Inshore Lure's

Brad King · 12-02-2009, 02:49 PM

For the sake of a good conversation, how do you select your lure colors for inshore fishing??

I know the old formula that Dark colors in dark water and light colors in light water but what areyour toughts?

I personally have two or three colors that I am very confident with. Example... In clear water and sight fishing I prefer to throw Rootbeer or camo colors, when water is stained, offcolor or stirred up from wind and rain I prefer to switch over to either a Nuclear Chicken or Limetiger color (I obviously throw alot of Gulps!).

What are your thoughts on what color and when???

Freespool · 12-02-2009, 03:39 PM

There are some circumstances where I switch colors but I throw the same few colors regardless to start off. I know they work and I'm confident in them.I will change accordingly depending how the fish react

Brad King · 12-02-2009, 09:02 PM

Anyone else?"?

capt wade · 12-02-2009, 09:17 PM

I like to start every morning throwing a bone white something, and then after that its all based on spur of the moment decisions.

Jighead · 12-02-2009, 09:39 PM

I like lightbaits in almost all situations. My exception is dark reds with gold in the winter. I've never done well with dark colored lures fresh or saltwater, but that maybe because I rarely use them. I'm going light greens with metalic,chartruse, or pearl first. Personally I think action of the lure and depth are the key factors not color.

Tex@OIP · 12-02-2009, 09:48 PM

I throw white or glow color almost all the time.

Bay Pirate · 12-02-2009, 10:01 PM

Hi Brad.....what a surprise,I subscribe to a different theory than dark colors in dark water......

<LI>my opinion...fish eat a baitbased on Sight, Sound, Smell.</LI><LI>In dark water for reds,I use the Gulp Chartreuse pepper, as well as other gulp baits with white and dark colors mixedon them. Site <U>and</U> smell should apply to these baits!</LI><LI>I also use spoons starting this year....pretty decent results with either silver or gold so far!</LI>

Golden Rule...if the fish aren't there it doesn't matter what weuse!

Have fun and lets get some decent weather for shallow water reds!

Below is a late Nov, fish a friend caught last year....I would like to catch some this year!

captken · 12-02-2009, 10:16 PM

Flyfishermen spend more time with this issue than others. I'm a part time flyfisherman and it bleeds over into my other fishing techniques.

I'll second bone/white. I use it a bunch but I have Zara Spooks, Top Dogs, and Skitterwalks painted flat black. Nothing silhouettesbetter thanflat black. I paint a hot yellow stripe on top of these black lures so I can see them when casting a shoreline. I catch lots of fish on flat black top water plugs. Likely I'd catch lots of fish on flat black swim baits too if I used them.

In super clear water for spooky fish, I try to match the hatch as well as possible. White is hard to beat when matching Pilchards, Menhaden, and Sardines. When I am trying to mimic a shrimp, crabor Mud Minnow, (Bull Minnow) I try to use a color that matches the bottom. Olive, brown and tan will cover most situations.

Whoever heard of a white shrimp with a hot pink tail? Yeah, some folks catch the heck out of Trout on them. Go figure that one out! Chartreuse is not a common color for baitfish but hot orange is. About 90% of soft corals and other bottom sessile organisms are mighty orange.

Most of my deep jigs have pink in them. I make my own jig heads and, if I paint them, they will be either white or hot pink.

Tarpon and Wahoo love hot pink Stretches.

My son swears by dark green grubs for Flounder where I like gray or brown. He kicks my butt often but he had a mighty good teacher and paid attention in class.

There probably is no pat answer but whatever gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling is probably right for you. Confidence in the lure you are using is of utmost importance.

Brad King · 12-02-2009, 10:16 PM

Nice to hear from you again there BP... Thanks for sharing your advice!!

Bay Pirate · 12-03-2009, 08:45 PM

Good advice Cap'n Ken....Match the hatch is always areliable technique, especially in the spring and summer, I agree 110%!

I also agree,I never saw any Chartreuse Pepper looking realbaits, but I sure have seen a bunch of reds with one hanging in the corner of their mouths when I'm pulling them to the boat! They're not my every day fishingchoice, but I never leave home without them! (at least 1 pack anyway)

The "BONE"slightly peppered off-white colored 4" shrimp have also been productive for me at times!

Like Ken said, confidence is key, but when your confidence lure doesn't work, experiment.......I can always NOT catch a fish withthe wrong color as well asNOT catchthem with the right color, so if the bite is off, keep switching around till something works, or call it a day,have a beer and go home!!

!

