blazt* Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) I'll be making a bunch of lures for stained water , as my normally ultraclear (10 ft vis) ponds will be down to 1-3 ft visibility probably now until postspawn. I wonder what color eyes I should be using on color X lure body? Right now my thinking leans most towards strong contrast between body color (chartreuse glitter, for example) and eye color (red would stand out nicely against chartreuse) just becase I have nothing else to go on. And of course spawning time = red. Given that bass are targeting the eye I think that makes sense. I also wonder if gold eyes on chartreuse glitter would get bit and bit hard? Most of us probably know that bass focus on the eye of a baitfish before striking. Scientific studies, blah blah. And the pros seem to agree consistently over time that eyes are extremely important. I do know that the lures I've thrown over the years with 3d eyes (and realistic finishes) have produced my biggest bass. There is zero doubt in my mind about that. I just wonder what colors produce best, if anybody has done any serious testing on this or just happened to notice. I need to buy some more eyes - the silver/gold/black assym eyes I just bought will be great for clear water but they tend to camoflauge themselves on top of loud colors. I'd be glad to hear any and all theories on this. Edited March 16, 2011 by blazt* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 My largest bass came on a buzz bait with painted on eyes. Next largest was on a Fluke "baby bass" with no eyes. I wouldn't get hung up on eyes as the main attractant. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'll be making a bunch of lures for stained water , as my normally ultraclear (10 ft vis) ponds will be down to 1-3 ft visibility probably now until postspawn. I wonder what color eyes I should be using on color X lure body? Have you read this thread and the article within: http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/21854-how-bass-see-color/page__pid__163041#entry163041 Here is the relevant excerpt from the article: Super Clear: White or clear. Use glitter for color. All colors are visible to 10 feet. Clear Water: Blue is most visible. White is visible. All colors are slightly visible to 10 feet. Green Water: Green is most visible. Stained Water: Orange, green, and chartreuse are most visible. Red is slightly visible. Muddy Water: Red is most visible. Here are some additional suggestions to help with low light (first light until sunup), medium light (sunup until the sun reaches 20 degrees to the horizon), and high light (from 20 degrees to the opposite horizon) conditions: Low Light: Blue, purple or black work best. Use with silver flash. Medium Light: Red and orange work best. High Light: Brown or gray work best. Use with fluorescent accents. This might help you decide. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.dsaavedra. Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 i think you're over thinking it. put on whatever color eyes look good on the bait. the color of the bait is more important than the color of the eyes on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 X2 with Dsaavedra. Bass see less detail as water clarity decreases so I'd use eye colors that look good to you from whatever perspective you choose. From a practical perspective, 1-3 ft visibility is the ideal clarity for fishing crankbaits. Many experienced crankers when given the choice will specifically look for 1-3 ft clarity to fish crankbaits so the bass won't be able to get a good look before they commit to biting. Every fisherman's choices are relative to his experience but I would be fishing baits with only moderate color contrast in that water clarity, and the eye color wouldn't be an issue. In the absence of any definitive science on how (or if) bass relate to prey fish eye color, position, and size, it's all too easy to run aground when trying to navigate among "expert opinions". One theory is that bass are efficient predators who maneuver so a prey is swimming away from them when they attack, so the prey will not see the bass until it's too late. So a bass may be more likely to stalk and attack a prey - or a crankbait - if it can follow it without seeing the eyes. In the natural world, if you can see your prey's eyes, the prey can also see you! This makes as much sense to me as any other theory. And it might also help explain why some of the most productive classic wood crankbaits have small eyes painted on the top of the nose, almost as an afterthought. I think it's about depth, action, size, and speed. But if a particular color eye gives you confidence, that's not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Clear water...natural colors. Off colored water...chartruese or red. Night fishing...glow in the dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockjaw Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 IMO in stained water the action will be the biggest factor. Fish will rely mostly on their lateral line not vision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 IMO in stained water the action will be the biggest factor. Fish will rely mostly on their lateral line not vision. I agree pretty much. Just looking to put an extra edge on my baits, not a magic bullet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
