The Truth About Lure Color (Most Anglers Get This Wrong!)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
Are you using the wrong lure color without even realizing it?
There are countless lure colors to choose from, yet not all are ideal for your area on any given day.
Watch below to find out (and I’ll put a link to the lure we feature right below the video).
Fish rely on contrast to spot their prey, and if your lure blends in too much, you’re missing out on bites! In this video, I break down contrast and how choosing the right color can make all the difference.
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Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Why contrast is the key to getting more strikes
- The best lure colors for clear vs. murky water
- How to make your lure stand out in a school of baitfish
- Why baitfish naturally blend in—and how to use that to your advantage
Hope this video helped! Drop any questions or comments below and I’ll follow up!
Need to know how to rig your baits? Check out our Depth Guide for Rigging Soft Plastics!
-Tony
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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’d like to add that it’s important to keep the contrasts subtle if possible. The fish still want a natural presentation, and color contrast is no different.
Think of a time where you’ve seen a bait ball. I’d be willing to wager that the fish that stood out individually were fish with subtle differences. A slash from a predator, a bruise, or an individual with slightly darker or lighter coloration all stick out because they’re just a little different.
There’s no need to go crazy. Small changes can have huge consequences
For sure!
Interesting points. But, it seems to contradict other older posts where you all said lure color was not very important, but size and style (i.e. paddle tail v shrimp v jerk etc.) should be the focus. Has that changed?
There are all sorts of variables that come into play. #1 is always finding the feeding zones. #2 is proper lure profile and presentation, and #3 would be smaller tweaks to entice a strike, which can include a slight color change, leader size, lure size, etc.
Great insight! I use the Slam Shady a lot, white lures in general. I’ll give the contrast idea a try.
Thank you for the great feedback John!
I used pink last weekend and dominated. Try it for sea trout. It really worked well on sand trouts also.
Tony , What about match the hatch ? I hope if I can mix my lure with the rest of the bait ,your odds are pretty good . Along with a little scent .
I’m the opposite when it comes to match the hatch. More specifically if i’m fishing where there is a lot of bait present. Something that stands out will get the attention of a fish. On the other hand, if bait is a bit scarce but I have an idea of what the fish are dialed in on, i’ll try and match it since my lure will most likely be isolated from the bulk of the baitfish.
Good info to have in the arsenal. Thanks. Tony
You’re welcome Jeffrey!
Thanks Tony great information will keep that in mind
You’re welcome Ted!
That makes sense and I will have to keep that in mind.
Great info Tony. I have always tried to match the hatch, per say. To use a different color for it to stand out makes a lot of sense! Thanks!
You’re welcome Kevin!
Very interesting. I’ll have to pay closer attention and see. It makes sense.
Thank you for the great feedback Terry!
Thanks again, Tony. Heading to the Everglades in two weeks fishing in the back country. My buddy insists that dark colors are the only thing to use so hearing this well help me to outfish him. I hope. Lol.
Depending on the color of the water (sometimes it can be a milky sort of murky color, and other times it can be brown) darker colors can actually work well in both. They contrast in milky water and create sort of a silhouette in darker water which fish can see.