BWCA Does color matter? Boundary Waters Fishing Forum
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BWfishingfanatic12
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12/02/2022 01:59PM  
I am sure this is a topic that has been discussed a lot on here so could probably just look up an old thread but just want some fresh conversation to talk fishing perspectives.

I am not a big color person when it comes to fishing. There are a lot of nuances to this that I will get in to some but feel free to weigh in on any aspect of it.

The most important aspects of catching fish to me is timing and presentation. Color is a distant variable for me. The things that I fish most often in the BWCA are slip bobbers, ned rigs, flukes, whopper ploppers, and crankbaits. So, I will focus my thoughts on each of those.

Slip bobbers: not much color to mess with but some people swear by red hooks and beads. I have not found it to make a noticeable difference but have not experimented a ton.

Ned rigs: I mainly throw 2 colors so probably need to try to experiment more. I mainly throw blue/ black, green pumpkin/ Canada craw type colors. don't think color would matter too much though.

Flukes: this lure is all about the action in my opinion. With this one too I have not experimented enough with colors. I am most curious about people's thoughts on bubble gum pink ones or very unnatural colors. I have heard some people swear by some of those bizarre colors.

Crankbaits: I honestly have not thrown crankbaits much in the last couple years but in my opinion color matters the most for these. Matching the hatch so to speak. Perch pattered, smelt pattern, etc....

Whopper plopper: think color does not matter at all. Although I do have 4 or 5 different color patters so I guess the marketing caught this fisherman... :)
 
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12/02/2022 09:12PM  
Jig
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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12/03/2022 09:42AM  
bobbernumber3: "Jig
"


Oh yeah, should have mentioned jigs as well for sure. Thats probably the lure I am the most conflicted about. I use mostly chartreuse and orange colors and black occasionally. Have never really tried gold, green or other colors like that that many people like. Long story short I need to try more jig colors to give more accurate thoughts.
 
flytyer
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12/03/2022 02:46PM  
There is a book: "What Fish See" by Dr Colin J. Kageyama. Apparently, color has a lot to do with lure/fly material, color and depth of water, species of fish, etc.
 
12/03/2022 07:56PM  
Color is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I catch most of my fish on a black jig head, so I always tie on a black jig head.

 
Hammertime
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12/03/2022 09:15PM  
I certainly haven’t had enough experience to say one way or another.

Here is a cool article that tries to control for jig color on lake of the woods. Results suggest color doesn’t matter much, but brighter may be slightly better (tannin stained water).



Walleye Jigging “Study”
 
12/04/2022 08:05AM  
Here's a thread I started on jig colors. There are several other threads out there on jig, plastic as well as crankbait colors to complete your research. I can't say that I have a preference for one color or other. If I don't find what works, I throw whatever the other folks are throwing and using to haul in walleye :)
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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12/04/2022 12:15PM  
flytyer: "There is a book: "What Fish See" by Dr Colin J. Kageyama. Apparently, color has a lot to do with lure/fly material, color and depth of water, species of fish, etc.
"


Hmm that sounds interesting for sure! Might have to check it out thanks. For fish seeing probably usually equates to them eating more often but I'm not sure it always does.

Thanks for the things to ponder.
 
missmolly
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12/04/2022 06:20PM  
I think color matters, but I wish it didn't. Fishing is complicated enough with color mattering.

When I fished for smallmouth in the north country, I used fluorescent orange F13 Rapalas 75% of the time. They were easy to see in the low light of early morning and dusk. I had deserved confidence in them.

However, there'd be mornings when my paddlemate might tie on blue and silver F13. 80% of the time, I'd outfish him, but 20% of the time, he'd outfish me 2-to-1 until I switched.

I think color matters less with a lure like a Whopper Plopper because it's moving fast and the fish never get a good, long look at it.

With slowly fished lures, I think color matters. How much? Well, enough to consider it and use it to our advantage.

It's a good topic. Thanks for raising it.
 
