Does color matter?

Does color matter?
It has been said by a lot of fishing experts that lures are colored more to attract the fisher then the fish. While this is true to a certain extent, sometimes the right color lure at the right time of day can make a difference. To understand why lure color is important, you should understand how a fish sees and reacts to color.

A fish eye is no different from a human eye in how it picks up color. Fish have rods and cones just like we do. Rods are for determining intensity of a color, cones are color receptors. Shallow water fish have more rods and cones then deep water fish. To make things even more complex; some fish species have a different number of cones. For example, walleye can only see shades of reds and greens and catfish can not see color at all. It is a fact; however, that some fish can see a wider variety of colors then humans.
They are able to see this wider spectrum of color because of evolution over time. It benefits them because their favorite food is mainly other fish and these other fish come in a wide variety of colors. Baitfish have evolved over time as well to come in this wide array of colors so that they do not become extinct.

Fish have a wide field of vision but can not see straight back or straight down. In order to calculate the distance between them and their prey, a fish must turn its head and use both eyes. Fish can see above water objects depending on how light is shining and bending in the water. If it bends just right, then a fish might be able to see you or your boat while you are trying to catch it.

Another aspect to remember is that colors appear differently at different water depths and different clarities of water. Eventually disappears leaving only a dark object. Hence it’s perception of a baitfish that would be swimming above it must be enhanced by the light flashing off of the baitfish’s white belly as it rolls from side to side in its swimming action. More on how and why colors appear the way they do in water will be discussed in “The science of color”. The deeper you go, the more colors that will disappear. Red goes first, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and finally ultra-violet. This may not seem important but if a red lure can not be seen at a certain depth in murky water and appears to be black, you may not catch any fish. Fish are most attracted by action, but if they can not see your lure, then they will not be able to see the action of your lure.

Research has shown that at times fluorescent colors can work really well on some species of fish and yet at other times do not work at all for the same species. This can be true for other colors and patterns as well. Color is seen much differently by fish then by fishers. It really all depends on the fish though some basic tips discussed in “Catching fish using color” can help you chose the right color for the right time of day and become a more successful fisher because of it.

Color may not be the most important thing to consider when purchasing or using a lure, but sometimes it can make a difference. Do not fall into the trap of buying a lure just because of its color. Yes, some colors are better then others but sometimes a nice finish and paintjob could be masking an ordinary lure that you all ready have and use.