Pro Tip: Clear Water Color Selection

In this pro tip I’ll discuss how I select colors in clear water.
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I was born and raised in Chicago, but after working 12 years in the financial Industry regulating the futures and options markets at the CME/CBOT I decided to pursue my passion fishing professional tournaments and left my full time corporate job. At that point, I moved to Junction City, WI with my wife Sara and two boys Hank and Duke. I've been fishing professionally since 2011 and full-time since 2015. I've qualified for six MLF Championships and won roughly a half million in tournament winnings at the professional level.

[@ukstorm2727]

After watching just about every KZbin channel and still watching a lot of them I have narrowed down the best two as far as information , this channel and Tyler Berger's Bass fishing HQ

[@MattStefanFishing]

Awesome! Thanks for the support!

[@normanham8566]

I agree! Good straight info without any gimmicks.

[@stoneysdead689]

LOL- Tyler is super sensitive if you bring up Tacticalbassin- he immediately gets defensive but- otherwise yeah, a good channel. I just was poking fun at the way they always say "Burn, burn, pause" over at Tactical in a comment under one of his vids- man he did not like that. He let me know real quick to.

[@harrisonnelson1064]

@@stoneysdead689 which video was it?

[@stoneysdead689]

@@harrisonnelson1064 Man I don't remember to be honest with you- it's been a while ago- a few months I think. It wasn't a big deal or anything- he just got a little testy about it because he took it the wrong way. He thought I was trying to say he was wrong because tacticalbassin had said different but- really I wasn't. I was just saying I preferred a stop and go retrieve- and then I was like "...as Tacticalbassin always says burn, burn, pause." - but I had never heard them say that about this technique- I was just using their catch phrase to describe my own personal preference. Anyway- he quickly let me know how they had also said x and y and I was wrong so- I just left it at that and never explained to him that he had taken it the wrong way. It seemed pretty apparent to me that he had probably had some smart ass in the past throwing their advice in his face insisting he was wrong or something- so he reacted badly. It's understandable- KZbin can be a really challenging place sometimes- these comments aren't the best way to have a conversation with someone really. I'm sure he's a good guy actually.

[@thewillmercer]

Gotta be the clearest clear water color video I’ve ever seen 💯

[@MattStefanFishing]

Appreciate that

[@ulusfarris]

Motor Oil is one I use on Pickwick in Alabama.

[@MattStefanFishing]

nice!

[@ko-yoshi]

Cinnamon! Yes! Ppl don’t talk about it much but can deadly. A go-to color for craws and lizard in northern Indiana for me :)

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@RIPPNLPS]

I make all of mine in translucent smoke shades - purple, black, cinnamon and blue. I also make identical swirl colors of gizzard, golden shiner and Arkansas shiner all with the proper hilites of purples, greens and golds. For clear water I make them a little more translucent than I would for lesser visibility water. And then as you stated, I always have a bubblegum, white or merthiolate.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Sound awesome!

[@Unspoke]

You are really letting the cat out of the bag. lol. I agree 100% with the four color choices because I’ve used them all and they all worked (according to the place and time of course). And there’s one color that you mentioned, which I never hear it talked about at all on KZbin. My friend introduced me to that specific color and on the bright sunny day in the clear lakes of California, it happened to be the only color that the bass would bite my senko. Anyways, your advices are gold. With my experience on the water, your knowledge matches with what I have experienced on the water from the MidWest (originally from Wisconsin) to the East Coast to the West Coast. IMO, you provide the most accurate info on KZbin (along with Randy Blaukat).

[@mikeantes9597]

Yes cinnamon is a great clear water color

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks so much!

[@jimtandlmayer9146]

Smoke pepper & smoke purple grubs & tubes . The cotton candy in the fall never associated with water temperature ,but I will now

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@jackgiljr]

Back in the late 80's on my first trip to Okeechobee I stayed at Roland Martins Marina. I hired one of his guides for my first day there to get a quick lay of the water. I opened up my tackle box and the guide commented look at all the pretty colors! I simply said living up north in Pennsylvania with our clear water the fish loved them.... Your color choices are spot on! :) Thanks for the great content!

