Color differences between DD Crankbaits and deep soft plastics.

[Bob Smith]

Anybody ever give any thoughts as to why we typically catch bass on brighter colored crankbaits in Deep water, while at the same time we typically catch bass out of the same area on more of your natural or subdued colors like watermelon, pumpkin seed, purple, green pumpkin, Black, Brown and the like, for our soft plastic presentations (knowing there are and will be exceptions when chartreuse, white, pearl, pink and methyolate work better. That is the subject for another "why" question.)?
My personal theory is that the crankbaits mimic baitfish type forage and the soft plastic mimic worms, leeches and crustaceans. Hence the color differences. If there are some different theories, it would be interesting to hear them.

[WallStreetAmigo]

I think you are on the right track regarding the differences in what the different baits mimic. Having said that, I would also suggest that the different presentations of a dd crankbait vs a soft plastic would account for some of this as well. The crankbait is likely producing more of a reaction bite (and since it is moving faster the brighter colors would help the bass see it flashing by)while the soft plastics, being typically a slower presentation, are given more of a look-see by the bass, which would help explain natural colors outproducing louder colors.

[Bob Smith]

Now that's a great point! Thanks for the input!

[WallStreetAmigo]

No prob Bob.......I love questions like this that test my ability to reason things out. I find it helps me out on the water a lot to have a good understanding of the theories behind fishing.

[pig n jig]

Hey amigo, You hit it on the head, in my opinion. You create a reaction , or instinct bite with a crankbait, or spinnerbait. Its usually a deflection, or ticking of the weeds, bumping bottom to get a strike on this type of lure as a rule.Where plastics fished slow , translucent , or colors matching the bottom , or surrounding area helps increase your catch ratio, perhaps they can't really see it as well, blending in with its natural surroundings. You can take the ugliest, brightest colors and plunge them through a weed bed mat and get a hard strike, from a reaction bite.Although I think those juvenile bank runners would bite about anything at times. P N J

[Bob Smith]

That would pretty much be the case with jigging spoons this time of year as well! Bright colors fished deep, has to be pure reaction!

[JB]

deep or shallow waters,

Its all about water clarity on the colors I choose, besides the obvious "match the hatch"..we used to have the dingiest and dark water in lakes in ohio.
A couple of feet was considered clear.
Junebug or black worked great.
Now the last 6-8 years all the waters are crystal clear, i go with natural colors.
example: clear spring water , I use pumkinseed worm , chartreuse tail.
all natural looking colors for cranks.
if the water is stained like after a storm, i opt for more flash like a spinnerbait in chartruse n white.

[WallStreetAmigo]

Originally Posted by pig n jig

Hey amigo, You hit it on the head, in my opinion. You create a reaction , or instinct bite with a crankbait, or spinnerbait. Its usually a deflection, or ticking of the weeds, bumping bottom to get a strike on this type of lure as a rule.Where plastics fished slow , translucent , or colors matching the bottom , or surrounding area helps increase your catch ratio, perhaps they can't really see it as well, blending in with its natural surroundings. You can take the ugliest, brightest colors and plunge them through a weed bed mat and get a hard strike, from a reaction bite.Although I think those juvenile bank runners would bite about anything at times. P N J

Hey thanks pnj. I guess even a broken watch is right twice a day!

With the mind numbing color choices available for lures and plastics, I have resigned myself to a theory that, based on the clear, shallow lakes that I fish, it is better for me to focus on matching the hatch as much as possible. This usually means watermelons, pumpkinseeds, black, etc for plastics. At times my bubblegum colored worms get savagely smashed by a bass or two, usually around woody cover. For lures, I try to stick with yellow perch or bluegill/sunfish type patterns when working them more slowly and flashier colors in low light or deeper water. It has worked well for me.

I read something somewhere that baitfish tend to blend in to some degree with their surroundings. Maybe flashier crankbaits stand out from the crowd a bit more when they're being bounced around off cover, whereas soft plastics worked slowly challenge the bass to find them.