12/05/2022 07:44AM  
In dirty water I go with brighter colors and in clear water I go with more neutral colors. Other than that, I don't think it matters much.
 
SummerSkin
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12/05/2022 10:04AM  
I don't worry about color as much as the other variables, but this year on a specific western BWCA lake, we *only* caught lake trout on yellow / gold lures. Our usual trout lure colors (purpledescent / perch / silver) did not work AT ALL, literally only yellow or yellow-gold produced trout bites. In fact, it was apparently the most important variable because one of our group caught trout trailing a generic shallow-driving crankbait that was a mustard yellow color -- it couldn't have run more than a few feet deep. First time I've ever seen color have such an impact. Don't know if it was the current season, something unique about the lake's biology, water color, or what.
 
thegildedgopher
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12/05/2022 01:29PM  
I have always taken the "match the hatch" approach and attempt to mimic the color and profile of the prey in any given lake. There is a lake near the BWCA that I've been fishing each of the past 5 years or so. The primary forage in this lake are cisco and rainbow smelt, and I have never found anything but cisco (and lots of it) in the bellies of the fish I've caught and cleaned from this lake. Our #1 lure on this lake every year is a firetiger reef runner. I spent a lot of time trolling white and purple crankbaits on this lake with very little luck, it took a good amount of trial and error until I started having consistent luck with firetiger.

So anecdotally it would seem that color matters in the above scenario, but I'm more interested in learning WHY, and that's a lot more challenging. The DNR reports that the perch population in this lake is essentially non-existent, and I've never seen a perch in the belly of any fish from this lake. It's possible I'm getting reaction strikes just by showing them something wildly different than what they're used to seeing day in & day out, but that's pure conjecture.

In general, I think anglers overthink things about 99% of the time -- and the fishing gear industry loves us for it.

One thing that's science-based is that the visibility of the color spectrum changes with water depth. For example, red lures are not going continue looking red very deep, whereas blue will maintain color much deeper.
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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12/05/2022 02:52PM  
bobbernumber3: "Color is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I catch most of my fish on a black jig head, so I always tie on a black jig head.


"


Isn't that the truth. I think that may be one of my bigger faults as a fisherman. Just try what always or usually works well and don't try new stuff.
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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12/05/2022 03:00PM  
Hammertime: "I certainly haven’t had enough experience to say one way or another.


Here is a cool article that tries to control for jig color on lake of the woods. Results suggest color doesn’t matter much, but brighter may be slightly better (tannin stained water).



Walleye Jigging “Study” "


Thanks for the article! It was an interesting read. It was cool to see them put so much time and effort into jig size and color variations and seeing if it affected catching.
 
12/08/2022 03:31AM  
IMO , presentation goes along with application , timing is important , when you a make a reservation in January for may or june your sure hoping you have the timing part down.
color definitely is a big factor too , sometimes it's as simple as going from clear to stained to murky water your not going to use the same colors. and with certain species in the spring the size is a big factor too ;)
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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12/21/2022 09:52AM  
SummerSkin: "I don't worry about color as much as the other variables, but this year on a specific western BWCA lake, we *only* caught lake trout on yellow / gold lures. Our usual trout lure colors (purpledescent / perch / silver) did not work AT ALL, literally only yellow or yellow-gold produced trout bites. In fact, it was apparently the most important variable because one of our group caught trout trailing a generic shallow-driving crankbait that was a mustard yellow color -- it couldn't have run more than a few feet deep. First time I've ever seen color have such an impact. Don't know if it was the current season, something unique about the lake's biology, water color, or what."


Very interesting. It's cool to hear these type of stories. It sounds like the general consensus is I should be changing up my lure colors much more often than I do. I definitely fall victim to the self-fulfilling prophecy with fishing a lot I think. But you never know what may work better until you try.
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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12/21/2022 09:55AM  
thegildedgopher: "I have always taken the "match the hatch" approach and attempt to mimic the color and profile of the prey in any given lake. There is a lake near the BWCA that I've been fishing each of the past 5 years or so. The primary forage in this lake are cisco and rainbow smelt, and I have never found anything but cisco (and lots of it) in the bellies of the fish I've caught and cleaned from this lake. Our #1 lure on this lake every year is a firetiger reef runner. I spent a lot of time trolling white and purple crankbaits on this lake with very little luck, it took a good amount of trial and error until I started having consistent luck with firetiger.


