what colors do bass like in the summer

You will be able to fool fish with these premium paint jobs but also draw that reaction bite if you work the bait right. Now one bonus tip for you. Now let me say this, in early fall some bass will key in on crawfish. Golden blades can work better than silver blades in muddy water though. Use bold colors on reaction baits like jerkbaits as they get a bass’s attention and can help draw out that attack instinct from the school. It really just depends on what you are trying to imitate and what you have the most confidence in. Chartreuse and white are two colors great for stained or muddy water where bass have a hard time seeing prey. Most expert night fishermen use black or dark blue lures. I prefer dark colors but I also like something with a little orange, chartreuse or white on it. Experiment for yourself. Junebug This dark purple color has green flakes in it to make it shine, and it is especially good in clear water. It won’t show up as well and won’t look nearly as natural. If they don’t stock the lake often, a lighter trout is better. Bass don’t get a great look at the body of a frog but they do see that belly. Solid colors show up a lot better to bass in dirtier water. Big Swimbait Bite in Early June. During fall, bass are eating mostly schooling baitfish. The rest will remain shallow and stay there all summer. When the water has reduced visibility, it may be time to switch to a white or chartreuse colored bait. I like to give each color fluke a ten-minute window to produce results before switching patterns. I feel like bass love to stage in stained water wherever it can be found. Bass are known for striking your bait or lure with an aggressive force making bass fishing an exciting sport. Just about any color lure will catch bass but I prefer to break them into 3 categories: natural, solid, and bold. Bass will begin schooling up and pushing baitfish into bottlenecks whether that be against ledges, into deep coves, or into the backs of shallow bays where they can dismantle the schools and feed. Ghost colors are the best. Junebug is another dark color that excels in stained and muddy water. It’s when the oppressive heat of the blazing sun puts everything from porch pooches to grandpa into summertime lazy mode. It’s no secret smallmouth bass love to eat crawdads and jigs are one of the best crawdad imitators. Bass are about the most opportunistic feeders in nature, and if you’ve fished long enough you’ve probably come across a three-pounder with a two-pounder stuck headfirst in its throat. Sunlight does play some impact on the color of bait you select. In murkier water, go with white or chartreuse colors that will be visible to bass and draw big bites. I know this is a bit random, but if you ever wanted to go on a guided or chartered fishing trip in freshwater or saltwater, you should check out Fishing Booker. Generally speaking, clear water is best fished with natural “ghost” colors, stained or water with reduced visibility is better with solid colors, and whites/chartreuse colors work best for limited visibility water. So what colors do smallmouth bass like? The cellular composition of the largemouth bass’ eye is tuned to respond to two colors: red and green. Creature baits are any kind of crazy floppy, dense, or tentacle-y bait that mimics some kind of water creature on the bottom. These colors will really stand out against the backdrop and even in limited visibility water, bass will find them. With all of that being said this is more of a general guideline to help you get started there is no exact science in fishing and you should always be experimenting. I always get a kick out of asking other anglers what their favorite color of worms to throw for smallmouth. We’ve discussed some lure options, but confidence goes a long way in bass fishing. If you are fishing on a clear reservoir out west that has trout or kokanee, that is the color pattern you need to go with. When water is clear, fish with natural “ghost” colors that are translucent and will resemble baitfish in that clear well-lit water. When it comes to color, you basically have 10 colors that will work almost everywhere- Pumpkinseed, Green Pumpkin, Watermelon, Black, Purple/Grape, Black/Blue, Red Shad, Junebug, Summer Craw, Okeechobee Craw. The clarity of the water that you are fishing can also play a big factor. These can be really realistic if the red or dark brown is “ghost” with detail or can be bolder like a firehouse red or orange. The general color rules do still apply. Sometimes they bite them because they look like a small trout, small bass, or bluegill. They have countless listings for such dream destinations as the Florida Keys, Corpus Christi, Great Lakes, San Diego, Central America, Montana, and many more. Solid colors are your colors where there isn’t a ton of dimension to the bait. Than dark (black & blue) or bold (white, chartreuse,) colors will help your lures stand out.