With swimbaits, I'm ALWAYS using the most natural color for the given lake's forage because the larger fish being targeted will closely inspect a bait, even ...more in very dingy water clarity.
For jigs, I follow the same guidelines as with plastics, but I generally use brighter colors so it will stand out more. In really muddy water, I will occasionally ...more break out a black/blue jig.
Muddy water, I'll start using the chartreuses. I find that chart/blue and chart/purple work best. Last February, I caught an 8.5 pounder on a chart/blue crank ...more bait.
For hard baits, the clearer the water will again dictate natural colors. I'll start out with the chromes and bluegill colors. As the water stains, I start using ...more reds to imitate crawfish, and in really
Shad or tilapia. When it muddies up a little, I'll throw some flake in there. Red is always safe. In chocolate milk, I'll start using laminated colors like ...more smoke shad, Aaron's magic, or bullfrog.
It always depends on water clarity. For plastics, the clearer the water, the more natural. In 5'+ clarity, I'll use watermelons to imitate bluegill, pumpkins ...more to imitate crawfish, and smokes to imitate
Ya depends on the water but right now in my local holes whites and red or oranges have been hot. This weekend fishing a spring fed glacier lake so the more natural ...more the better up north in Wisconsin.
My lake is really muddy. For crankbaits, firetiger is usually a good pattern. For soft plastics, black and purple are good colors. I am not afraid to throw a white ...more fluke or swimming super fluke