I don't know enough about fishing to really have an opinion on this, but I find myself wondering about it often when I watch TV shows where one person is killing it on 'Color A' while the other person isn't getting squat on 'Color B'. I know when we're up on Kipawa jig fishing for 'eyes I stay pretty close to chartreuse, white, pink, and black...maybe throw a red in there every now and then. But the first 3 are 96% of what I use with a body of one of those colors. I know
@Canuckbass would say "lead-head gray" works just fine...and maybe it does.
When targeting them, my pike success has been limited over the past several years. Maybe from lack of trying (that'll do it every time) or maybe just luck as guys around me catch pike where I'm usually monkeying with getting snagged on a submerged log.
This year I'm going to invest in a couple Whopper Ploppers for some pike action on Kipawa. At $17-$22 each, I want to be sure I get the color/finish that optimizes my chances for success on Kipawa. The forage we see is walleye, perch, or maybe fallfish. I'd bet there are others, but that's what we see. This would lead me to believe I need a "greenish" or "perch" pattern for the lure...or "silver/white" for the fallfish.
My question is...does it really matter? I've caught pike on chrome Hot-N-Tots before....and that would imitate a fallfish if I'm guessing.
Thoughts?
Thanks all...
74...
T-Bone
I really wish I could help you out on this one.
Colour means nothing to me.
I do not look at fishing scientifically.
I think all of those pretty colours are to catch the fisherman .
I use Black jig heads with leeches.
My backups are Chartruese, pink, and candyapple red.
I can see why Canuckbass uses Grey jig heads since he uses those Grey smelt coloured berkley minnows
Good subject, I could write a novel but will try not to.
I myself wouldn’t use a Whopper Plopper for pike but that’s just me. I’d rather use a Zoom Super Fluke 5†Texas rigged with 4/0. So much more versatile and has caught hundreds of pike. Jerkbiat just under surface or nail weight it and let sink a bit. Northland makes a good weighted hook I use.
Coloured jigs in Kipawa. My group uses a mixture and they do alright, I stick to plain lead and it works same if not better. Walleye can see 30 feet on Kipawa, it’s a clear lake. Colour is used for me If fishing heavy weeds like Kawwarthas, easier for walleye to see and pick up.
Plus, plain lead is like $4 for a dozen 1/4oz.
Walleye are dumb, if you find them they usually eat at dusk. But plain jig/ power Minnow setup I catch them all day long.
All fish I usually stick to natural colours, nothing to funky.
@RHYBAK and I have same thoughts on colour. And I take any info we pull out of him as strong advice.
And don’t buy lures with fancy packaging and over marketed, they catch anglers not fish.
Quote from: Canuckbass on May 14, 2018, 09:59:26 AM
I’d rather use a Zoom Super Fluke 5†Texas rigged with 4/0. So much more versatile and has caught hundreds of pike. Jerkbiat just under surface or nail weight it and let sink a bit. Northland makes a good weighted hook I use.
OK...so if you're using a Zoom Super Fluke of any size...what color do you buy, or what color do you prefer, or what color catches more pike than others? Same question for jerkbait. And just for my edification, what does "nail weight" it mean? Tape a nail to it to add weight? As stated, I don't claim to be a truly educated fisherman...I just like to fish.
And I agree that the hottest new lure or new colors or finishes are marketed to catch fisherman, but something must work better than something else. I can't imagine opening Canuck's tackle bag and finding nothing but lead gray jigs, bodies, crankbaits, jerk baits, other lures, etc.
Thanks fellas...
T-Bone- I like to fish for Pike a lot during the walleye mid day lull. I was always told that red and white is a go to pike lure because it P____es them off. thus the Daredevle and Bucktail spinners in red and white. We also seem to catch a number on Walleye and trout lures that imitate the forage fish.. ie , blue/silver(cisco) , perch color crankbaits. Never tried the jerkbaits but they eat most anything when hungry.
Quote from: fishtildark on May 14, 2018, 10:29:10 AM
I was always told that red and white is a go to pike lure because it P____es them off.
So, IF I invest in these expensive baits...just to see if they work, you know...you would suggest I should steer toward a red/white (pi$$es them off color) and green/black (walleye color). Like below:
(http://i68.tinypic.com/2zqekhl.png)
(http://i68.tinypic.com/2b9r43.png)
They both look good but if I had to choose one, my PERSONAL preference would be for the Red and white. Kind of reminds me of the old pikie minnow which caught a lot of pike and muskies over the years. But., hey , don't worry about the cost and limit yourself .. you deserve both.. ::)
We have always had success with black jigs heads, using leeches this just matches the bait better. I find pike will hit a variety of colors, perch/fire tiger seems to do well, along with whites or silvers. Just throw something big and they'll hit it haha
@T-Bone Flukes 5†not the giant ones CT carries for some stupid reason.
