Hi guys,

I have a question regarding your favorite smallmouth crankbait and jerkbait colors.

I do most of my smallmouth fishing in gin clear, oligotrophic lakes which also contain lake trout. So I have typically used crankbaits and jerkbaits in more natural color schemes, such as...

Black / Silver
Blue Silver
Purpledescent
Pearl White

However, I recently watched a Lindner's Angling Edge video (see attached) in which they indicate that even in clear water, it seems as if the Lindners are using hotter colors such as...

Hot Head
Hot Pink
Clown.
Firetiger
Chartreuse
Orange

etc.

I'm wondering if I'm missing out by not expanding into some of the more gaudy color schemes for smallmouth.

So just curious.

Do any of you guys use some of the brighter / more gaudy color patterns (firetiger, chartreuse, orange, etc) for smallmouth, even in clear water?

If so, how have your results been?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

"Jackpot" John Schroeder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJngjWoSDXA

Chartreuse, orange and fire-tiger are good colors on cloudy days or stained\tea colored water. You might also want to include a craw pattern to your natural colors. I have used the other flashy colors in the past, they produce, but I don't think as much as the ones I indicated up above. A chartreuse Booyah GLOW double willow blade spinnerbait has produced for me no matter the clarity of the water.

Second QueticoMike's recommendation for the crawfish pattern. Especially for shallow water bumping on the bottom. Something that matches the pattern of the typical forage fish (minnows) for the lake is usually a good choice.

Crawfish has been effective. Two other lures I would recommend is a Rapala Skitter Prop in green (surface lure) and a Rapala baby bass jointed Shad Rap has been incredibly productive. Caught my largest smallie on that lure, just over 21".

I would second this question with the target species being Walleye

In the past I have almost exclusively trolled with perch colored shad raps. What are peoples go to colors for walleye?

For smallmouth I typically fish soft plastics and I’ve had the best luck with natural colors. I would also echo the crawfish pattern shad rap. I lost several to northerners last year...might try a Fluocarbon leader or a steel later this year.

Sorry , I don’t mean to hijack your thread ??

BigDadE: "I would second this question with the target species being Walleye


In the past I have almost exclusively trolled with perch colored shad raps. What are peoples go to colors for walleye?


For smallmouth I typically fish soft plastics and I’ve had the best luck with natural colors. I would also echo the crawfish pattern shad rap. I lost several to northerners last year...might try a Fluocarbon leader or a steel later this year.


Sorry , I don’t mean to hijack your thread ??"

Gold has worked the best for me for walleyes while trolling. Rapala Husky Jerk and original jointed lures have produced. Don’t use a steel leader. If you need to use a leader, try a titanium leader. They might be more expensive, but they are stronger, thinner in diameter and don’t kink. They practically last forever unless you get snagged.

This year, I'm basing my entire tackle box on what QueticoMike says. Tht way if I don't catch anything its his fault, not mine. He's given me some really good advice, or at least I hope so.

jackpotjohnny48: "Hi guys,

I have a question regarding your favorite smallmouth crankbait and jerkbait colors.

I do most of my smallmouth fishing in gin clear, oligotrophic lakes which also contain lake trout. So I have typically used crankbaits and jerkbaits in more natural color schemes, such as...

Black / Silver
Blue Silver
Purpledescent
Pearl White

However, I recently watched a Lindner's Angling Edge video (see attached) in which they indicate that even in clear water, it seems as if the Lindners are using hotter colors such as...

Hot Head
Hot Pink
Clown.
Firetiger
Chartreuse
Orange

etc.

I'm wondering if I'm missing out by not expanding into some of the more gaudy color schemes for smallmouth.

So just curious.

Do any of you guys use some of the brighter / more gaudy color patterns (firetiger, chartreuse, orange, etc) for smallmouth, even in clear water?

If so, how have your results been?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

"Jackpot" John Schroeder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJngjWoSDXA
"

I’ve always had the best luck with the “match the hatch” theory. Staying with more natural colors on clear lakes. Having said that, it really is a confidence thing. If you are confident with a certain color, it tends to enhance your production. There is an excellent book called “Knowing Bass” by Keith Jones that is a scientific breakdown of all of the bass senses and how it all connects. I believe it is out of print but it’s worth finding it if you can. Good luck out on the water!

We have had good luck with clown and hothead, especially on days when it is hot and sunny. The bright colors really seem to aggravate the smallies.

8a bomber chartreuse crawdad.
whenever i find a rock pile under 25' i'll cast this out and crank away !

I have three lures/colors I like because they work across the spectrum of water color/clarity/temp when I’m targeting SMB. Cranks-crayfish, particularly the ones with an orange belly. Spinnerbaits-nickel over white. Usually a tandem blade willow/Colorado. Soft plastics-green pumpkin paddle tail on a jig. There are times when other colors work better but those three are my starting point on just about any body of water. When I throw topwaters it’s a Whopper Plopper or a Pop-R with a white belly during bright conditions and a dark belly under low light conditions.

As mentioned a few times, poppers are a must. I have a firetiger reflective Pop-R that always works. Those bass are everywhere, change lures a few times and they'll tell you what they want.

bombinbrian: "This year, I'm basing my entire tackle box on what QueticoMike says. Tht way if I don't catch anything its his fault, not mine. He's given me some really good advice, or at least I hope so."

Have you read my articles?

You emailed them to me.. and I’ve shared them with my group. We’re counting on you to be able to eat on our trip this year

Heddon Super Spook in Bullfrog color.

I also fish an oligotrophic lake in N Wisconsin for SMB's. VERY Clear water. I have had good success with Ghost color Jerkbaits (Megabass Vision 110's and Lucky Craft Pointers and rapala xraps). They're somewhat transparent versions of baitfish patterns. I have heard that Matte finishes work better on overcast or windy days in clear water too. I plan on getting a few to try out this spring. I do run one bait that's hot pink that I've done well on. I believe the color is Cotton Wakasagi.

Hothead has been a great xrap color for me in the BWCA. But the water is more tannic there. Pearl colors have also worked great for both BWCA and clear water lakes for me. I like a Pearl with an orange belly.

Hope that helps answer your question a little bit.

Thanks everybody for the replies.

The main reason I was asking was that I had a chance to buy a group of 16 old Heddon clatter tads (a discontinued lure), and most of the colors in the batch tended to be on the brighter side (more toward the firetiger end of the spectrum).

I remember my first ever trip to Canada, on Eagle Lake in 1989. My dad and I spent quite a bit of time trolling the clatter tads on that particular trip, and caught quite a few walleyes, pike, and smallmouth while doing so.

The problem was that we had so many pike bite us off, that we lost most of our clatter tads on that trip.

Until a couple weeks ago, I only had 3 or 4 left, so I was hesitant to use them, for fear of losing them.

So I ended up pulling the trigger on the purchase, despite the fact that I normally use somewhat more traditional "clear water" patterns (silver / blue, silver black, purple, pearl white) when fishing oligotrophic lakes.

Anyway, the clatter tads arrived in the mail yesterday, and now I know I have enough on hand so that I afford to lose a couple to bite offs, and therefore can use these again.

I think they make a nice alternative to the traditional shad rap, glass shad rap, etc. And I think the rattles have a tendency to call the smallies in from a distance.

Looking forward to getting these lures out on the water, provided the border opens up this summer.

I would love to see the border open this summer, but I think the chances are slim. You might want to book a Boundary Waters trip now as a plan B.