In Tints Fishing
It is about time to start coloring those Easter eggs. And with spring and warmer water, there might be some coloring in your tackle box as well.
Choosing the right lure color is critical for success on the water. Brando Palaniuk, who came in second at the 2013 Bassmaster Classic even pays close attention to the “shade of color.” Lure companies provide a huge selection of color ranges as anglers attempt to allow for such factors as water clarity, sunlight, depth, and vegetation type.
Still, some anglers feel the need to tweak their lure colors. As I interviewed Todd Faircloth, Bassmaster Elite Pro, who just won the Sabine River Challenge, he was using an orange highlighter to lighten the tips of the claws of his crayfish lures. If you are looking for something other than a highlighter color, there are several markers, coatings, and “dips,” you can try if you are into “Do It Yourself” lure coloring projects
Some new lures change colors by themselves. I have tried Tightlines UV soft plastic lures that look normal in natural light but in deep waters reflect the UV light that penetrates deepest making the lure almost glow.
I have also experimented with Smartbaits’ hard and soft plastic lures that change color depending on the temperature. My kids had fun at the bathroom sink with this science experiment! In warm air, they are one color, but as the lure sinks to cooler water, these lures change to give a dramatic new presentation.
And to top it off, I sometimes use Yo-zuri crankbaits with a patented color change technology. The lure can change color depending on the angle it is viewed. As the lure goes by a fish, it almost seems to pulse or blush in panic.
Do you alter the colors of your lures? Have you tried any of these lures that change colors by themselves?
Andy Whitcomb
Andy is an outdoor writer (http://www.justkeepreeling.com/) and stressed-out Dad has contributed over 380 blogs to takemefishing.org since 2011. Born in Florida, but raised on banks of Oklahoma farm ponds, he now chases pike, smallmouth bass, and steelhead in Pennsylvania. After earning a B.S. in Zoology from OSU, he worked in fish hatcheries and as a fisheries research technician at OSU, Iowa State, and Michigan State.