3 Fishing Lure Color Combinations That Drive Fish Wild and Can Help You to Catch Your Limit
Larry M. Lynch

Defined Tag: Fishing Lures.

The most successful fishing lures seem to imitate natural forage either in size, color, action, sounds or a combination of these. Some color schemes may also promote visibility by providing contrast to existing visual conditions that the fish (not you) have. This may help explain why seemingly “strange” or “unorthodox” color combinations catch fish. We don’t see what the fish see. The lure presentation must entice them or there’s no interest on their (and later our) part.

Color Combination 1: Red Head with a solid white body

To a fish this may appear to be a bleeding wounded baitfish. The white body is clearly visible at a distance and the red head also accentuates the large white eye. The effect is even more pronounced if the lure has a “wobbling” action imposed on it. If the trolling speed or retrieve is erratic and the lure passes within striking distance of any predator – Look out! Why should sharks have all the fun?

Color Combination 2: Green Head with a yellow body and green vertical stripes

Many salt water baitfish follow this color pattern of a variegated body when viewed underwater. If you scuba then you know what I mean. Some examples include Mackerel, Tuna, Tiger Shad (Sabalo) and many baitfish seen in cover. If the size (from 3” to 5” in length) is imitative of the regional forage and your lure passes through the predator’s “feeding depth” as it shimmies by “ole saw-tooth”, you’ll have a fight on your hands before you can say, “Cahuna en la luna” three times.

Color Combination 3: Blue Head with a blue back and a silver belly

This is another color pattern that visibly imitates a number of baitfish and adult species. The effect is even more exaggerated if you use large white eyes on your lure. The silvered belly also reflects light from below with every movement of the lure and provides contrast which helps the larger predator fish to see it. Especially a greater depths where light is much dimmer, contrast and reflection are even more important. By the way, don’t worry about retrieving your lure “too fast”. Not only can most predatory species can swim faster than you can reel, but some like Tuna, Wahoo, Mackerel and Barracuda, can swim faster than your boat for short distances!

Make your own lures

Prof Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America.