Bass Color Vision – Use it to Your Advantage

It is known that bass are able to see colors and it isYou should also consider the amount of sunlight
felt that they have better vision for the colors ofpresent when selecting the color for you chosen bait.
red and green than humans. Vision is the most vitalOn bright sunny days colors should be chosen as
sense that bass have. Their excellent visual acuity isoutlined above in the discussion of visibility. As the
better than that of humans. This is advantageous forintensity of sunlight is reduced as occurs on cloudy
the bass both during the daylight hours and neardays you should shift to the bait colors
dusk as the level of light diminishes. recommended for reduced visibility. 
The clarity of the water has a very large effectWill baits of solid colors or those including flakes of
upon how color impacts bass fishing. In clear shallowadditional color attract more fish? Again the visibility
water, artificial bait which mimics the silver and goldfactor will be the determining factor. In bright sunny
color of the bass’s natural baitfish food sourcesconditions in clear water flakes of silver and gold will
work well. The flash of these colors as artificial baitincrease the “flashy “appearance that may
passes through the water is very effective ingrab a fish’s attention. As the visibility is reduced
attracting bass. If your bait is designed to resembleeither by reduced sunlight or increased water
crawfish it should display colors that are similar to themurkiness, this effectiveness of the silver and gold
natural coloration of the crawfish. The best colors inflakes will be reduced and lures with small area or
this situation would be shades of green and brown. flakes of darker colors will begin to work better. 
As visibility is reduced (1-3 feet) brighter colors suchWhile there is no hard and fast rule for color
as chartreuse, and the shades of red and orangeeffectiveness, you will be able to improve you bass
that display “neon” qualities become morefishing skills by using the principles outlined in this
effective. With further reductions of visibility(less thanarticle to adapt to the conditions you face as you
1foot such as in muddy water) then the best colorshead out onto the water in search of “the big
to use are dark colors such as dark reds, browns;one”.
blues, grays and black.