COLORFUL QUESTIONS

Does color matter? This is a question you could ask one hundred different anglers and never quite get the same answer. Sure they may start with "yes" or "no", but it rarely ends there. I personally believe color matters, though I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers. Let’s take a look at some of the color theories more widely accepted among anglers today.

As a rule of thumb, many fishermen will match their bait with the water color. For instance, shades of green usually work well in green water, blue baits in clear (blue) water, and red, orange, or brown baits in brownish water, to an extent. When water becomes to dark, try fluorescents such as chartreuse.

Another point to consider is the color of the baitfish present in the body you are fishing. No matter what color the water is, the fish get accustomed to their menu. Matching the color and size of the baitfish is generally a good place to start.

According to Dr. Colin Kageyama, author of "What Fish See", bass see much in the same way as we do. In fact, they not only can distinguish colors, but shades also. They are believed to see in wavelengths. Fish in deeper water see greens or blues better because those colors have a short wavelength. Shallow fish tend to see long wavelength colors like red or orange better. If you are interested in this study I suggest you check out Dr.Kageyama’s book.

The mood of the fish seems to affect their response to colors also. Fishing off the bottom for aggressive fish, I tend to throw brighter colored baits a good part of the time and in shallow water or bottom fishing I like a more natural color.

While fishing at night, I recommend the darker baits. It may seem odd, but dark baits silhouette in dark water. I throw black baits 70% of the time at night yet I only go to them in the daylight to try something different. I have a friend from the Tucson BASS Federation who says he catches fish anytime, anywhere, on black worms.

Another popular trick concerning color has been modifying baits with pens or dips such as Spike-It. I have seen this tactic completely change my luck drastically. While bass fishing at Alamo one day with a friend, we were both using the same green curly-tailed worms, but he was out catching me four to one. The only difference was that he was dipping his tails in chartreuse Spike-It. The minute I began dipping my tails I was catching fish at the same clip as he was. That day, it was the ticket. Experimenting with these pens and dips can lead to a productive day when all else is failing.

The rules of color while fishing are definitely made to be broken. There are days when every color in the box seems to work. It’s those tough days that I spend more time on color theories, and sometimes it pays off. I am always interested in hearing your thoughts on this subject. Feel free to send me an e-mail to Fishing@azod.com, or visit our chat room with your opinions.

KIP POLLAY

Fishing Editor

Arizona Outdoorsman