A pedestrian theory on plug colors is that they catch anglers, not fish. I think this theory is wrong. Selecting the right plug color based on the time of year, time of day, depth, and conditions is as important as selecting the size, action, and weight of the plug.
The time of year is important because bait fish populations and migrations are seasonal. Learn what bait fish are in your local waters and when they arrive. Fish colors that complement the swimming bait fish. If there is thick concentration of bait fish, then fish colors that contrast the school of bait fish.
Time of day is key. A proven pattern is light colors by day and dark colors by night. Personally, I tend to favor two-tone color plugs. My day shift plug bag has colors like:
- Yellow / White
- Blue / White
- Green / White
- Red / White
- Pink / White
- Blue Mackerel
- Green Mackerel
My night shift plug bag has colors like:
- Black / Yellow
- Black / Purple
- Black / Blue
- Black / Pink
- Black / Green
The most commonly overlooked parameter by surfcasters is depth. Colors appear different at increasing depths in the water column because light penetration decreases as depth increases. For example, red is not visible as red after 10 feet of water. Hence, my red/white plugs are all top water plugs and my deep swimming plugs have yellow and chartreuse.
Time of day, time of year, and depth are predicable parameters. Conditions are out of our control. No matter how many weather apps your smart phone has, when you get to the water’s edge, the conditions can (and often do) change without warning. For white water or “washing machine” conditions, I like bright and loud colors like:
- Chartreuse / Yellow
- Red / Yellow
- Yellow / Blue
- Blue / Green
But! If I had to pick three colors, I would fish: yellow, white, and black. You can hook a lot of fish with just these three colors when you fish your plugs properly.
Bottom line, all colors catch fish. The right color at the end of your line is not the newest plug fashion craze. The right color at the end of your line is the color that you have confidence in. Fishing proven colors based on time of year, time of day, depth, and conditions, will help your confidence. Confident anglers catch fish!
