Lure Color Contest: Pink VS. White Soft Plastic Lures

In a lure color contest, who wins: Pink VS. White???

This test features the reliable Slam Shady lure color VS. one of our newer lure colors the F.R.E.D.

Slam Shady is a white lure with a silver flash and the F.R.E.D. is a pink lure with a silver flash as well.

Both have been proven to crush inshore fish, but what will perform better in this experiment?

Find out below!!

Lure Color Contest: Pink VS. White [VIDEO]

Become A Better Angler While Saving Time & Money

Setup for the Experiment:

• Rod: 7’6 TFO Pro S Medium Power
• Reel: 2500 Daiwa Legalis
• Mainline: 10lb Daiwa J-Braid x8 Grand
• Leader: 20lb Ande Monofilament
• Hook: 3/0 Hoss Helix Hook 1/8 oz.
• Slam Shady Mulligan Paddletail
• F.R.E.D. Mulligan Paddletail

Click here to head over to the Fish Strong Tackle Shop

I haven’t fished much with the F.R.E.D. lure color lately but with so many of our members using and trusting the lure color, I figured why not conduct a little experiment.

Throughout this trip, I threw 3 casts with one lure and then switched to the other for 3 casts and repeated this until the end of the day.

The rods and reels for both setups are the same as well as the same pound test (just a different color) and leader line.

My plan was to start by working mangrove lines and shifting over to nearby oyster bars later in the day.

The ultimate goal: uncover which lure color gets the most strikes!

Spot #1

I started by pitching the lures underneath overhanging mangroves.

Especially during this time of the year, temperatures are HOT so the fish seek cover under mangroves for shade.

Using the Hoss Helix Hooks, you can rig these lures weedless and really get them deep into the mangroves without worrying about snags.

The first fish of the day was a small snook that came on the Slam Shady.

I was in an area with tons of life and bait all around me, the only issue was the conditions were flat and calm.

The fish there were incredibly spooky and quite skittish when I tried to cast at them.

I had to make a move and find an area with slightly more wind exposure.

Spot #2

Oyster bars are an excellent place to stop and fish if you can’t find fish elsewhere.

Another snook came up and ate the Slam Shady.

Weedless rigging hooks also give you the ability to fish tight to oysters without concern for snags.

I expected to run into a bunch of trout here but they weren’t interested in the F.R.E.D.

I then hooked into a fish on the second cast with the Slam Shady after nothing on the F.R.E.D.

A few casts later I finally got hit on the F.R.E.D. but no takers.

On the way to a different spot, I stopped to fish some mangroves that looked too good to pass up.

The first cast with the F.R.E.D. there and I hooked into a solid snook that came off before I could land it.

Spot #3

The third spot we went to offers the chance to target trout as well as redfish and snook closer to the mangrove lines.

A few casts in at this spot and a dolphin rolled through to tear up the spot and feed right where I wanted to fish.

Although they usually blow up the spot and spook fish away, it does mean there is life in the area.

In many cases, the fish will try to retreat into the mangrove lines and structure for protection.

I went back to cast there after the dolphin left and had a bite from a solid fish.

But the dolphin circled back which pushed us out and onto the final spot.

Spot #4

This is one of my favorite trout fishing spots!

It is deeper here which means I had to get my lures down lower in the water column to trigger strikes.

When I say deeper, I’m referring to about 3-4 feet of water with grass at the bottom.

When fishing paddletails, that is on the deeper side and weedless weighted rigging hooks won’t get all the way down.

But if you don’t want to re-rig or re-tie anything, a trick is to tear off the tails of the paddletail lures.

In effect, you are turning the paddletail into a small jerk bait.

Now the lure can get down deeper and move swiftly without the resistance of a tail.

We call this the “Nub Rig” which is essentially a soft plastic jerk bait.

You can work this lure similarly to other jerk baits and it will dart back and forth.

If trout are in the area, this approach usually drives them crazy.

I picked up a small jack on the F.R.E.D. making the score 3-2 at this point.

A few casts later with the Slam Shady, I hooked into a small bluefish that was pulling drag!

We don’t usually see these fish in the Gulf so it was a fun catch for sure.

The birds started to stack up around me at this point waiting for an easy meal so I ended the test after that bluefish.

Conclusion & Findings

Overall, both lure colors proved to work and catch fish.

The Slam Shady got off to a hot start but the F.R.E.D. came roaring back to make things interesting.

The final score: 4 for Slam Shady and 3 for the F.R.E.D.

Lure choice and color selection is not the final factor when it comes to finding inshore fishing success.

It is all about being in the right spot at the right time.

If you put yourself in an ideal spot with a lure that has proper depth control, you can get the lure exactly where it needs to be to catch fish.

If you don’t know where to start, that’s where we come in.

We give our members the resources and tools they need to consistently find and catch more fish in less time while saving money.

Smart Fishing Spots, Smart Fishing Tides, Mastery Courses, and Tackle Discounts are just the tip of the iceberg.

If you aren’t catching the quantity or quality of fish you want, then think about joining us in the Insider Club.

Did you enjoy this experiment?

What other types of on-the-water contests or experiments do you want to see?

Please leave a comment below – I would love to hear from you!!!

More tests are on the way!

Hope you enjoyed this lure color contest showing Pink VS. White lures!

Become A Better Angler While Saving Time & Money

Finding The Fish Help

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. Weekend Game Plans (updated weekly)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. Smart Fishing Spots Platform (updated every 15 minutes)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. Community Reports (live feed)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform