Fishing Lure Color Selection (Part 2): Depth Affects What Colors Fish Can See

Want access to some cool lure color selection charts? Go to my website at makewoodenlures.com/lure-colo...
In part one of this 4 part series we looked at how water dims the light and reduces fishing lure color intensity. In this video we'll look at how it can actually change the colors that fish can see.
This means that what fish eyes are capable of seeing becomes less important. Because they simply can't see something that is not there!
It's as though fish are looking at your lures through a piece of blue cellophane that gets darker the deeper into the water they go. Try it for yourself- have a look at some lure colors through blue cellophane.
Even though you might have full color vision, you can only see the colors that remain after the cellophane has filtered the others out.
In clean, clear water the red wavelengths of sunlight are the first ones to be removed. And as you go deeper the oranges, yellows and greens disappear too.
So my advice is always to stop thinking about what colors fish can see - and start thinking about what colors are present for them to see. I'm sure you'll agree that the deeper the water becomes the less important lure color selection becomes!

[@Makelures]

Good point (and hard to answer in a few short words). Conditions can be so variable, the only constants we have are 'perfect conditions' and 'worst case conditions', which are self explanatory. Everything else falls somewhere in between. It's why I say not to take too much notice of the depths in my figures, but focus on the order in which the different wavelengths disappear. Red first, blue last. If you post this question on my makewoodenlures blog I can give more detail

[@niklaus4jc]

Thank you very much for this helpfull videos Makelures.

[@localnaga8907]

This is the 1 I've been searching for

[@brandoncarr441]

Interesting video. Ill be watching all parts

[@texansFANable]

good video Greg. Whats your take on using the Color-C-Lector to select your bait?

[@yellowbird500]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@fredleroux6920]

Thank you for your series of clips , I primarily fly fish , the maximum depths I would go down to would be 2 to 4 meters, what two color's should I primarily use when making my flies?

[@tammyrouse7422]

The long wave lengths are absorbed first because they are the warmest and water robs them of energy . Add suspended particles and the short wave lengths of blue and purple can now be absorbed before the red and oranges .The middle wave lengths yellow and green then reach the deepest . In most freshwater fishing situations yellow and green are the deepest colors that still exist . I like the way you put it "Its not what the fish can see but what is available to be seen . " I would like to borrow that statement . Great videos .

[@SunburyGeorgia]

Greg, 1st Awesome videos because the color debate is always an ongoing situation. So in your opinion, what would be the best two colors for any lure?

[@Mondodarts]

Very good to know. I'll be purchasing your ebook ASAP. I'm now wondering about something. Would glow in the dark lures or lures with those glow lights attached make a big difference? Until now, I thought they were just gimmicks. I kayak fish. Should I try those glow in the dark or glow light lures? I saw an underwater lighting kit for night fishing. Will this help?

[@nickk6109]

Greg Vinall Only two points on this are: a) absorption effect of colours - i.e. if only blue light falls on the lure which is has red areas then the blue will be absorbed (assuming the characteristics of the paint is to absorb rather than interfere). This may make the lure look more realistic due to the gradients (not the actual colour) b) species eye characteristics - i.e. more sensitive to particular wave lengths due to eye biology and the size of the eye where aperture and lens may result in a 'faster' system meaning that the fish can see better because it's specialised in collecting and focusing that wavelength of light better (blue) rather than a broad spectrum.

[@TheZebulonPike]

There may be other factors to consider besides just which wavelength attenuates quicker as depth increases.Though it may be that red drops out first with blue and violet remaining at deeper depths,relative color may be a better indicator as certain species could have developed to detect trace evidence of red at very deep levels as their prey would have an advantage to be this color at deeper depths.What I mean by relative color is that the ratio of red:violet changes as water conditions change.

[@aaronwilde]

Cool video, however, fishing in fresh/salt water in British Columbia, all the trout, char, and salmon species that we fish for here are rarely deeper than 5 meters unless you are fishing a lake/deep ocean with a boat. I wonder how colours matter in these shallower area? I think it could become personal preference / whatever seems to work to attract the fish :)

[@L0rd0fTh3N3rdz]

Part 3 must be some epic tale about wind.

[@davidvanmaanen-icperch2797]

I assume this goes as well for choosing your lure colours for night fishing? For example fishing for walleye with shads.