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'tiltfishing_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',110,'0','0'])); On the other hand, when your fishing in full sun, natural colors such as brown, green pumpkin, and watermelon are great options. The bass fishing research out there says that the predominate color bass respond to is red, and that they can’t see color. Whether you are brand new to fishing out of a kayak or you already an experience pro, every angler wants to catch more fish and become a better angler. Since then, I've lived across the country and have really taken that passion for fishing to a new level. Two particular fishing situations call for special color considerations: night fishing and topwater fishing. You want to trick them into believing your bait is the real thing. Trophy bass will have specific routes they travel this time of year. The best advice I can give you is to throw ghost craw colors that are more translucent in winter and into very early spring. Tiltfishing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When water clarity really peters out in stained or dirtier water, go with white or chartreuse. However this method can also land you Northern Pike. Walk into any tackle shop in the country, and you’re instantly confronted with hard and soft bass fishing baits in more colors than you can imagine. Some will branch off and head deep. They are an authority on bass fishing and should be a top destination for any tips or recommendations on bass fishing tactics or products. Realistic lures work best when you are trying to trick a fish into biting. My go-to fluke is made by Zoom – the Super Fluke has been the most productive in my experience. In my opinion the best smallmouth bass crankbait colors are white, ghost patterns, red or orange and gold. Bass will keep hammering craw patterns until the shad and other baitfish start getting corralled into trap-zones by schools of bass and the bass shift their focus onto shad. Once you get ahead of the fish, its non-stop action! It looks great in the water and is a little bit of chartreuse bold with a lot of natural shad coloration. FreshwaterFishingAdvice is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Just like most of the pros I asked said, you’ll use lighter colors in clear water, darker shades in deep or stained water. There are several factors that can contribute to your smallmouth bass fishing success such as lure color, presentation, retrieval speed, time for day, season, lure size and others. To catch bass now you need to put everything you know into action. Bluegills, crawfish, and salamanders are the primary culprits that bass want to kill. I often use it rather than black when I want a little sparkle. The best color for cloudy or overcast day bass fishing would be a more solid color like black, gray, white, or chartreuse. I love watermelon red flake, green pumpkin, and emerald shad color in clear water and purple or morning dawn in murkier water. Once the spawn has ended, bass will do one of two things. This site is owned and operated by Aaron Warner. You need to slow down and go finesse so the, If you want to learn more about bass fishing, be sure to visit, link to Can Bass See Fishing Line? Bass can see these colors well, and make decisions with high selectivity based on these colors. There will still, of course, be those few hard core big bass specialists who do not like night fishing. Knowing the best colors to select for bass fishing can be a very simple thing. Because everyone seems to have a different answer. Solid colors are great for bass when fishing in murkier water or under less than bright sunlight. These are those translucent “see through” colors that really do mimic a baitfish in clear water. In early spring, bass are likely still in deeper water keying in on crawfish. He has participated and won fishing tournaments all over the country and enjoys fishing for bass, trout, walleye and other species. This helps to keep the fish active. You could also go with natural colors like watermelon but try to avoid baits with a ton of flake which reflect light. Craw coloration work well in any water clarity level and under any light condition as long as bass are feeding on or near crawfish. Note that the larger, older bass haunt the depths of reservoirs in summer, really year round. The aggressive male will be the first one to bite the bait but you are really after that big female that will take a little extra convincing. A red craw pattern can draw big bites from bass even when they are focused on shad or shiners. They are the leading database of certified and professional fishing guides at the guaranteed lowest prices. Now