[@MattStefanFishing]

thanks for sharing!

[@bigbug59]

Love the kitchen sink comment, there are times fishing is so good I’ll tie on anything that I’ve never or rarely caught fish on just to see if it can be productive. Here in Florida June bug seems to work well under any conditions dirty or clean water always my first go to color. I’ve also learned to stay away from soft plastic baits where the plastic itself, no glitter is very shiny.

[@MattStefanFishing]

I tend to agree with your shiny plastics comment

[@vernervanschalkwyk2280]

Matt, your knowledge is truelly amazing. Your advice works even here in South Africa. Straightforward and honest advice from you always. Thanks for a great channel.

[@MattStefanFishing]

awesome!

[@EvilDwarf-pp5py]

That opened my eyes to some new ideas. What you stated about natural camouflage really made sense.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks!

[@provocation18]

I catch a lot of fish in clear water on black and blue jigs! They seem to always work in my lake!

[@MattStefanFishing]

Sounds good

[@cjr5445]

Just went yesterday on the kayak on the Columbia just above McNary dam. Went with the zoom speed craw watermelon candy and killed it. They loved them Pack of 12, two to three fish per lure. Got my personal best, four pounder. Great day. Pretty clear water 10 to 15 ft visibility

[@MattStefanFishing]

Awesome!

[@lightningmusky5286]

I have well quite a few times with Straight Black or Black with some color flake. Bubblegum pink also can be good at times.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing

[@franky5610]

Matt, Down here in South Florida where I fish from the bank the colors BLACK and black/blue are very productive. You can imagine in clear water black provides a great silhouette in clear water. And congrats on a great finish on the St. Lawrence.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks!

[@rickhensley2251]

Another quality tip. Received the culling system yesterday I just wanted to say Thank you again.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@nonamebassin]

Down here in Florida in stained or dark water it’s always black/blue with blue tip and in clear water it’s always black/blue with blue tip! 😂 ahah

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@BobbyBalsaRNM]

I agree with all of your choices. The one I like a lot, which could maybe fall into the blue pearl type, is smoke purple. It works well in stained water as well, but I've had some good sucess in clear as well.

[@MattStefanFishing]

thanks for sharing!

[@MichaelSwirzewski]

nice.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks

[@terryreed7996]

Always good info! Especially in Florida lots of clear water from 5 - 20ft Visibility

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks!

[@paulbruemmer9629]

Thanks Matt. A favorite color of mine is the watermelon/red flake especially on sunny days. The red flake really projects when sunny and I remember a video done with a gentleman from Berkley stating that bass see red really well. From my experience thus far, I feel that is true.

[@MattStefanFishing]

I agree!

[@theultimatesteelshooter8610]

Down here in Florida’s clear tantic water it’s watermelon red and green pumpkin

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@johnrayner5599]

Great choices Matt, I have had very good success with Cotton Candy in clear water until the temps get above 85, below that temp they hit it pretty hard. Thanks for the tips.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Wonder why they stop biting it?

[@johnrayner5599]

@@MattStefanFishing No clue but its on Table Rock if that helps.

[@rcallies82]

3 colors … unless they want something different - it’s that idea that makes me unable to lift my tackle bag 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@MattStefanFishing]

Haha!

[@Cradletothegrave67]

I make a 5” stick. Med smoke / white Pearl Laminate, that’s worked really well for me over the years. In the Pacific Northwest, we have lots of clear water.

[@MattStefanFishing]

sounds like a good one!

[@waynesammyswingle6107]

This reminds me of a time fishing an incredible clear lake where I grew up in NJ. It was respawn and I could see some really good bass moving around shallow. (I was very new to bass fishing at this time. I was blackberry Mann's worms. I couldn't buy a bite. I was tell the guy at the tackle store and he said try watermelon. I bought a pack rigged one up and just dropped it in the water at my feet. I looked down and could not see the worm only the worm weight and the hook. I thought no way they will never find this. I went on to have an incredible day fishing with those worms. Two things happened as a result, I still love watermelon in clear water and anytime the owner of the tackle shop recommended a lure to me I purchased it. I guess more than the fish got hooked that day. Thanks for the video and memory.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Awesome story!

[@satori5184]

Thanks Matt! that Berkley general looks good! It reminds me of the YAMAMOTO BAITS SENKO MONSTER SHAD that’s a awesome looking clear water stick bait as well!

[@MattStefanFishing]

thanks for sharing!

[@johnathonsnape-mclean3457]

I was throwing a size 4 mepps black and bright orange and i had perch hitting that thing soooo hard!

[@MattStefanFishing]

Perch are mean!

[@cerebraltackle]

For me it's always dark or translucent...unless there's lots of smallies or spots around, then I'll go brighter. Love me some Tabe Rock Shad!

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@tommywalker741]

Thanks Matt I appreciate it all great colors 🙏

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks!

[@bootlegbassfishing1730]

Great video. Thanks for the tips. I've been fishing a lot of clear water lately. I couldn't ask for better timing.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Awesome!

[@juleswinnfield826]

Nailed it on laminated color choice. Some companies do a swirl of a couple colors which is equally good. Clear water is a great ally to an angler once the "Human Being" puts aside preconceived ideas.....lol. Googled it briefly and couldn't find it. There was a study done a handful of years ago with Largemouth in a large tank with 6-8 minnows in the tank. One minnow was dyed a hot color. That minnow was always the first to be eaten. Probably sheds some light on the hot colored plastics in bass fishing. Someone with better google skills should be able to find it. Thanks for the vid, spot on info again.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Good information thanks for sharing!

[@MrJohnB-qs6dp]

Thanks for the great tips & the explanation where to use them!!👊🏻 Very helpful!!!👍🏻 Stay Safe & God Bless!!!

[@MattStefanFishing]

Glad i could help

[@greenpighunter6930]

Excellent. Black and Junebug are my #1 producer in our clear water bodies. Green Pumpkin Goby is gaining traction. Mid and late Spring the bass brutalize a weightless Methiolate worm.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@christophershelton1735]

I truly don’t know why but I’m my clear water fishery, junebug works so well. It’s so unlike anything else there.

[@MattStefanFishing]

sounds good

[@stoneysdead689]

This is a video I needed- and it looks like you sent me a few of these exact baits in these colors. Can't wait to get back on the 1 clear lake I fish and see how they do. I've always stuck to green pumpkin, watermelon, cinnamon- earthy colors that look natural to me- when fishing plastics. When fishing hard baits- transparency- stuff you can see through- and a faster retrieve seems to help. But- I really have very limited experience on clear water so- can't say much about it.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Put the baits to work!

[@stoneysdead689]

@@MattStefanFishing 👍

[@edpelkey7798]

Great info Matt! Small Keitech swimbaits, in clear water Ghost Rainbow Trout and Sight Blue Ghost. There are many good color Senko’s, for clear water too. I like Clear Black Fleck and Green Pumpkin Laminate. Try a 5” Slim Senko or just downsize to a 4”.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@scottkessler9602]

Translucent and clear colors. Like smoke.

[@MattStefanFishing]

All good choices!

[@johncloud2851]

The purple or cinnamon color would explain why I caught fish on the jig I was using this past Saturday. Thank you for explaining this clear water deal. I also have had success on a double willow, both blades are white and chrome, skirt is white, chart, orange spinnerbait. I think it is because its something they don't see..

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jeremybeatenbaugh3269]

I think that the pinks disappear in the water column and look dull or grey, reds and pinks disappear first so the pink worm may be 1 of the most natural in all actuality.

[@MattStefanFishing]

I’ve heard that as well. My thought on that is what do minnows look like then to fish? Is it different than the red or is it the same as red because they don’t see red as a color?

[@jeremybeatenbaugh3269]

I feel that they see them roughly the same. That's why morning dawn so effective

[@normanrobinson7459]

I like blue and white seriously

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@stephanelavoie2258]

Thank you Matt , great informations again . I use the same green Generals as yours but the baby bass color seems to work a little better in my region ( Quebec ) . Anyway they are so hard to get right now that i will use any colors i found .

