There are so many details on how to know what color of bait to use for bass fishing, but there are some basic rules and ideas that will make it a lot easier for you.
When it comes to bait colors to use for bass fishing there are so many ideas and opinions, but I use some general rules to get the job done or at least to get off on the right foot.
I look for some key details when I am fishing and then there will be some seasonal variations to bring into the mix.
Knowing the Right Colors – Water Clarity
The major factor that I look for when I am choosing a bait color for bass fishing is water color and clarity.
The rule of thumb here is that the clearer the water the more natural baits are the ticket. This can be the translucent or shad style colors. My absolute favorite colors for clearer water conditions are green pumpkin and watermelon.
Matching What They Are Eating
That said, I will also look at the bait in the body of water as well. What are the bass eating? If they are eating crawfish or bluegill then the green pumpkins and watermelons are players.
If they are on a baitfish bite then the more baitfish colors like smoke or shad colors are the ticket.
On the other hand, if the water is super stained and visibility is low I will turn to something like purple, black, or blue. These darker colors create contrast in the murky water and allow the bass to see them more easily.
Color Example
In my local river, I fish for instance the water can really get chocolate milk with runoff and I will always throw a black, blue, or purple color and really up my odds of catching bass.
Simply put, more natural and green colors for clearer water and darker colors like blacks and blues for more stained water.
Test it out, but these are good rules to start with.
What Color Baits to Use – Seasonal
Another variant in choosing the right color bait for bass fishing is the time of year.
Early Spring Colors for Bass Fishing
In the pre-spawn or early spring, bass start feeding up for the spawn and moving in a pattern toward the spawning bays. When this happens a red color with some orange is hard to beat.
Of course, you can still play with other colors, but as a general rule the bass start keying in on crawfish and they devour red. This can be a red crankbait or a red chatterbait, but this time of year the red colors seem to really shine.
As the year progresses the bass will key in on green pumpkins and browns when feeding on crawdads, but red will play throughout the year. If there is more water clarity the more translucent reds seem to do well.
Late Spring Colors for Bass Fishing
As the season progresses bass will begin feeding on bluegill and shad when they move up to spawn. Bluegill and shad spawn will start happening.
Typically the shad spawn happens soon after the bass spawn. This will create a shad pattern. Your white colors and silver colors will work well.
When the bluegill spawn occurs a little bit after the shad spawn your green pumpkins with blue hues will become key players. Again, matching the forage that they are feeding on.
Summer Colors for Bass Fishing
During the summer you can venture out and even fish some of the bright chartreuses and blueback baits to get their attention because they are feeding more than ever with the higher water temps and metabolism.
At this point, just look at what they are feeding on in your body of water and match it.
Fall Colors for Bass Fishing
As the fall approaches the shad and baitfish patterns will dominate again, but again, look at water clarity as well.
Early Winter Colors for Bass Fishing
When fall begins to transform into winter the red crawfish patterns can play again. You will just have to experiment to see what they want.
Winter Colors for Bass Fishing
In the dead of winter duller and more translucent baits seem to work better whether that is a red craw pattern or a baitfish pattern. Some tone of purple really seems to work well for me in the winter as well. Even in clear water the purples really work in the winter.
Color Bait to Use for Bass Fishing – Conclusion
These are all general rules. In certain areas and bodies of water, certain colors just seem to work. Here on the West coast the morning dawn color always seems to work.
It is always a good idea to do some homework and check the local reports and tackle shops to see what is working best where you are fishing.
Either way, this is a good place to start when it comes to knowing what color bait to use for bass fishing.
To your fishing success,
Jonathan Burke