White, bubble gum or natural minnow colour.
I think most fish are colour blind, bubble gum looks like a bright white to them.
Throw it right into weeds, trees or open water... you can fish it anywhere. Jerk pause jerk pause.
Nail weight - slide small nail into plastic body to add weight.
I have dozens of Plano boxes full of lures, they all stay in basement. My tackle box is rather small and all natural colours. All my cranks, topwater, jerks all fit into one Plano 3600 box. Any more then that you’re carrying to much.
I’m a bass guy...
Quote from: fishtildark on May 14, 2018, 10:52:28 AM
They both look good but if I had to choose one, my PERSONAL preference would be for the Red and white. Kind of reminds me of the old pikie minnow which caught a lot of pike and muskies over the years. But., hey , don't worry about the cost and limit yourself .. you deserve both.. ::)
See what I mean.
The operative words here are "
LOOKS GOOD"
You caught the fisherman.
LOL, no, the operative words are "if I had to choose one".. I am not the one buying but I do agree that most lures catch more fishermen than fish.. T-Bone was asking for an opinion on which.
No one ever bought a lure or piece of tackle because they thought it looked like garbage lol You buy what you think looks like a good lure to give you the best odds of catching fish. It could be based on a number of things, appearance being of those factors. No doubt there are some gimmicky baits out there, but we all have our favorites that "look good" and give us the most confidence when fishing them.
@T-Bone be sure to post a picture of the monster to get on one of those good lookin baits!
Will do if I get a monster...then sales of Whopper Plopper go through the roof and they introduce the Kipawa Edition!!!
Anyway...good spread of opinions. Color must have something to do with it all...at least to mimic the natural forage. Haven't seen too many white fish with red head and red tail, but whatever...if it works it works. I have plenty of vintage antique lures that have that white and red pattern...must be worth something. If color didn't matter, a transparent lure should work as effectively as a bright orange one, but I don't think that is the case.
All I know is this...if I buy one of these and lose it I'm going to get pi$$ed...and it will have nothing to do with the color of my lure...red and white combo or not.... ;D
Lure color will actually change based on the depth you are in and light penetration in the water.
ie. Red below 20 feet is actually purple
ie. Brown below 20 feet is more black
ie. Yellow below 20 feet is actually green
ie. Purple below 20 feet turns more brown
We have always found chartreuse for pike works very well (especially top water right when the ice comes out) and red along with black/white works well for pickerel all times of year
A lot of times matching the light penetration with color works well (ie high light penetration more flash tends to work better) whereas darker days darker colors.
Hope this helps!
Colour helps fish locate lure. Light penetration is exactly part of it, that’s another novel!!
I could be whacking bass on one colour, next day sun changes and I would go different.
Dark for overcast or dusk, brighter for bright days.
Can never go wrong with green pumpkin.
T-Bone, you just hit on the problem with the whole process, the idea of losing the lure. To catch pike you need to fish where that is a real possibility.. My suggestion would be get two of all of them. That will start the run on Whopper Ploppers..
T-Bone
I would suggest some of these if your looking to experiment
Excellent action
https://www.fishusa.com/product/Savage-Gear-3D-Line-Thru-Trout-Swimbaits
Quote from: fishtildark on May 14, 2018, 01:51:22 PM
T-Bone, you just hit on the problem with the whole process, the idea of losing the lure. To catch pike you need to fish where that is a real possibility.. My suggestion would be get two of all of them. That will start the run on Whopper Ploppers..
Whopper Poppers are old news, three years ago they were huge, now I haven’t heard about until this forum today.
Quote from: Canuckbass on May 14, 2018, 02:39:37 PM
Whopper Poppers are old news, three years ago they were huge, now I haven’t heard about until this forum today.
