[sbritt23]

I am just wondering what makes the red head/white body topwater lure so effective it seems like no matter what the conditions are the fish love it so much. Whether its topwater a suspending or sinking twich bait. It just seems to work. Just a question.

 

[ChltBnks]

I don't scuba but have been told if you follow a fish from behind what you see/notice the most are the red gills as the fish is breathing. The lures you describe I feel the predator fish is looking up at them so white bellies work. So to a predator it looks like a fish in trouble with flaring gills and an easy meal. Just like a Swanson TV dinner that just came out of the toaster oven.

 

[sbritt23]

Hmm good information I don't scuba but sounds good

 

[wvlheel]

That actually makes some sense.

While we are talking colors, why on earth is chartreuse effective? It's the most unnatural color I can imagine- sorry to hikack

 

[sbritt23]

No clue why it's effective. But i know trout loves it

 

[Scott Hobbs]

Pink.....don't have a clue but always good to have one tied on.

 

[Crappietuttle]

Heck it's all a gimmick. Fish are like deer there color blind lol

 

[papadave]

Red head/White body has been effective in fresh & salt since folks figgered out fish bit on chunks of wood. It's the contrast if nothing else.

 

[OptiMystic]

Heck it's all a gimmick. Fish are like deer there color blind lol

Mostly color blind but I don't think the colors are just a gimmick; the contrast between some colors is more dramatic even if you can't discern the colors. And even if you can only see shades of gray, some shades will be preferable to others.

 

[ice cream man]

Could also be that fish are seeing a shadow. ...... ICM

 

[challenger]

Could also be that fish are seeing a shadow. ...... ICM

Please elaborate. Are you saying they possibly are seeing the shadow of the plug or are seeing the shades of gray as shadows?
I maintain there is no advantage of one color over another but it's just my own hypothesis.
I do think the red/white plug is very productive but I think that's so because a ton of people use them AND they are fished with more confidence. I'm not saying there is some magic imparted through telepathy from the fisherman to the plug. I'm implying that when an artificial is used that has been very successful the fisherman works it in a manner that makes it more appealing to the fish. Seems a bit off the wall but that's my story.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

 

[ice cream man]

Could also be that fish are seeing a shadow. ...... ICM

Silhouette is what I meant. ...... ICM

 

[OptiMystic]

Not being able to see colors as vividly as we do doesn't mean they don't look different. Lucy was a red head, even on B&W TVs.

I actually think that explains why some crazy colors work (and I have seen some science based articles that back this up). They may not look like anything found in nature to us, but to fish they look natural but can be seen from further away.

 

[NCTribute]

I agree with the silhouette theory. The water disturbance and white belly flash when a baitfish turns probably attracts more attention than any color on the sides. I know from having fish in an aquarium, they like to hit bait in the head if possible. Wonder if the red head gives contrast for the eyes on the lure, identifying the head end? Always wondered if a red drum spot on the tail was a fake eye, helping them escape more often.

 

[papadave]

I've always wondered at the frog pattern on many topwater baits. Top is leopard frog spots, bottom is yellow. I guess occasionally the spots might show on baits that ride low, but the fish will mostly see the yellow belly(or some shade of gray).
Of course the fisherman sees the spots on top.........

 

[Swampin']

I've always wondered at the frog pattern on many topwater baits. Top is leopard frog spots, bottom is yellow. I guess occasionally the spots might show on baits that ride low, but the fish will mostly see the yellow belly(or some shade of gray).
Of course the fisherman sees the spots on top.........

You want to catch a fish spray paint it chartruese, you want to make money? Pay $18 to have it hand painted to look like a leopard frog. It'll catch fisherman even in the heat of the day or the cold of the winter

 

[papadave]

Fish don't carry wallets!

 

[Brenardo]

I agree with the silhouette theory. The water disturbance and white belly flash when a baitfish turns probably attracts more attention than any color on the sides. I know from having fish in an aquarium, they like to hit bait in the head if possible. Wonder if the red head gives contrast for the eyes on the lure, identifying the head end? Always wondered if a red drum spot on the tail was a fake eye, helping them escape more often.

From what I have read from researchers, they tend to agree that the spot on their tail is to help them escape predation. It is really pretty awesome.

 

[OptiMystic]

From what I have read from researchers, they tend to agree that the spot on their tail is to help them escape predation. It is really pretty awesome.

I think this is a classic example of that:

Kind of bizarre how stuff like that developed.

 

[phantom102533]

You ever see bluegills swimming in the shallows on a sunny day????? Guess what color the tail is, CHARTRUSE!