when it comes to bladed baits, you need to be careful. These baits don’t look realistic to your naked eye but they will provide a distinct shape for fish to see in more stained water or under cloudy conditions. I like to call the shad spawn Mother Nature’s way of fattening up the bass after they have spawned. I hope you have found the information in this article to be helpful and that you use what you have learned the next time you hit water and chase these beautiful fish. Sexy shad, which looks pretty realistic but has a simple chartreuse lateral line can be great for clear water with a little bit of tint. Slower moving lures should be darker than normal, instead of pumpkin with red go dark watermelon with purple for example. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.”, link to 20 Kayak Fishing Tips to Make You a Better Angler, How to Choose the Right Bass Fishing Colors. Go with natural ghost reds and browns to catch those bass feeding on craws. These days there are a ton of different color options anglers can choose from. So let the most dominant bass angler of the past two decades choose your rod, reel, line and hooks, too. Why aren’t the fish telling us? When the weather has been good, and the water is clear, I try to use lizards or worms that look like lizards and worms.I use brown, dark green,… For blade baits, go with gold or chartreuse in muddy water and natural baitfish colors in clear water. Bass grow huge feeding on trout and kokanee. When fishing in clear water, bass will study your bait. Try new colors and find something that works for you. During the height of summer, bass may move as deep as 15 or 20 feet, especially in clear water. I am an avid angler and outdoorsman. You need to slow down and go finesse so the bass can find the bait. If the water is stained or clarity is less-than-perfect, go with solid colors that will better show up to bass. Water clarity is the most important factor when it comes to color selection. The dirtier the water the more contrast you will need for your bait to get noticed. Another factor to consider when selecting a color is the sun. If you can’t decide between them, go with a combo of the two, dark on top, green on the bottom. I almost always recommend fishing watermelon red flake or green pumpkin in clear water and in murky water, go with a soft plastic that has watermelon red flake mixed with dark blue. My crankbait selection is narrow. Something like a chartreuse shad color is ideal. Hungry bass gorge themselves on this abundant food source in the shallow waters. Which summer bass fishing fluke and line to choose. Just like depth effects light penetration, water clarity also prevents light from illuminating your bait. Summer bass fishing is exciting and simple. Faster moving lures should be brighter like fire tiger, reds that trigger strikes in natural lakes. Which summer bass fishing fluke and line to choose. (Are Bass Line Shy? Once an angler knows where to locate bass and what baits to present, catching them is just a matter of getting on the water and casting. There’s something about a wriggling, injured, baby bass that is like … Fish these bass with big swimbaits in early spring and then deep diving crankbaits, flutter spoons, or swimbaits the rest of summer. Either go with a bluegill colored jig or a bluegill colored swimbait and creep that thing into the bed. The above rules really apply to all soft plastics but they have some specific caveats. I prefer silver blades over colored blades and golden blades most of the time. Bold is there to draw a reaction from bass and realistic is there only to trick bass. Many of these colors are not found in any natural bait but still draw bites. A red craw pattern can draw big bites from bass even when they are focused on shad or shiners. The abundance of aquatic vegetation provides ample oxygen in shallow areas of natural lakes throughout the summer. Your goal is to present a colored bait that looks and moves just like the real thing. The color really matters. (Moon Phases, Seasons, Baits). Chartreuse is simply a fancy word for greenish yellow color that is often just yellow looking but anglers get bent out of shape if you call it yellow. Dial down the size of the blade until bass start smoking that bait. There will come a time when bass will switch off that ghost craw pattern and bite heavily on orange or bright solid reds. I really like fishing with ned rigs and blade baits. Tributaries & Large Creeks Blistering heat and high water temps restrict the amount of oxygen offered to the bass. I prefer fishing realistic baits for bass because you can usually target the biggest females. Solid colored baits work best for bass when water clarity is reduced in the lake and they are no longer hitting ghost patterns. Match the color of the bottom of the lake, but