Gold vs. Silver Flash: What Happened After One Morning Test
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
When it comes to dark-colored lures, most anglers focus on the silhouette.
But there’s another variable that’s easy to overlook…
The flash.
For this trip, I wanted to compare two nearly identical paddletails, one with gold flash and one with silver flash, and see if changing light conditions throughout the morning made any noticeable difference.
The goal wasn’t to prove that one is better than the other.
I wanted to take one trip, keep everything else as consistent as possible, and see if any interesting patterns emerged.
Insiders, July’s Tackle Tester is Black Ice, the same color Tony used in this video, and you can choose from three different lure profiles. Claim yours here.
Featured Gear:
- Rod: Slot Machine Medium
- Reel: Otis 2500
- Lure 1: Mulligan 4″ Paddletail – Black Ice
- Lure 2: Mulligan 4″ Paddletail – Gold Digger
- Hook: Hoss Helix Hook 3/0 1/8oz
- Mainline: Diawa J-Braid 10lb
- Leader: Ande 15lb Mono Leader
- Scent: Pro-Cure Inshore Saltwater
Featured Software:
What I Observed
To keep the test as fair as possible, I used identical setups and switched between lures every three casts.
Early in the morning, the gold flash lure got the first bite, a snook that unfortunately came unbuttoned.
Later, after the sun climbed higher, the silver flash lure produced two landed redfish.
Those results lined up with the theory that gold can perform well in lower light while silver may become more effective as more sunlight is available.
But it’s important to remember…
This was just one morning on the water.
That’s nowhere near enough data to say one flash color is better than the other.
One Lesson Had Nothing To Do With Lure Color
One of the biggest differences on this trip wasn’t the lure at all.
After the first area slowed down, I made a move to a completely different spot using Smart Fishing Spots.
That decision put me around active fish, which gave me the opportunity to keep comparing the two lures.
Final Thoughts
After one trip, I wouldn’t declare a winner.
What I would say is that the results were interesting enough that I’ll keep testing.
If you’re fishing dark lures, it may be worth paying attention not only to the color of the bait, but also to the type of flash inside it and how that matches the available light.
I’m looking forward to running this comparison on more trips to see if the same pattern continues.
Want me to test out anything in particular? Comment below!
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
I like these 1-to-1 tests. I think this one needs a few reps, though.
Was it just the time & lighting, or maybe the different locations – or does one species lean more towards one color than another? As you alluded, we need bigger numbers to really learn anything beyond the basic lighting conditions you mentioned.
Yes, MORE, please!
For sure!
Interesting test Tony. Thanks
You’re welcome Troy!
Great comparison test Tony. Very useful.
Thanks Mel!
Great comparison video but would definitely like to see more of it maybe in the South Carolina area
Thank you for the great feedback Robert!
Great info. Thank you.
You’re welcome Richard!
Thanks Tony. You mentioned using the Smart Fishing Spots app to find a different type of location. What were you looking for when you decided to move off the points?
You’re welcome Jeff! Pretty much anything different than the type of area i was currently fishing. In this case, I was fishing shorelines and points and they weren’t productive, so I took a look and saw an open flat that was highlighted which was different than what i was currently fishing.
Thanks Tony!
You’re welcome Matt!
Thanks Tony. Yes, more testing would be good.
You’re welcome Jan!
Great video, thank you Tony.
You’re welcome James!
Nice catch! Would like to see solid gold with flakes in it on a mulligan paddle tail. But I do like the black ice color.
Thanks Jw! I think a white with all gold flake would be a solid color!