Fishing Lures: How to Pick the Right Color for Any Water
Before you cast your line, check these "colorful" tips so your fish take the bait!
Quick Reference: Choosing Fishing Lures by Water Color
- Blue, clear water: tie on blue, silver, or chrome so the lure keeps its contrast.
- Green, algae-tinted water: go bright with chartreuse, green, or yellow.
- Red or stained water: red, orange, and yellow show up best.
- Deeper water: red fades first, so switch to a brighter or higher-contrast lure.
- Rule of thumb: carry a range of colors and let the water decide.
Before you cast a line this summer, it pays to think about color. With all the wild shades on the rack, it is fair to ask whether the fish really care which fishing lures you tie on. The short answer is yes. Color is one of the most important parts of lure selection, and not for the reason most folks assume.
Certain bodies of water, and the color of that water, change the way your lure looks once it sinks below the surface. That can be the deciding factor in whether a fish takes the bait or swims on by. If there is not enough contrast to make the lure stand out, or if it turns a shade the fish finds dull, your best cast still comes up empty. That is why lures come in a rainbow of vivid colors in the first place.
Here is how to pick lures based on the water’s color, starting with an overview of the shades you are likely to find in the lakes and rivers around you.
What Determines Water Color?
Bodies of water most often show three common shades, and it helps to understand the why behind each one before you hit your favorite fishing hole.
- Blue water is generally the clearest type. Ocean water is often blue, for example. This happens when the water is clear enough to filter out the red shades from the visible light spectrum, which leaves the water looking blue to our eyes.
- Green water is quite common, and it is most often caused by algae. You will see it happen during the summer algae blooms that arrive as the water warms.
- Red water is very common too, and to our eyes it can look like anything from muddy brown, think the Mississippi, to a rusty red-tinged shade. It might come from stirred sediment coloring the water, or from tannins that leach in from trees and plants along the bank.
Water color is rarely fixed. A clear spring-fed pond can turn green in July, and a steady river can run red after a hard rain. Reading the water on the day you fish matters more than remembering what it looked like last time.
How Light and Water Work Together
The reason color matters underwater comes down to light. Sunlight carries every color, but water does not treat those colors equally. The longer wavelengths, the reds and oranges, are absorbed near the surface, while the shorter blues and greens travel deeper before they fade. NOAA’s National Ocean Service explains that sunlight only reaches so far down before the water goes dark, which is why a lure’s color and contrast matter more the deeper it sinks. You can read the plain-English version in their note on how far light travels in the ocean.
The same rule holds in a farm pond or a tea-colored river, just on a smaller scale. Add a tint to the water, and the effect stacks up. A red lure that already loses its color with depth loses it even faster in green water. That is the whole reason a color that shines in one lake can vanish in the next.
Choosing Lures Based on Water Color
Lure manufacturer Mepps likens water color to looking through sunglasses, which is the perfect way to describe what happens to your hook down below. If you have ever put on blue, green, or brown tinted shades, then you know how different everything looks through a tint. The water works the same way on your lure.
That means certain lure colors work better in some conditions than others. The table below sums up the general rule, and the sections that follow break down the why.
Be sure to check out our Best Days to fish calendar and use the interactive map to find the perfect fishing spot near you.
Depth of Water Changes Everything
Depth plays into this too. Where depth is concerned, red light is filtered out first, so the deeper you fish with a red lure, the harder it will be for a fish to spot it. Orange and yellow stay visible a bit deeper, while blue and green can usually be seen deeper yet. Water color both amplifies and shifts this effect.
- Blue water: red lures may look almost black, while oranges and yellows come out seriously dulled. If you are fishing lures with spots of those shades against a dark background, there may not be enough contrast for the fish to notice. Try blue or silver, which keep enough brightness to catch a fish’s eye.
- Green water has an even harsher effect on red. A red lure can turn black just a few feet below the surface, which makes it hard to spot unless the lure also carries a contrasting bright color to balance it. To stand out, reach for bright greens and yellows.
- Red water: red, orange, and yellow lures may actually brighten or lighten in shade, while blues and greens turn dark. So to catch a fish’s attention here, opt for red, orange, or yellow.
Color is only half the story. Different species are drawn to different things, and the water’s color has a drastic effect on how any lure looks once it is down in the strike zone. When in doubt, start with the color the water favors and adjust from there.
Let the Weather Guide Your Timing
Water conditions change all the time, so the color that filled your favorite fishing hole last week may not be there on your next trip. Heavy rains stir sediment and cloud the water red, and algae blooms turn a clear pond green as the water warms through summer. A cool, overcast morning after a dry spell often gives you the clearest water of all.
Old-time anglers timed their trips by more than the water. Many still plan around the Moon, favoring the days when fish are most active. Our Best Days calendar marks those windows, and it pairs well with a glance at the sky before you load the truck. Your best bet is to carry a selection of lures in different colors so you are ready for whatever the water hands you.
Fishing Lures and Water Color: Frequently Asked Questions
Does lure color really matter to fish?
Yes. Color is one of the most important parts of lure selection, though not for the obvious reasons. Water and its color change how a lure looks below the surface, so a shade that shows up well in clear water can go dull or nearly black in green or stained water. Matching the color to the water gives the fish enough contrast to notice your lure.
What color fishing lures work best in muddy or stained water?
In red or stained water, red, orange, and yellow lures actually brighten while blues and greens turn dark. Reach for red, orange, or yellow so the lure stands out. Muddy water usually follows heavy rain that stirs up sediment, so keep those bright, warm colors handy after a storm.
What lure color is best for clear blue water?
In clear blue water, red lures can look almost black and oranges and yellows come out dull. Blue and silver keep enough brightness and contrast to catch a fish’s eye, so they are the safer choice when the water runs clear.
Why does a red lure disappear in deep water?
Red light is filtered out first as sunlight moves down through water, so a red lure loses its color faster than any other. Orange and yellow stay visible a little deeper, and blue and green can usually be seen deepest of all. The deeper you fish, the more contrast your lure needs.
What causes water to turn green or red?
Green water is most often caused by algae, which is why clear ponds can green up during summer blooms. Red or brown water usually comes from stirred sediment or from tannins that leach in from trees and plants along the bank. Both can change day to day, especially after rain.
Should I carry more than one color of lure?
Yes. Water conditions change all the time, so the color that worked last trip may not match the water today. Carry a selection of lures in different colors and let the water decide, adjusting for depth and tint as you go. Share your own go-to lure colors in the comments.
Amber Kanuckel
Amber Kanuckel is a freelance writer from rural Ohio who loves all things outdoors. She specializes in home, garden, environmental, and green living topics.
- Amber Kanuckel
- Amber Kanuckel
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- Amber Kanuckel
I had a jointed lure about 4 inches long, orange body and black spots. It was my go-to lure and it never stopped amazing those fishing around me. Unfortunately, I lost it for good a few years back. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of the lure or where I got it. It may have been a small bait shop in Ontario, Canada. It is no longer in operation. I have tried several jointed minnows from Rapala and other makers, along with Flat Fish lures but nothing seems to equal the original orange lure. If anyone has an idea where I could get another one let me know.
Most waters that I fish in are blueish or greenish. So my tackle box is full of lures that are in the “ultraviolet” portion of the the spectrum. Purples, blues, greens, chartreuses and combinations thereof dominate. I avoid fishing in brownish waters so I carry very few lures in the infrared portion of the spectrum (red). My flashers and dodgers follow the same guides.
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Really good article, thanks FA!
In the waters of Southwest Louisiana, White, or yellow lures work for us. We use a lot of Beetle Spins.
Thanks FA for the useful info on lures.
Catch the Big One!