I don't know...I hear an awful lot about them and apparently the retailers must like them as much space as they devote to them on the lure wall . And when I say "I don't know" I mean it...I really don't know. What's news in lures and the latest whiz-bang crank bait is lost on me. The last thing I need in this world is more fishing tackle. Buuuuuuutttttt....if I had to buy "just one more lure", it will be a Whopper Plopper...and now I've decided...it's going to be red and white. ;)
Fun little thread...and I learned a lot. Now...if anybody is in the market for some fishing tackle
other than jigs, jig bodies, and some old stand-bys (original Rapalas, hula popper, jitterbug, mud bug, tubes, in-line spinners, and a couple spoons)...send me a PM. ;D
Funny little story that validates much of what was said here today....
https://npaa.net/2016/11/19/a-boyds-eye-view-what-is-it-with-the-classic-red-and-white-color-pattern-in-fishing-lures/
Also, notice this box of "antique" lures...either red-and-white or natural color scheme...
(http://i67.tinypic.com/2h2hb21.jpg)
Just messin with ya Crackers but if purple below 20 ft. looks like brown and brown below 20 ft. looks like black, why wouldn't purple look like black and never look like brown below 20 ft.? Here's another one. They tell us red is the first color to lose it's color with depth, then why are so many lures red or have red in them? About 25-30 years ago I bought a color selector meter which has an arrow pointing to the best color to use at the depth the probe is. I used that color selector a lot for a couple years since I fish for crappies, and to me, it made no difference in my catch rate. Then along came the PH meter and guess what?... It corresponded to the thermocline. I have bought most all of the wacky lures out there. Some buzz , light up, make recorded noises when wet, and are banned in 19 states and half of Canada. I fell for it all. Remember that, when you see a kid with a cane pole and a can of red worms he dug up from under a cow patty, with a stringer full of whatever.
C.C.
Great convo!
Red is supposed to make bait look injured/ blood.
Fish first attack the weakest/ injured fish in a school supposedly.
Next week we can discuss line colour, thickness, flouro, mono, braid.. lol
Hey guys I troll about half the time I fish. I used to fish Georgian Bay where it was often too windy to still fish, drifting was faster then trolling lol. I'll stick to trolling patterns. I agree with the guys above about jigs. As for colors on a sunny day chrome works well. On cloudy days I use a white shad color. I'll use a bomber long A with a prism tape inside with good results too. Somedays perch or firetiger. After that I'll strap on anything till I get a bite. IMO shad imitating lures work best. My goto lure is the Cotton Cordel Ripplin red fin then jointed rapalas or straight one. I've trolled deep diving cranks (20 ft. down or more) in 30 to 40 FOW and had good luck. Fish were split evenly between pike and pickerel. The picks fought better.
Quote from: Canuckbass on May 14, 2018, 08:28:41 PM
Red is supposed to make bait look injured/ blood. Fish first attack the weakest/ injured fish in a school supposedly.
Next week we can discuss line colour, thickness, flouro, mono, braid.. lol
Too obvious...that's just a theory until we can ask a fish ... 😳 ...but a meaningful angle for whomever thought of it first. Gotta love marketing...
I do have some meaningful questions about using braid with flouro leaders...but that's for another day.
Quote from: T-Bone on May 14, 2018, 09:11:05 PM
Quote from: Canuckbass on May 14, 2018, 08:28:41 PM
Red is supposed to make bait look injured/ blood. Fish first attack the weakest/ injured fish in a school supposedly.
Next week we can discuss line colour, thickness, flouro, mono, braid.. lol
Too obvious...that's just a theory until we can ask a fish ... 😳 ...but a meaningful angle for whomever thought of it first. Gotta love marketing...
I do have some meaningful questions about using braid with flouro leaders...but that's for another day.
Anytime! I've used braid with flouro for many years... It's awesome, jigging on Kipawa 8lb mono is perfect.
As to color we , the fishermen all have our opinions . I will add something my Dad and Grandfather before him taught me . Bright sunshine and clear water equals shiny silver reflective lure , overcast and or cloudy water equals darker color lure . This rule of thumb applies to lures more than jig heads .On the jig head color our group swears by a pumpkin color which has year in year out out-fished any other color used
1/8 jig head, night crawler, 6 pound test line, 5' ugly stick...just saying...lucky (http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/jprfishin/IMG_0738_zps8ivrdy7l.jpg) (http://s1262.photobucket.com/user/jprfishin/media/IMG_0738_zps8ivrdy7l.jpg.html)
We don't try for them but my wife gets a few each year..
Quote from: JigginFool on May 15, 2018, 08:59:38 PM
1/8 jig head, night crawler, 6 pound test line, 5' ugly stick...just saying...lucky
Indeed, nice fish. And yeah...I get it. Keep it simple...no need to spend money on lures designed to catch fisherman. Buuuuut, you have to admit, side by side in the same boat...a person fishing a hook/worm/bobber will likely get out-fished by a person fishing with specific lures designed for fishing a particular species. Maybe not.