[@MattStefanFishing]

Baby bass is a good color

[@jamesh7469]

I absolutely love Xzone’s 309 color. So sick for imitating gobies. Zman The Deal color is excellent too

[@MattStefanFishing]

I’ll check them out

[@bigmikefishingchonicles9950]

Thank you so much for the tip I have a tournament coming up on a clear water fishery

[@MattStefanFishing]

Good luck!

[@guyb5333]

Thanks for the encouragement. The lake i Fish went from chocolate milk to gin-clear. this is a new Lake to me and I'm not used to fishing Clearwater. Having trouble finding fish.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Best of luck!

[@stoneysdead689]

Get off them banks- if you're anything like myself and many other anglers I see- the vast majority- you find a good bank, set the trolling motor, and just go down it fishing. This has never worked for me in clearer water and I can really see why- if they were up there they would be able to be seen from outside the water- they don't like that. They may be close to the bank- just a few yards off it- but they seem to stay where there is enough depth for them to be able to get out of sight- or deeper. The one clear water lake I fish repeatedly- they stay on the main creek channel almost year round- accept for spawn. They will pull up on a flat to feed sometimes but- it has to be near that deeper water access and you don't want to block that path- their escape to deeper water I mean. If you do- when you catch one guess where it's running- to you and then under your boat. Not a big deal if you have them on someting substantial but, if you have them on a drop shot or something it may spell trouble. Good luck man- you'll find them again, just stay after it.

[@guyb5333]

@@stoneysdead689 Thanks for the help.

[@Ryan55]

Pink Back Spy bait caught a big spot on Lanier last week 🙂

[@MattStefanFishing]

Sweet!

[@eagleeye9549]

I grew up with clear water and I would prefer clear over tinted. I like to throw GP with BLFLK or Prpl FLK, cotton candy, smoke with purple, or natural colors as well. I have caught a lot on chartreuse and white as well. Love me some clear...lol

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@seizedcarcass8440]

For me I have more issues with muddy water colors. Specifically the darker colors. Like junebug and black and blue.

[@terrykloster9121]

Red and black laminate, caught more bass on lake Geneva on red than anything else. That's very clear water as I'm sure you know.

[@MattStefanFishing]

thats interesting! I do love that lake

[@joshuajadolon3591]

This is great advice; I hope to try it soon. Do you have the same type of video for tannic water? Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge.

[@MattStefanFishing]

I’ll put it on my list.

[@weshardman2883]

Wingdam Wes Pool 9 Mississippi River { Black on a clear day or with white clouds. I believe it stands out against the white or blue color of the sky. Especially worms like the IKE-CON, I think Cream was the first company to make this bait? This is a weedless pre-rigged bait with three hooks and a leader. When you retrieve this bait it spins or corkscrews thru the water. You need a snap swivel and a small split shot ahead of the snap swivel. I think it mimics a leech swimming through the water. And, yes you can find extremely clear water on the river especially below large eel grass flats which filter the water. I know places where you can see the bottom in 5 to 8 feet of depth! Tight lines 😃

[@MattStefanFishing]

thanks for sharing

[@zevoutdoors7194]

Going to have to try the cinnamon suggestion, Thanks! I have really good success with black on ultra clear lakes for smallies. Curious where black is on your list?

[@MattStefanFishing]

Black is a great smallmouth color. I tend not to use it as much for largemouth in clear water unless I’m night fishing.

[@dualthreatoutdoors]

What do you feel the main situations in clear water are when they prefer the obnoxious colors over the natural colors? Anything to look for?

[@MattStefanFishing]

feeding windows

[@rvfishingyet]

I benefit a great deal from these tips and insights. Beyond plastics, and for bank anglers would you recommend translucent/chrome/gold colors for hard baits in clear waters? Lipless/Jerkbaits etc?

[@MattStefanFishing]

Yes and I intend to do a video on it soon.

[@rvfishingyet]

you rock

[@raydalton1110]

Matt you solved my mystery lol ty. Those grn pnk/w melon color i slayed bass in a quarry in spring when other colors failed and only had 3 of them but they were mixed up in a big bag and i didnt know which color.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Glad i could help!

[@douglasspickler4925]

Smoke with purple flake

[@roberts.2413]

I agree, smoke purple gets it done

[@MattStefanFishing]

Good one!

