Lure Color

[T-Bone]

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...

[RHYBAK]

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

[Canuckbass]

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.

[Canuckbass]

@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.

[T-Bone]

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...

[fishtildark]

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.

[T-Bone]

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:

[fishtildark]

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.. 

[Kyle Skelding]

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

[Canuckbass]

@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...

[RHYBAK]

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.

[fishtildark]

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.

[Kyle Skelding]

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!

[T-Bone]

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.... 

[crackers42]

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!