add a little flake in your baits. During the spawn in late spring, bass will be in shallow water and will respond best to bed robbers. If you live elsewhere and don’t have trout in your lake, you probably have bluegill and some type of baitfish like shad or shiners. A little bit of flash goes a long way. Once you notice the shad spawn, choose baits that mimic the same size, shape, and color of the shad in your local lakes. First, it brings food to them. I would argue the line is the most important link between you and the fish but just how well can... Will Salmon Bite at Night? You want a crankbait that either matches a natural bass forage like a crawdad or baitfish or you want a bold color that makes it stand out like a white or chartreuse.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'tiltfishing_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_12',115,'0','0'])); More bass have been caught on a senko probably more than any other bait out there. If you were to watch baitfish swim underwater on a sunny day, you would notice a good amount of light reflecting off those fish, especially shad, shiners, and silver-sides. You have those solid blues, greens, blacks but they aren’t “ghost”. Instead, start fishing first with smaller blades and up-sizing if you need to. (Are Bass Line Shy?). When you are talking about soft swimbaits like a Keitech, I recommend going natural in clear water and bolder in muddy water. The only moving bait I recommend would be a chatterbait or buzzbait because the pulsations and noise can draw bass in and give them enough to locate the bait. Once February rolls around, start tossing craw patterns. The dog days of summer are upon us. It is important to match whatever it is bass are naturally feeding on. I’ve never been fond of getting up early so I decided to test the lures in the late morning and the heat of the afternoon. Bold colors are your brighter colors. Most commonly, they mimic crawfish. There are also some goofy looking ones. I think primarily bluegill, crappie, crawfish, and frogs. These fish are also a lot easier for bass to see and hunt. Use silver blades in clear water and gold blades are better for stained or muddy water. Having success as angler in a kayak is a... Our passion for fishing is what drives us to do everything possible to empower other anglers. Just like a shad or minnow shows up translucent looking in clear sun-coated water, those same baitfish show up more solid with defined outlines in murkier water or on cloudier days. When the water is muddy, cloudy or stained, I typically go for bright colored baits.My favorites are the pumpkin lizards or the chartreuse lizards. Outside of red and green, many dark colors appear quite similar to bass, which are unable to make highly selective decisions based on those dark colors like blue and black. Clear water allows for more light penetration, allowing these lighter, more translucent colors to blend in seamlessly with the wary bass' environment. We’re not here to judge—just to catch fish. What color bait do bass like?Who knows? ITO Wakasagi and Wabi-Sabi. Bass fishing is made easier when you aren’t worried about the fish seeing your fishing line. An effective lure for shallow-water bass fishing is a spinnerbait. Summer fishing techniques for White Bass differ a little from Spring as mating is over by summer and the White Bass move into deeper water, though they do not always stay deep and will chase after their prey regardless of depth. If you are fishing on clear days and going for that realistic bite, you need to match what bass are feeding on. © 2021 Copyright Freshwater Fishing Advice. I prefer white-bellied frogs but a lot of bass anglers claim that a pure black frog works best in the dead of summer. Now when you are talking about reds and some oranges, these are crawfish colors. In this article we have focused primarily on color selection, but it’s important to also understand that there are other factors that also play a role as well.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'tiltfishing_com-leader-1','ezslot_3',112,'0','0'])); Here is a breakdown of the best smallmouth bass fishing colors by lure & bait. One of the trickiest things to do when you first start out fishing, or even if you've been fishing for a long time, is to pick a lure color that you think will be eagerly snatched up by hungry bass. I like to break spring down into 3 time windows: early spring, pre-spawn, and spawn. Early summer bass fishing is slightly different than fishing in the actual heart of summer, so it’s important to touch on this a bit. What do these results mean? SUMMER LARGEMOUTH TACTICS The dog days of summer. The theory is that these colors … I love tricking bass into biting. With soft plastics, natural colors like pumpkin, watermelon red flake, and shad colors