The color of trout lures is an essential component of fishing for trout. Choosing the correct color of lure can determine whether a person will be successful in catch trout or not. Trout can see red and ultraviolet light more better than humans can.
However, the colors of the lures will change based on the depth and clarity of the water. Therefore, the person fishing for trout must select an appropriate lure colors to match the environment in which they are fishing. Using the wrong color of lure can make it impossible for the trout to see the lure, which will prevent the fishing person from succeeding with they’re fishing efforts.
How to Choose the Right Lure Color for Trout
Water clarity is one of the primary factor that determine the color of the best trout lures. If the water is very clear, the person should use lures with natural colors. If the water is muddy or stained, bright colors such as neon colors work best for attracting the trout.
For example, if the water is sunny and clear, using a gold lure will be effective because it will mimic other small fish in the area. If the water is clear but overcast, silver lures that mimic minnows will work best for fishing for trout. Additionally, firetiger colors are effective for stained rivers because the colors provide high contrast between the lure and the murky water.
If fishing for trout in clear streams, the natural colors of the lures are the most effective. Using natural colors will help people fishing for trout to avoid startling the trout in the area. Brown and tan colored lures work best for clear water because they will help the lure to blend in with the rocky bottoms of the stream.
These colors also work best for fooling brown trout. Olive colors are effective because they mimic the weeds and nymphs found in the water throughout the year. Pale pink colors work best for trout during their spawning season because they will mimic fish eggs during these times of the year.
Additionally, cream colored lures are effective in spring creeks because they mimic mayflies that the trout will eat. When using natural colors for clear water, trout will inspect the lure very close so mimicking the colors of the trout prey is the focus for fishing these areas. For stained or murky waters, different colors of lures will work best.
For turbid waters, chartreuse colored lures work best because they have a UV glow that will allow trout to see them over distances. Firetiger colors are also effective for muddy river waters because the lure create a bold contrast with the murky water. Hot orange and bright gold colors work best for waters with tannins in them because these colors will mimic wounded baitfish that the trout may encounter while fishing.
Bright pink lures are effective for glacial silt because they are highly visible in murky rivers. The colors that work for trout will also differ according to the fishing season of the year. This is due to the changing conditions and food for trout throughout the year.
In the spring, the water can become very dirty with all the runoff from the rains. For this reason, using chartreuse or gold-brown colored lures will target the feeding trout. During the summer, trout will move to deeper waters.
For this reason, silver-white colors work best in clear lakes or pale olive colors near weeds. During the fall, amber and orange-brown lures will work to target brown trout in the area before they spawn. Finally, in the winter, natural colors such as pink eggs work best for trout in clear water under ice.
In addition to the Trout species that a person is targeting, there are specific lure colors for each species of trout to catch. For rainbow trout, bold pink and chartreuse colored lures are best because these colors will mimic the eggs that rainbow trout eat. For brown trout, natural olive and gold colors will work best, especially after dark.
Brook trout will be best caught with red and orange colored lures because these colors will trick the trout into thinking that they are encountering rivals. Finally, lake and cutthroat trout will be best caught using silver-white and gold spinners, respectively. A person using lures for trout will have to ensure that the lure that is used has the correct color for the best chance of catching trout.
For instance, gold blades will be effective on spinners when the water is warm but silver blades will be effective in bright light condition. Firetiger colors will be effective on spoons when the water is murky but pink and chartreuse colored lures will be effective for catching rainbow trout. Additionally, using flies, olive nymphs will be effective for matching the insects that hatch in the area but white marabou jigs will be best for stained water.
The light that falls on the water will change the color of the lures that will be effective for trapping trout. For bright light during the midday hour, natural and subtle colors will work best for the trout. For the warm glow of sunrise and sunset, gold and copper colors will work best for fishing for trout.
Additionally, during overcast conditions, colors such as chartreuse and orange will work best for trout. Finally, at dusk when using lights for fishing, silver colors will work best but deep waters requires a UV bright lure color. Under banks when fishing in the shade, dark olive colors will work best for trout.
A common mistake is for people to only use one color of lure when fishing for trout. Instead, a variety of lure colors should be packaged according to the information presented. Before using any lure for fishing, people should observe the clarity of the water.
One way to determine the clarity of the water is to look at your own hand in the water. If the water is clear, use subtle colors for the lures but if the water is dirty, opt for bright colors. Additionally, by observing the light in the area, the season, and water clarity, a person can select the best lure color for their needs to increase their chances of successful catching trout.