So anecdotally it would seem that color matters in the above scenario, but I'm more interested in learning WHY, and that's a lot more challenging. The DNR reports that the perch population in this lake is essentially non-existent, and I've never seen a perch in the belly of any fish from this lake. It's possible I'm getting reaction strikes just by showing them something wildly different than what they're used to seeing day in & day out, but that's pure conjecture.


In general, I think anglers overthink things about 99% of the time -- and the fishing gear industry loves us for it.


One thing that's science-based is that the visibility of the color spectrum changes with water depth. For example, red lures are not going continue looking red very deep, whereas blue will maintain color much deeper."


Very fascinating as I too tend to mimic the forage base for lakes I fish. "Match the hatch" tends to be my approach too. Its very interesting to hear your experience in that one lake as it is counter our approach. I suppose if you are not getting bit you should witch it up. Just so many variables to consider. Thats why I love it though. I have read the science on color visibility and it makes a lot of sense. Fish tend to be instinctual and reactionary in their feeding patterns but just because they see it does not mean they will eat it but it does have to increase your chances I would think. Sounds like I should try brighter lures more often.

I will report back after this upcoming fishing season.
 
lundojam
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12/30/2022 08:23AM  
Sometimes color matters a lot, and sometimes it doesn't matter at all. It is usually one of the last variables I try to "dial in."
In low light conditions it tends to matter more, in my experience.
First, though, you gotta find fish.
 
Basspro69
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03/25/2023 02:28AM  
Yes it does especially for Brookies and Brown Trout
 
03/26/2023 02:25AM  
Either color matters or there's been a looooooot of dumb luck with a few certain crankbaits in my day.

I think color of jig matters more/less on certain bodies of water, weather conditions, and time of day. I swear by gold or blue on the lake in the BWCA I visit. 90% of my box are those two colors. I'm very confident these colors are better than others.

I've fished the same body of water for several years and I've noticed a very distinct preference from fish for two specific patterned cranks over others. They also clearly have a preference on which one whether the sun is up or down. Once it flips from evening to dark their preferred color changes.

Another example comes on the Mississippi river. My buddy and I have a spot where we catch *all* of our big walleyes in spring. In the last 3 trips to this spot we have caught 5 walleyes 28-29.5 inches. One guy always has a specific pattern on while the other tries something random. Same bait, same size, just different color. All 5 big fish came on the same specific pattern. I have so much confidence in that color on Pool 4 I wouldnt even consider sharing what color it is!
 
03/28/2023 09:41AM  
I've found it matters for trout and walleye more so than for pike and bass. We've had numerous instances where one color is catching fish and the others absolutely nothing. As soon as they switch to the correct color, everyone is catching fish.

I've seen it down to where the only folks catching walleye will be the ones with a red hook. So not only the color of the jig, but it also the hook itself had to be red.

Or with brookies i've seen it where they are not only just biting on a certian color, but it also had to be the correct brand and size of spinner. It's crazy how specific they can be.
 
BWfishingfanatic12
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03/28/2023 12:54PM  
Hmm... all interesting accounts from people. Thanks for sharing! It sounds like I should be switching up my color more often or experimenting more than I do currently. I have never hear of anyone fishing with a blue jig before so that was interesting to hear that it is a favorite of one member. I've heard Brook trout can be picky, probably why we have only caught a couple the one time we targeted them up there.

Just interesting to consider all these things! Hard to think that they would be that picky sometimes but whatever that "triggering mechanism" is in the variables is important to figure out it sounds like from people's thoughts. I think it is still down the list for me but I vow to experiment more on our trip this year!
 
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