12-02-2009, 02:49 PM	#1
Brad King Senior Member White Marlin Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Gulf Breeze Posts: 2,958	Inshore Lure's For the sake of a good conversation, how do you select your lure colors for inshore fishing?? I know the old formula that Dark colors in dark water and light colors in light water but what areyour toughts? I personally have two or three colors that I am very confident with. Example... In clear water and sight fishing I prefer to throw Rootbeer or camo colors, when water is stained, offcolor or stirred up from wind and rain I prefer to switch over to either a Nuclear Chicken or Limetiger color (I obviously throw alot of Gulps!). What are your thoughts on what color and when??? __________________ Capt. Brad King South Again Charters LLC www.southagain.com captbrad@southagain.com Inshore/Nearshore Charters

12-02-2009, 03:39 PM	#2
Freespool Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: just a trollin along Posts: 1,399	RE: Inshore Lure's There are some circumstances where I switch colors but I throw the same few colors regardless to start off. I know they work and I'm confident in them.I will change accordingly depending how the fish react

12-02-2009, 09:02 PM	#3
Brad King Senior Member White Marlin Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Gulf Breeze Posts: 2,958	RE: Inshore Lure's Anyone else?"? __________________ Capt. Brad King South Again Charters LLC www.southagain.com captbrad@southagain.com Inshore/Nearshore Charters

12-02-2009, 09:17 PM	#4
capt wade Senior Member Mingo Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 174	RE: Inshore Lure's I like to start every morning throwing a bone white something, and then after that its all based on spur of the moment decisions.

12-02-2009, 09:39 PM	#5
Jighead Senior Member Grouper Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Springville, AL Posts: 1,096	RE: Inshore Lure's I like lightbaits in almost all situations. My exception is dark reds with gold in the winter. I've never done well with dark colored lures fresh or saltwater, but that maybe because I rarely use them. I'm going light greens with metalic,chartruse, or pearl first. Personally I think action of the lure and depth are the key factors not color.

12-02-2009, 09:48 PM	#6
Tex@OIP Senior Member Grouper $Tex@OIP's Avatar$ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Destin/ Miami Posts: 1,060	RE: Inshore Lure's I throw white or glow color almost all the time. __________________ http://www.oceanepics.com/tex/

12-02-2009, 10:01 PM	#7
Bay Pirate Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,510	RE: Inshore Lure's Hi Brad.....what a surprise,I subscribe to a different theory than dark colors in dark water...... <LI>my opinion...fish eat a baitbased on Sight, Sound, Smell.</LI><LI>In dark water for reds,I use the Gulp Chartreuse pepper, as well as other gulp baits with white and dark colors mixedon them. Site <U>and</U> smell should apply to these baits!</LI><LI>I also use spoons starting this year....pretty decent results with either silver or gold so far!</LI> Golden Rule...if the fish aren't there it doesn't matter what weuse! Have fun and lets get some decent weather for shallow water reds! Below is a late Nov, fish a friend caught last year....I would like to catch some this year! __________________ [SIGPIC][SIGPIC]

12-02-2009, 10:16 PM	#8
captken Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Crystal River, FL Posts: 1,877	RE: Inshore Lure's Flyfishermen spend more time with this issue than others. I'm a part time flyfisherman and it bleeds over into my other fishing techniques. I'll second bone/white. I use it a bunch but I have Zara Spooks, Top Dogs, and Skitterwalks painted flat black. Nothing silhouettesbetter thanflat black. I paint a hot yellow stripe on top of these black lures so I can see them when casting a shoreline. I catch lots of fish on flat black top water plugs. Likely I'd catch lots of fish on flat black swim baits too if I used them. In super clear water for spooky fish, I try to match the hatch as well as possible. White is hard to beat when matching Pilchards, Menhaden, and Sardines. When I am trying to mimic a shrimp, crabor Mud Minnow, (Bull Minnow) I try to use a color that matches the bottom. Olive, brown and tan will cover most situations. Whoever heard of a white shrimp with a hot pink tail? Yeah, some folks catch the heck out of Trout on them. Go figure that one out! Chartreuse is not a common color for baitfish but hot orange is. About 90% of soft corals and other bottom sessile organisms are mighty orange. Most of my deep jigs have pink in them. I make my own jig heads and, if I paint them, they will be either white or hot pink. Tarpon and Wahoo love hot pink Stretches. My son swears by dark green grubs for Flounder where I like gray or brown. He kicks my butt often but he had a mighty good teacher and paid attention in class. There probably is no pat answer but whatever gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling is probably right for you. Confidence in the lure you are using is of utmost importance. __________________ Captken http://www.panhandlefishingbooks.com/

12-02-2009, 10:16 PM	#9
Brad King Senior Member White Marlin Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Gulf Breeze Posts: 2,958	RE: Inshore Lure's Nice to hear from you again there BP... Thanks for sharing your advice!! __________________ Capt. Brad King South Again Charters LLC www.southagain.com captbrad@southagain.com Inshore/Nearshore Charters

12-03-2009, 08:45 PM	#10
Bay Pirate Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,510	RE: Inshore Lure's Good advice Cap'n Ken....Match the hatch is always areliable technique, especially in the spring and summer, I agree 110%! I also agree,I never saw any Chartreuse Pepper looking realbaits, but I sure have seen a bunch of reds with one hanging in the corner of their mouths when I'm pulling them to the boat! They're not my every day fishingchoice, but I never leave home without them! (at least 1 pack anyway) The "BONE"slightly peppered off-white colored 4" shrimp have also been productive for me at times! Like Ken said, confidence is key, but when your confidence lure doesn't work, experiment.......I can always NOT catch a fish withthe wrong color as well asNOT catchthem with the right color, so if the bite is off, keep switching around till something works, or call it a day,have a beer and go home!! ! __________________ [SIGPIC][SIGPIC]

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