Fishing discussion question

[Tayzak15]

Figure I would ask a question that I'm sure everybody has an opinion on for different reasons just to get a thread going

 

"Does the color of a jig head matter?"

 

In my opinion I don't think they do or no where near as much as action and proper size.

 

what does everybody else think?

[jedimaster]

Depends on the water and fish. At least for me. When walleye fishing I will find that certain colors seem work much better than others.

[mike rousseau]

Depends on what's on the hook...

 

Live bait... I think it matters...

 

Soft plastics... I don't think it matters.... But I still try to match the jig with the plastic

[Terry]

19 out of 20 time it makes no difference

but then there is that 1 time when it seems to make all the difference in the world

 

but it is one of the last things I worry about

[bigugli]

Can depend on water clarity or colour. A white jig in chocolate milk don't stand out too well. Also depends on the target. I've found pike will hit just about anything

[Jigger]

Used to think black was the only colour i needed. Then i ran out of black ones and had to put on a grey jighead. Yup, it caught fish too! Now i think only black and grey are worthwhile buys... Until i run out and have to use those white ones that have been taking up space all these years...

[Handlebarz]

Down here on the Detroit river and lsc for walleye it matters and they change during the day kinda cool to figure it out.

 

When I fished up north I liked plain lead heads with the different twister colours. If i was using minnows I would use different colours

[Ralph Field]

If you think it matters, then it probably matters to you. You have to believe in what you are using to be successful.

[Nipfisher]

I use chartruse jigs, hooks, beads, and blades on Nipissing all year long. Come summer time only a few jig colours work on Nipissing andthey have to be a lighter shade. The Nipissing Jig is 1/2 red and 1/2 white with a stinger hook and it works well in the sand. In the rocks I like to use the chartruse hooks with stingers.

[danc]

Anyone remember the color c lector? It was all the rage a decade or more ago. It was supposed to tell you what colors a fish sees best at certain depths. Phhhht. I just pick my favorite colors out of my box. They all work.

 

http://bassfishingarchives.com/short-strikes/applied-science-the-color-c-lector-and-crankbaits

[walleye wanderer]

I only use painted Jig Heads in a variety of colours…pink, chartreuse, black, white, orange. In the grand scheme of things it may well be whats trailing the head that counts.

Some food for thought though...http://www.walleyecentral.com/muccillijig.htm

[pidge]

The elves in my head tell me to use black jig head with a silver with flake jig body. You know what...those damm elves are right!!

[kickingfrog]

The jig weight and body colour matter more to me and the fish.

 

Depth, speed and action are things I spend more time figuring out.

[kickingfrog]

Meant to also say body shape and material as well.

[fishindevil]

well according to this it does matter !!!! I believe it does I have proved it many times with my own homemade worm harnesses !!! And walleyes can see different colors at different depths and you have to factor in water clarity and whether it's sunny cloudy or whatever !!! I guess to each their own but I always experiment with colors and size !!!!!

[Rich]

Every fish has a different retinal rod/cone system, and based on water ph/clarity, every species' eye sees a certain color variance in the spectrum more dominantly.

 

Walleye - see orange best, varies based on ph/clarity how bright, also depth plays a role

Pike - see red best as they are upward feeders, red actually is more visible to them than flourescents, white or black.

Bass - blue. A completely unpopular color for fishing, but bass see it a mile away

 

Apparently in a flowing river situation, flourescents always are most visible.

 

Now that we know whats most visible it should be easy, right? Well, heck no. This is fishing. There's more to it than finding what they see best.

 

Long story short: colour matters.

[Roy]

Anyone remember the color c lector? It was all the rage a decade or more ago. It was supposed to tell you what colors a fish sees best at certain depths. Phhhht. I just pick my favorite colors out of my box. They all work.

 

http://bassfishingarchives.com/short-strikes/applied-science-the-color-c-lector-and-crankbaits

 

I still have mine, Dan. Never used it but I found it to be an interesting conversation piece. As you can see, everyone pics at it in the swamp here.

 

[OhioFisherman]

Didn't fish get a lateral line to help them find things they couldn't see?

 

Bass fishing with a friend at East Harbor off of lake Erie, we pulled out of the marina and started casting. He had 4-5 bass boated and I didn't have a hit yet, just fishing plastic worms rigged on a jig head, but different color worms. It was enough for me, I took off the worm I was using and switched to one the same color and brand as his, magically I started catching bass. The jig head had stayed the same.

 

Tournament day a year or so later, the same body of water. I stuck a couple of pigs early and lost both due to light wire hooks on the jig heads I had made. Same deal, a plastic worm rigged on a jig head, even the same partner. The action then stopped, 15 minutes or so before we had to head back? I switched from a worm to a hellgrammite looking lure on the same jig head, a completely different color lure though, and had 3 bass in 3 casts over water we had just covered.

 

LOL at least lures are cheaper than shoes? Take a look at how many pairs some ladies feel a need for?

 

 

[BillM]

I still have mine, Dan. Never used it but I found it to be an interesting conversation piece. As you can see, everyone pics at it in the swamp here.

 

 

 

Oldman had one of these back in the day... I distinctly remember being out on Lake O one spring day, it was bluebird and not windy at all. No one was catching anything.. We lowered that thing down, it told us chartreuse.. So down goes a chartreuse J-11 Rapala. Not 5mins later a 24lb king comes in the boat. First time I ever had my name on the St.Catharines Game and Fish Leader Board... It didn't last a week, but man when you're 12, that's like the pinnacle of fishing!!!!!

[danc]

I still have mine, Dan. Never used it but I found it to be an interesting conversation piece. As you can see, everyone pics at it in the swamp here.

 

That's pretty cool Roy. Just wondering. Does that book to the right of the unit come with it? Does it show you what kind of lures to use when a specific color or combo is recommended?

[Roy]

That's pretty cool Roy. Just wondering. Does that book to the right of the unit come with it? Does it show you what kind of lures to use when a specific color or combo is recommended?

 

Thanks Dan. No, on the right is an old (yellowed) print of ReefRunner colour patterns.