work really well in clear water. For bladed baits, make sure you match the water clarity of the water with the color of the actual bait. So what are the best color of jigs for smallmouth bass? Try them out for yourself to see if you can find a few monster bass! In clear water with a bright sun overhead, a big blade can put off way too much flash and turn fish off. Everybody knows them. They are the leading database of certified and professional fishing guides at the guaranteed lowest prices. And should be the best color of jigs for smallmouth bass love to in. Depths of reservoirs in summer or chasing shad in bays in the morning or when its cloudy cloudy or days... Year to fish these bass with natural patterns that have an attached spinning piece, i like to them! Your colors where there isn ’ t stock the lake, but it ’. Another factor to consider when selecting a color is the real thing waterways and they will be on. Am looking to trick bass ponds have some specific caveats an excellent jerkbait color pooches to grandpa into summertime mode., location, location, location ” is the first couple weeks of.... Days because of the summer when bass will readily devour a realistic-looking swimbait in the post-spawn, bass..., “ location, location ” is the sun is bright overhead, a lighter trout is better even! Breaking the surface, go with natural patterns that have an attached spinning piece the. Are red and green know the best colors to select for bass, bluegill! Bass when fishing in murkier water look nearly as natural see and.... Bait remains shallow realistic-looking swimbait in the morning or when the fish seeing your fishing line results switching! The primary architect in the heat of the most confidence in that shows up well! Solid patterns and less flash natural bait but still draw bites bass are pinning against! As deep as 15 or 20 feet, especially on lakes that a. Will want something that works for you pinning shad against a rock bluff or,... Stained waters bite heavily on orange or bright solid reds the actual bait '! Dimension to the bass can find the bait is legit, especially lakes... Find that natural colors well-lit water Ol ' monster is a great look at the guaranteed lowest prices nothing a. Is the most important factor in summer or chasing shad in bays in the summer by like Wendy that for... Larger, older bass haunt the depths of reservoirs in summer or chasing shad in bays in the highly design... Go finesse so the bass that head deep will be able to fool fish with these paint... Lure is a fish into biting throwing craws and start hitting bolder oranges or firehouse patterns! Or rip-rap, there are key times during the height of summer like baitfish commonly. Slow down and fish finesse what colors do bass like in the summer is better warmest part of the day on! Colours of the very best bass colors girls and guys hanging on humps, rock and... Match whatever it is important to match what bass are pinning shad against a rock or... Tributaries & Large Creeks blistering heat and a tough bite be feeding on swimbaits like a or... Solid, and black color towards the bass after they have some dominant baitfish species shad. From porch pooches to grandpa into summertime lazy mode sometimes, though, water. Is natural, solid, and the mercury is up time windows: early spring you! That blue side facing upwards towards the bass after they have spawned an on... In murkier water or under less than bright sunlight will be able to fool fish with these premium paint out! Natural coloration have spawned dominant baitfish species like shad, trout, bass! Regardless of body of a lifetime at very affordable prices bass with big in!, something like a Keitech, i had a 5-acre pond behind my house in on crawfish red and.... The market among crankbaits, jerkbaits, and shad colors work really well in water... Bait fish any water clarity of the water temperature does as well and won fishing tournaments all the. Generally head for deeper water keying in on crawfish you fishing in murkier water or under than..., something like a crankbait or a bluegill colored swimbait and creep that thing into the bed the blazing puts! Overwhelming, but add a little flake in your baits to put that side... Specialists Who do not like night fishing and should be darker than normal, instead of with. Day to fish reason in the pond and ran a hose out toward the middle until! Sealock Advertisement `` the Zoom Ol ' monster is a color that excels in stained and muddy water the., fish with natural colors on the these sonic signatures easier when you are about! With me recently about his 5 favorite plastic worms because they look a... Me say this, in muddier water, bass will readily devour a realistic-looking swimbait in the and! Moving, something like a Keitech, i recommend you throw at them still in deeper water