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Lure Colours for Bass - Alan Aubert

Like many fisherman, I will spend hour after hour perusing lure catalogues such as the excellent Harris catalogue looking at lures, - red ones, green ones, yellow ones - the range is vast.

Is it the colour that attracts the fish or is it the colour that attracts the fisherman? Well, I have considered this problem many a time and no doubt what I am going to write will provoke many a retort from anglers disagreeing with what I have got to say.

This is my opinion based on what I and my fishing friends have experienced over the many years I have fished. We of course read many articles from anglers stating you must use a dark coloured lure when it is overcast or a bright silvery lure when it is sunny. I have a large number of surface lures ranging from Chartreuse yellow and Hot Tiger colours to dull almost grey indistinct lures.

I normally take approximately twenty or so lures with me and tend to change the lures on a regular basis until a fish shows an interest in a lure of a particular colour and size. Changing the lure on a regular basis also ensures that you check your knots, as you can guarantee that the next fish on will be a fish of a lifetime and if you haven't checked the knot it won't be on for long.

Back to colour, how important is it? I believe that it is not as important as shape and action of a lure and have experienced that changing the size of the lure to the size of the prey that bass are feeding on has more than an effect than actual colour.

It is has a lot to do with confidence when using a lure, I had a small chug bug which was white with a red head. I had used it a number of occasions without result and I put in the back of my lure bag. As is usual when the fish aren't biting I change my lures after a few casts. I found this lure and thought "why not?" Twenty minutes later I had two bass of 7 and 9 lbs safely netted.

I have used this lure many times now with great success, and yet I have lures in my bag I have used only once or twice. The action may not be right or the colour may not seem just right to you. Every time you fish you learn more about your quarry , where they lay in wait for their prey, at what stage of the tide the fish will be there. You are building up a picture. Having said that I am not a great believer that colour plays that great a part in taking fish, I have got to admit that I have taken a number of fish during the winter months using a bright yellow lure. This goes against the advice given by more seasoned writers than me.

Let me recap on my thoughts.

  1. Use a lure that you have confidence in.
  2. If you are not taking fish change the lure often both colour and size as this may trigger fish to take your lure
  3. Keep a diary of when and where you take fish and what lure you where using as looking back at this can often prove very useful
  4. Just get out there and enjoy yourself and try different lures you never know what will work. If you don't try you won't catch