations are very effective. But, if the water begins to warm, or it becomes sunny tone-down your lure selection by switching to lures with darker hues.

Knowledgeable fishermen always carry black lures. Black fills three particular needs:

1) In turbid (brown) water, on a sunny day, it provides the necessary contrast for the lure to be seen.

2) When the water is relatively warm and it’s sunny, a black, or even a toned-down tarnished brass spinner reduces the overall brightness of the spinner.

3) Black can be easily seen contrasted against the bright sky. If you fish at night, try a black lure.

And if you really, really want to know more about fish and colors you can go to:

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/Articles/freshwater38.htm

Enjoy,

Cowlitzfisherman