[@timconny89]

Great video. What about silver colours?

[@zzz7zzz9]

yes, some colours are lost at certain depths, but that doesn't mean that those colours should then NOT be used, as you suggest. they still represent a specific shade on the grey-scale. and it may be that particular shade that the fish want that day. pink is going to be a different intensity of grey than orange or red. they all just don't become the same grey just because they lose their colour intensity. and those now shades of grey will still be factors in how the fish respond to that lure. we consistently catch better on a pink version of a plug than any other colour of that same plug, and that's at various depths from 10 feet down to 45 feet. I know that it's not because they prefer the pink necessarily, but more of how that pink colour is represented with the colour changes. so it's actually wrong to say not to use particular colours just because that actual colour is lost at a certain depth. it can still be effective.

[@BocaNejra]

Interesting video... but what about surface lures like popper sor pencils? they are all seen against the sky, which may be either overcast, dark or clear in sunny day depending on the conditions. The fact they are seen backlit also may have a dramatic impact on that. So what's the deal? Will black still be the most visible color in terms of contrast of the lure's silhouette? Will light and translucent colors still be useful for sunny days?

[@Makelures]

white results when the eye detects all visible wavelengths. So a white lure will change color with depth as the red wavelengths fist disappear, then orange, yellow etc. The color that is visible is the combination of those wavelengths that remain, so a white lure will often appear green or blue to a fish that is down deep in clear water.

[@ZenaBattaglia]

Wow this is great stuff! Tx

[@mahmoudadeeb8072]

Thanks man

[@angdaien]

Dr. Vinall, what if the target fish’s natural prey looks gray to the fish? Is it more important for the fish to see a color or is it more important to match what the fish normally feeds on?

[@dobie333]

I read that fluorescent colors retain their same colors at all depths. For example, fluorescent yellow looks the same at 6 feet and 100 feet. Is this true?

[@Makelures]

@327caveman Thanks Caveman. It's true, fish see a different spectrum of colors than humans. In fact, some fish species see different colors than other fish species. Some even see UV. But they can still only see a color if that wavelength of light is present. For example, UV only penetrates to around 15-30ft under good conditions, so a fish that can see UV at the surface can't see it at 35ft.....

[@Acubens4]

Can you explain to me then, why is orange the most used color in deep sea fishing? Here in Norway/Sweden for example we only use orange, pink and sometimes yellow/red mixtures.

[@rslim5]

How does this method apply when pond fishing?

[@ikmal37]

just a quick question, so if violet, being the deepest color for water depth, shouldnt we just use violet colored lures? it could be seen in deep and shallow waters..

[@CornishFishingandShooting]

A very interesting video thank you. Just one question about neutral colors such as white and black. How are they affected by depth?

[@Makelures]

Thanks for your question - a good one too! White objects simply become more and more blue with depth, until there is so little light they just fade away. Black objects are highly visible (to fish) at all depths. Fish have an eye structure that is far more sensitive to contract than it is to color. Black creates a great silhouette at most depths, until you get into the pitch darkness of the deep ocean, of course.

[@CornishFishingandShooting]

Greg Vinall Thank you for this really useful information.

[@tammyrouse7422]

+Greg Vinall In clear water they will turn blue . In stained water white will become yellow/green as it gets deeper .There are two factors in light waves that determine how deep they penetrate , wave lengths and heat .

[@panjik6880]

great

[@Ocupadojosh]

White contains all the visible wavelengths. So it would be reduced just as shown with violet and blue penetrating the deepest in the water.

[@designengg98]

witch is best colour lure for snakehead fishing..

[@UserUser-zm3fo]

Do we need to figure UV into this?

[@Comrade_Akimov]

Lagoon type shallow lake (1.2-1-5m flat weedbeds), water color is brownish, visibility during fall is ~ 3 - 5m. It is agreed here pike love orange-yellow-red colored lures.

[@whitetroutchannel]

im not very well educated but i can pluck trout out of the sea finer than any scholar but i use a white lure a lot for sea run brown trout in ireland up to a depth of up to 15ft can you tell me are the trout seeing my lure as white like i am or is it multi coloured or what? help im a bit confused

[@Rebellen007]

I know I've got fish on red lures in deep water. Pretty sure they attract by movement and not only color.

