09-02-2023, 04:34 PM
Ya gotta remember that the rods and cone cells in the eyes of fish are different than humans...so they see colors differently. And a lot of times the most effective fly/lure is the one they can see best under prevailing conditions of light, clarity, etc. And sometimes it becomes more a matter of size and/or shape than actual color of the spectrum.
Over the course of (far too) many years I have had a lot of my prime notions demolished by actual fish behavior. Never say always and never say never...especially in matters of color. Otherwise, how can we explain why fish feeding actively on white or silvery prey species will clobber something in bright pink...or orange...or chartreuse.
Back in the late 70's and early 80's there were no shad or wipers in Willard. The primary forage species for the catfish, walleyes and bass in the lake were YOY crappies...and crawdads. But my most productive lure...almost year-round...was a 3" yellow twister with a dark red head. I could fish it all around the lake...casting in next to the rocks...and caught all species on it. Tried it again last year just for giggles and it still works. Nothing in Willard remotely resembles that lure combo but the contrasting colors and good visibility under most light and clarity conditions make it visible and attractive.
There are many presentation variables that can be equally or more important than color. Obviously, the first is fish location. Ya gotta find active fish first. Next is presentation...the right depth and the right speed....with the right action.
In short, it doesn't matter what you use or how you use it if there are no fish present. But once you find fish you can usually experiment to find the right mix of size, color, depth, speed, etc. to score a few fish. Simple...but not easy. That's what drives us wacko and keeps us coming back for more humiliation.
Over the course of (far too) many years I have had a lot of my prime notions demolished by actual fish behavior. Never say always and never say never...especially in matters of color. Otherwise, how can we explain why fish feeding actively on white or silvery prey species will clobber something in bright pink...or orange...or chartreuse.
Back in the late 70's and early 80's there were no shad or wipers in Willard. The primary forage species for the catfish, walleyes and bass in the lake were YOY crappies...and crawdads. But my most productive lure...almost year-round...was a 3" yellow twister with a dark red head. I could fish it all around the lake...casting in next to the rocks...and caught all species on it. Tried it again last year just for giggles and it still works. Nothing in Willard remotely resembles that lure combo but the contrasting colors and good visibility under most light and clarity conditions make it visible and attractive.
There are many presentation variables that can be equally or more important than color. Obviously, the first is fish location. Ya gotta find active fish first. Next is presentation...the right depth and the right speed....with the right action.
In short, it doesn't matter what you use or how you use it if there are no fish present. But once you find fish you can usually experiment to find the right mix of size, color, depth, speed, etc. to score a few fish. Simple...but not easy. That's what drives us wacko and keeps us coming back for more humiliation.