Matt Moreau Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Hey Guys, Just wondering what is your favorite crankbait color for ALL conditions? I know I know....But pretend there is one! Let’s say you’re going on a trip and hitting clear deep water, shallow muddy water and everything in between..... If you can only bring one color what would it be? Since this is a custom forum lets have the production color and if you want your version of that color. You don’t have to give up any secrets here and I am not looking for recipes but if you want to add that to your reply please feel free. The reason I ask is that I am going to participate in the lure swap and want to know what is the favored color amongst anglers. Then my 10 cranks will be a version of that color. I fish mainly shallow stained to muddy waters and my favorite colors are craw and bluegill patterns. I would have to guess I am in the minority here though. I think Shad patterns will probably win. Lets hear what you think will be the favorite. Thanks for the replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I know you said we could only have one favorite, but for many years there were two colors I always relied on. Those were Norman's professional edge baits in either the Bumblebee or Tennessee Shad patterns. Ben 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I know you might not have even heard of this bait, but i have caught a ton of fish on it in all kinds of conditions. It's made by Bandit Lure's and it's called a......Mistake. It's red with black stripes on one side and green with black stripes on the other. I use the 200 series most of the time....If you have $4.00 bucks burning a hole in you pocket you should buy one....Or better yet paint the color on your favorite style crank...... Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Deep Little N in Lavender Shad color for bass and Crappy colored Shallow Invader for Musky. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted June 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Great info guys keep it coming.... I know everyone has a favorite color and with all those views we should have a lot more replies!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I have caught some really nice fish on a chatreuse with blue back crank, in dingy water conditions. Shad color cranks, I have caught some nice ones also from clear to stained water. I think I own every color crank there is in my boat, but I throw those two more than any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoya Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Although I really like the looks of some the new patterns, just give me the old standard: silver foil sides, black back, white belly. Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankbaits Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Gene,You're right! Give me a silver and black lure any day.Clear to muddy water it will catch fish.But my favorite right now is a craw pattern that I paint.It has a orange belly,chartreuse sides and a dark brown shell pattern.After those two give me a bluegill pattern,they live everywhere and bass eat them more than people think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambennett Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Although I really like the looks of some the new patterns, just give me the old standard: silver foil sides, black back, white belly. Gene +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Bandit 200 chartreuse with blue back and orange belly. Caught them from Florida to Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhockey11 Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Picking only one is tough. I live on the columbia river in WA and fish for Smallmouth primarily so my answers will be a bit different than most. Instead of shad, we have smolt so I always like a chrome blue back or chrome black back shallow water bait. If I want something a little deeper, I'll use a deep lil N in spring craw. If I have to choose only one though, gold black back is pretty tough to beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuskyGary Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 The color that no one has mentioned that catches a ton of fish is.....firetiger!! Firetiger and shad color account for most of the fish caught here in Indiana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 (edited) If it was down to ony one color crankbait, I would take the shad colors over the rest!! They catch fish in all types of waters, as stated above. Edited July 2, 2011 by Big Bass Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekoutdoors.co Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Red head and white body or clown have been working on the smallies and northerns around here. I have not got to a largemouth bass lately but I have always had really good luck on white cranks and swim jigs on those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzyjunyer Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 my go to lure has always been a norman lures middle n inthe spring crawdad color - it has worked for me in muddy waters like my local lakes on the coosa (weiss, neely henry, logan martin) as well as on clearer lakes such as guntersville and especially in eufaula - my last trip to eufaula i was either throwing it or a shakey tail jig - for 4 days of fishing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtx Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Well put me in the boat with a silver foil, black back, white belly crank and I'll get by. Looks like a shad / shinner but passes for a open water small blue gill too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaMan Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Red craw all day long that stinkin bomber has caught more fish for me than anything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSuprum Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 (edited) Chrome sides blue back any lake and time of year. Shad patterns, ahhhhhhhhhhh. The only shad I know are 2 to 5 pounds and swim in the Delaware river. Imagine matching that size bait fish. Edited July 8, 2011 by TSuprum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankpaint Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 shad will keep me in fish 99% of the time it looks like alot of baitfish from minnows to chubs to small gills and crappie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishsticks Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 When I'm going for stiper I always use a basic red white pattern. As I look down the bank 90% of the other fishermen are using shad. I just like to give the fish a different option at the buffet, beside the fact that the pattern works. When I go for bass at the lake or local ponds I always fall back on a good bluegill pattern. If the fish are there you will know it within 5 min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 clear water: blue back foil sides, killspot, pink under back tail with a very light chart lateral line stained-muddy: chart back foil sides, killspot, & red gill (killer for spots!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) Gold glitter. I have worked out a special application method that gives me a mirrorlike finish that is more like a real baitfish than chrome, foil or anything else. (See the chartreuse hyperflash 2.5 ko in my gallery to see a chartreuse version) Several months ago I wasn't sure if gold would produce too well in clear water, but over the past few weeks a have caught good numbers of quality (up to 4 pounds) bass in water clarity up to 14 feet! Some of these fish were caught on the burn but some were hooked on a moderate retrieve - testament to the power of this finish. I coat my cranks with a pearl basecoat, then the glitter, olive or black back over that. Small patches are left glitterless here and there to resemble a baitfish with a few scales knocked off. It produces equally well in murky water. When the water is dirty, the brilliant flash increases visibility. In clear water, it is incredibly realistic and the intensity of flash helps obscure the bait as a fake. Sunny or cloudy...doesn't matter!! Burn it when sunny, not so fast when cloudy..but it works under all skies. Gold for all conditions. But otherwise I would choose silver for ultra clear water, even though I haven't bought a jar of silver yet. But I'm dying to see if it will outproduce gold. Edited October 9, 2011 by blazt* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