[@steves1015]

Of course movement attracts them too; seeing it move but also detecting vibrations through the lateral line. That’s also why some lures splash, or have moving parts or internal beads. Talking about sight, if you use a red lure in water deeper than 10m, then it just appears dark like a dark blue/grey, but they’ll still see the shape of the lure if the water is clear enough, it just won’t be the colour red that attracts them. An identical but dark coloured lure would work just the same. Ive seen this when diving - it is never as vivid as it looks in photos or in film, unless you take a torch with you to artificially put the light source back in. And as this guy said, some places can be really clear 20m + down, and other places are almost like nighttime at 6m..

[@MohamadFaridi]

Greg, how about white color???

[@Makelures]

It's well known that different fish species see some colors better than others. However, anatomical structure of their eyes suggests they don't see trace levels. Deep water species have a low proportion of cone cells in the retina (cells that detect color), and a high proportion of rod cells (detect light and dark). In order to see extremely low levels of color it would need to be the opposite way around. Scientific evidence instead suggests they see silhouettes and shapes clearly, but not color

[@MarcosMVlures]

What about white? How does fish see the white color? Do they see white where all wave lenghts reach and then it gets changing of color until deeper its only seen blue? Is a white redhead lure good for a deep diver, because of white + the contrast?

[@MarcosMVlures]

Fluorescent color penetrate deeper?

[@Makelures]

You know, I've never actually used one, but I can't say I'd be that optimistic about them. The main point of my video series is that often colors aren't as visible to fish as we might think. We put too much faith in color when size, shape and vibration are more important. And contrast too. The Color-C-Lector tells you what color is visible under the prevailing conditions, but it doesn't mean that's the color fish are feeding on. Most baitfish are camoflaged and the fish still find them!

[@Makelures]

You'd think that, wouldn't you? But the reality is that ultraviolet doesn't penetrate anywhere near as deep as violet. In fact, it gets absorbed quite near the surface, especially if there is a little color or sediment in the water.

[@richter018]

What about white? To what depth is white percievable?

[@balihilde1]

Very interesting stuff, but there is a point I'd like to make. I was a commercial salmon troller for many years, and for the last 10 years or so, Sockeye, Pink and Chum salmon were our main quary, often fishing them at 30 to 35 fathoms or more (180 feet and more). The only color that will produce any successfull days fishing is a red to orange to pink (dark) lure. Were one to use a blue or green lure, one would very quickly go broke. Tyhe same holds true for Chinook salmon, even Coho. A slight hue of pink on a plug or spoon can be very successfull down to 45 fathioms. This is not just on my boat, but the whole fleet. Can you explain this please? thank you.

[@carlsutherland3730]

I love your question, and would love to hear the answer as well. Do you know how blacklights work? They shine a light in a wavelength we can't see, that hits an object. Then the presence of phosphorus or some other element changes it's frequency and sends it back in a frequency we can see. I wonder if something similar is happening.

[@ttterence_]

so this is why i caught nothing with a pretty red lure. thanks Greg!

[@geneyoung8023]

The only three colors you need are red yellow and black, it's where you put the colors that matter, a fishing lure look pretty for the fisherman knot the fish!!!!

[@mcaetano2000]

Different fish have different color perception. Largemouth bass see red and green better than blue and violet. They almost can't see blue and violet, so, in deeper water green should be the best color for bass. Carp are different because they can see blue, violet and even ultaviolet. Some of this information is in the book "Knowing Bass - The Scientific Aproach to Catching More Fish".

[@Customluremarketplace2013]

Thanks Marco, you're spot on. Freshwater species generally have better color perception in the red-orange and yellow-green ranges. Pelagicsoften see better in the blue-purple range. The UV thing is interesting given that Uv doesn't really penetrate much into water, but some fish have it, especially tropical reef species. Also, fish have a lot more rod cells than cone cells in their retina (compared with humans), so they see contrast far more clearly than us and color less than us. I cover a lot of this in my eBook "Why fish don't see your lures" Search or that title on Amazon and you'll find it.

[@mcaetano2000]

Thanks! Maybe I'll buy your book!

[@Customluremarketplace2013]

Marco Caetano No Problem! In Kindle format and it's only $3-4, so if you're into this kind of info you might enjoy it. If you do buy it I'd appreciate feedback (good or bad). Regards Greg

[@Scorpio_1974]

Marco Caetano You're right. This is why allot of bass fisherman use chartreuse color or green. I give an example spring time using watermelon lizard bass are all over it.