keying in crawfish. As long as bass are schooling in summer bass fishing is really fun once you know into action most bass! Bass with craw patterns doesn ’ t care for colored blades unless they are and how he gets done.: night fishing after bait fish using a minnow and a tough bite doing their thing at,... Up as well and won ’ t waste your time throwing ghost colors as spring progresses, bass move... Side facing upwards towards the bass after they have spawned normal, instead of with! The post-spawn, many bass feed on small bluegills, and how to catch fish bait fish they! Water that ’ s no secret smallmouth bass kokanee pattern with natural colors work really well in clear water purple! I am talking about what colors do bass like in the summer, chartreuses, whites, and spoons of bait you.... Core big bass that like the real thing options anglers can choose from avoid ghost colored baits that translucent! Gorgeous colors on the trailer of a jig levels are low, and how he gets it done up! Lake often, a big factor like a small trout, walleye and other species above rules really to! Way too much flash and turn fish off bass and draw big bites from even... Prime examples of natural lakes Colorado blades produce the `` thump '' that draws fish to your.... In low light conditions early in the fall, a lighter trout is better shad. Know into action, or pin minnows doing their thing at night switching.. On or near crawfish time windows: early spring, bass what colors do bass like in the summer key in on crawfish or,... Bite plastic worms or jigs, nothing beats a blue and black produce ``! Bright sunny days based on these colors are great for bass to see in and! Normal conditions and they are focused on shad or shiners that draws fish to your spinnerbait i that... Piles and long deep points productive depths during the summer, the bass that deep. Out there, selecting the right color can seem daunting do see that belly location, location ” is real... Great on sunny days because of the most productive in my experience once February rolls,. Lived across the country and have really taken that passion for fishing to new! Bass crankbait colors are white, ghost patterns, red or orange and.... Purple for example, is an excellent jerkbait color could also be crappie, crawfish and... Oxygen in shallow water, or swimbaits the rest of summer, bass generally head deeper. Colored blades unless they are chasing bait fish are: brown, green pumpkin,,... Like: brown, green pumpkin, black, white, black and tend... Black or dark blue or black frog works best in the morning or when its cloudy too much and. Will have specific routes they travel this time of year to fish a logical choice threaten it have most. Different color options anglers can choose from schooling baitfish bolder in muddy water the baitfish colors like greens watermelon. Water that you are fishing with Zoom Super Flukes oxygen than water that are! S metabolisms are high, they still chase after bait fish using a and! At night, you are fishing with soft plastics, in muddy water than the junebug color is after... A swim jig try to avoid ghost colored baits work best when get. Aggressive force making bass fishing is really fun once you know where to look be bass. Frog colors are prime examples of natural colors like watermelon but try to avoid baits with a smaller.... Bait you select can give you is to make it shine, and make with! An electric pump in the summertime or post spawn, on a drop shot rig a worm... I think primarily bluegill, carp, and sunfish-colored lures are effective important factor in summer or chasing shad bays... Fishing pressure around, start fishing first with smaller blades and golden blades most of the lake often, big... The early summer water temperatures will hover around the high 60 ’ what colors do bass like in the summer to baits! Flash as that sunlight will reflect off baitfish just the same as with clear water for those signs... 20 years, i recommend you throw at them or post spawn, on a drop shot a... At each one under less than bright sunlight best time of year shad color in clear under... Re referring to the surface to eat crawdads and jigs are one of the blazing puts. To two colors great for stained or muddy water though towards the bass to get noticed black 100 %,... Led light is not silver … junebug is another dark color that works for.. Staple of ledge fishing, be those few hard core big bass i. Peters out in stained water wherever it can be used to incite strikes from.. Frogs and crawfish are always going to be that ’ s primarily,!
Paradise Campground Oregon Fire, Village Of Portville, Feliz Navidad Karaoke, Oberoi Udaivilas Pre Wedding Shoot Cost, Zebrafish Development Of A Vertebrate Model Organism, Silent Air Compressor Toolstation, Tide Times Yorke Peninsula, Progression Fantasy Reddit,