If anything, it's more of a "right place right time" exercise than it is using which bait and what color. So, if that's the case, the need for almost ANY tackle beyond a hook/worm/bobber set-up is negligible....no matter what color it is.
And I would tend to lean more to the side that it's more about being in the right place place at the right time than it is some scientific algorithm of factors that need to be aligned to increase your chances. As much as the lure makers and some of the fishing shows try to make your believe it, like you said...it's really just luck and the skill of the fisherman to set the hook and land the fish.
Glad we got that settled... ;)
T-Bone
If your anything like me, you bring everything but the kitchen sink and it just sits in the cabin looking pretty and now , you are looking to spend money unnecessarily on more lures that will end up in the cabin all week keeping the other lure company.
Believe me, I know that scenario oh too well.
HA... Rhybak just hit the nail on the head... I am the guiltiest of fishermen... "I'm just going to walk around the store, not going to by anythin.... oohhhh shinny lure - wait!!! THEY ARE ON SALE!!!". ..and they end up "keeping the other lures company" when I use the "old faithful" lures most of the time. Some of my friends have told me, on several occasions... "you have a problem you know".
I honestly buy most of my tackle when river and lakes are frozen and it is below zero degrees outside - I think this honestly keeps me from going insane.... just thinking about waiting that long to get back on the water drives me nuts and buying tackle is a great substitute/replacement.
I am supposed to get my boat back tomorrow or early Friday - season opens on the Ottawa river here (Ottawa) on Friday and I have 4 new rods and at least two dozen new lures and options to try out...or at least put in the right tackle tray. With luck, I hope to get some fishing in for all 4 days (Friday to Monday).... so anxious!!!
Funny, most of my Kipawa outings I put a pack of jigheads in my pocket with a bag of plastics... that’s it. No tackle box. Scissors and plyers are always in boat.
Sounds like how I grew up fishing smallmouths on the river. Either a pack of white mister twisters. Or flyrod and a few wet flies or streamers, pair of old sneakers and some of my best memories.
Mike
Quote from: RHYBAK on May 14, 2018, 02:22:00 PM
T-Bone
I would suggest some of these if your looking to experiment
Excellent action
https://www.fishusa.com/product/Savage-Gear-3D-Line-Thru-Trout-Swimbaits
For you guys who like to experiment on a budget, I have been buying more and more from china direct. Just takes a while to search then about 4-6 weeks to get here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/af/lifelike-segment-fishing-lure.html?d=y&origin=n&blanktest=0&jump=afs&SearchText=lifelike+segment+fishing+lure&initiative_id=SB_20180518093140&isViewCP=y&catId=0
I also bought underwater fishing camera kit that seems very nice:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-EYOYO-CR110-7LDVR30M-30m-7-LCD-Underwater-Video-DVR-Camera-IR-16GB-Fish-Finder/32789478118.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dUqlp0l
Or laser range finder for hunting:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Waterproof-600M-Telescope-Laser-Range-Finder-Distance-Height-Speed-Meter-Monocular-Telescope-Hunting-Golf-Outdoor-Laser/32842993412.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dBoCZ2U
Or some spoons:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/TOMA-30pcs-lot-Metal-Fishing-Lures-Kit-Spinners-Mixed-color-Size-Weight-4g-7g-Spoon-Lures/32844046846.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.42944c4dOIHtrI
crankbaits:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/49pcs-lot-Lure-kit-set-Fishing-lure-bait-Crank-Minnow-VIB-Baits-Crankbait-Swimbait-treble-hooks/32757454742.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dnaiYeO
I also ordered this reel. Its not here yet but I'm curious how this $17 reel compares to my pfluger president...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Spinning-Fishing-Reel-12BB-1-Bearing-Balls-500-9000-Series-Metal-Coil-Spinning-Reel-Boat-Rock/32707078361.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dnaiYeO
I have also bought motorcycle parts, armour, motorcycle comm gear, pelican case knockoffs, etc. It's a handy site and transactions are protected by the main site, never had a problem after dozens of orders.
Oh boy, the Ali Express knockoffs... lol. A friend swears by the site and buys a lot of tackle. He swears more using them.
Fair enough haven’t got the lures or reel yet.
Other stuff I’ve ordered has been great.
We usually fish a pink tournament every spring for Blind Anglers and all the guys that fish Pike a lot like to use Pink and there #1 color and white as there #2. And we all throw plastic Jerkbaits also.