[@afrog2666]

red/yellow/green is good for a lot of salties too ;)

[@silentwinter]

How about Pink?

[@johnkuwik2477]

Yeah Dr. White! Yeah Science!!!

[@dirkroos1146]

Hows about white and golden lures?

[@Makelures]

White lures get darker and darker blue with depth in clear water. In algae affected water they get progressively greener and in tannin stained waters they're red/brown. As with all colors, once you reach a depth where there's not much light they just become a silhouette. Gold? it's basically the same deal as for yellow, except that gold is often metallic, which means it creates flash. And flash is visible to fish even when color is not ;-)

[@dirkroos1146]

Greg Vinall So its pretty smart to use lures with multiple colors? Im asking especially for jiggs in depths of 10 - 20 mts?

[@semihsemra8612]

👍👍👍💖💖

[@afrog2666]

What about the different fishes capability of low light vision? Some fish have better vision than others, some are even basically blind, but that`s more for deep water..

[@afrog2666]

Still interesting information ;)

[@afrog2666]

Deep water? Go SHINY! :)

[@Makelures]

This vid is more about how the environment affects what is available for fish to see, rather than what fish ar actually capable of seeing, which varies tremendously between species. I have perfect color vision, but if I look at the world through blue colored lenses I'll mostly see blue, which is what happens to fish. Most fish actually see extremely well in low light, but they don't see color very well. The anatomical structure of a fish's eye allows them to make out shapes, shadows and silhouettes extremely well, which is why their low light vision is very good. I've explored a lot more about fish vision (and other senses) on my website here: makewoodenlures.com/lure-fishing-tips/

[@afrog2666]

I kinda got that after looking through the comments lol, but it`s interesting info nonetheless, I`ll be sure to check out the site ;)

[@MrCribbss]

3:10 a red sphere with yellow dots? jajaja

[@Makelures]

Actually, ultraviolet IS a color, just not one that our eyes can see. Just like red and green are colors but not all of us can see them. And you CAN buy ultraviolet paint, too. But it's expensive, hard to get and I doubt it would improve your results much.....

[@shanewickham9750]

so black is the best color

[@Makelures]

Thanks smartgirl. There is a lot of misinformation out there!

[@qibs]

Ultraviolet isn't part of the visible spectrum. You would have a highly difficult time trying to find ultraviolet paint. It's not really a color.

[@RANGERROCKET25]

Explain "TYPICAL CONDITIONS" Please.....

[@zzz7zzz9]

these are great vids. the factor that can throw it all into a loop though, is just how fish see. we don't really, truly know. only a fish knows. and then, they say that changes between species as well. i have been playing with UV lately, and that's a whole other factor. and there's just as much info on that, and none of it is conclusive either. bottom line, toss a lure out and try it.

[@michaela.kelley7823]

Has anyone considered that fish have fish eyes and not human eyes? They are designed to see better underwater than us. For instance, a bass has something in there eye can actually change there scale color

[@chris.n.wales.2432]

This guy needs to update his information,no mention of fluorescence! Abu Garcia did a study on this many years ago.Totally different figures & values.

[@elguanacosolitario120]

El guanaco solitario120

[@slipknot73745]

Just because we can't see something under certain luminescence doesn't imply other animals react the same! Don't fish have different rod/cone concentrations, relative to humans? What about the tapetum lucidum (walleye) and differing ocular physiology? And then species to species, I'd imagine a vivid range of diversity in these systems. I'd guess objective evidence would have to come from electrophysiology studies in which we'd measure depolarization/hyperpolarization under certain turbidities x light intensity?

[@kayzandmuffin8929]

B

[@mongol3560]

Great info but sound is horrible. Volume in full, still hard to hear what you are saying.

[@karansotv7181]

The problem is we can say how fish eyes really works it might be its true with our eyes but not with fishes.

[@alf3071]

then make all lures white and they get the color from the environment

[@gordjohnson70]

Think about ears.... TURN UP THE VOLUME !

[@jadrankodolovcak627]

Something not right there because filmed on camera orange stay the longest (deepest) orange.

[@MrLastikman07]

The sound is poor