[@pequenioedgarito3067]

Matt. I got a question. So if I heard correctly- you said you can thrown a brown worm on brown sand. Does that mean i can throw green/watermelon in hydrilia? And that would work too (match the hatch mantra)?

[@MattStefanFishing]

absolutely!

[@waynesammyswingle6107]

Hey Matt, I have a question that isn't related to today's post. I am in Clayton often and I have noticed some of the tournament anglers stay right in Clayton and some at times I have noticed are coming from 20 minutes or so away. What criteria do anglers use when picking a location to stay at for a week. I would assume 20 minutes away would be less expensive than right in Clayton or Alex Bay. But then I wondered if some are doing it so they can have some privacy. Just one of those things I wonder about. Thanks

[@MattStefanFishing]

Probably depends what part of the river they want to fish. 1,000 island is about 100 miles of water

[@waynesammyswingle6107]

@@MattStefanFishing Like when the tournament is in Clayton I have seen guys having to drive 20 minutes to launch. I always liked to stay close so I was just curious if there was a thinking I didn't know.

[@TN-Vols-Fan]

Thanks Matt, I love clear water too. My problem is the exact opposite. I grew up in east TN fishing clear water lakes, rivers and creeks. I moved to southern Arkansas in 2019 and the water down here is pretty doggone stained. Not chocolate milk stained, maybe tea to black coffee stained. Do you, or anyone else, have any tips?

[@MattStefanFishing]

Video coming tomorrow on this

[@TN-Vols-Fan]

@@MattStefanFishing Matt, I, for one, really do appreciate and thank you for taking the time to make this content, but also for replying to us and taking suggestions. A lot of other pro's won't. Seriously, thank you so much.

[@raydalton1110]

I learn alot good tips from your videos. I better ask you this before you get over 50k subs soon which im sure you will and might not see my comment..... after 30 years of fishing im willing to try a baitcaster. I love my 7 ft medium spinning rod and revo rocket spinning reel. But I held my friends baitcaster in my hand and it felt comfortable for using a jig. My question is this.... all these years I reel with my left hand BUT when i cast i switch hands and cast with my left. But of course within mill seconds i switch back before bait hits water and i always set hook with my right arm and reel with left hand. Should I get a left handed or right handed baitcast reel ?? My whole life i can use both arms like in basketball, either way i know i can be good. But which do you reccommend. Because im going to be fishing jig and pigs alot now to go after bigger fish this fall and winter and my friends baitcaster seems comfortable with a jig. Even though on my spinning setup i can hit a dime a long away.I ALSO think it be awesome with bait caster to spool up fluro without no more braid to fluro leaders. Thanks when you got time to answer

[@raydalton1110]

I meant i with a spinning setup i reel with left hand and set hook with right hand but when i cast i switch rod to left arm to cast and switch back fast to begin retrieve

[@MattStefanFishing]

Here’s a video i did on right and left hand reels that might help you kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWene2BonMmtpcU

[@raydalton1110]

@@MattStefanFishing awesome thanks, i will watch this

[@raydalton1110]

@@MattStefanFishing ok I watched it, I think I should get a right handed baitcast reel but had one more question, if i choose a left handed baitcaster and do same as i do spinning which is cast left handed then swap hands faster than hopefully the pitching bites u lost lol. But if i did this will the left handed handle on the baitcaster get in the way of my thumb spooling reel when i cast left ?

[@russellkamp8923]

What do you consider clear water?

[@MattStefanFishing]

4ft visibility or more

[@alcav54]

You’re on TV. Outdoor Channel MLF St Lawrence

[@MattStefanFishing]

Sweet!

[@theamateurangler6273]

The only time I like fishing in Clear water is when I am in Florida.........other than that I'd take staind over clear any day!

[@MattStefanFishing]

They live in all water colors

[@theamateurangler6273]

@@MattStefanFishing You are correct. I absolutely tank a day of fishing in clear water. Where I live, there's only a couple clear water lakes though.

[@christophershelton1735]

That’s a bad A&$ hoodie.

[@MattStefanFishing]

thanks!