"Rodney Long" wrote in message SNIP

One month, just for the fun of it, I going to do a totally controlled
scientific test, just to see if color makes a difference. I have the only
technique that can do such a test, where two worms, with the identical
action, that can be placed in front of the same fish, at the same time.
the "only difference will be the color. I've already done this test with
some scents (Mega Strike the winner so far)

***Many times, color doesn't play a factor in a fish eating a lure or bait.
Much of it depends upon the fish's mood at the time. It's happened to me
far too many times when color has made a distinct difference, when walleye
fishing, bass fishing and muskie fishing. I will be anchored in my favorite
walleye hole, using a chartreuse jig and minnow combination, catching
walleye. Then the bite stops but I can still see fish on the locator. A
simple change in the color of the jighead will result in more walleyes
boated. My friend Gil used to believe that color didn't make a difference,
that it was entirely location and presentation that caused a fish to strike.

The best example of color selectivity came while ice-fishing bluegills one
day. We were using teardrop jigs and waxworms, vertical jigging in a
clearwater lake. I was using a white teardrop jig/worm and Gil was using
his normal favorite for the lake, a blue teardrop, the same shape and size.

I was jerking fish like crazy from a hole 4 feet away from Gil while he was
only occasionally getting one. He thought I was doing something that he
wasn't so he watched me carefully. All I was doing was dropping the jig
down and letting it suspend below a tiny fingernail sized bobber. Thinking
he was overworking the jig, he too added a bobber, checking the depth
against mine. Still nothing.

Then he said that his waxworms must be stale or something. So I gave him
some of mine. Still nothing. Then he said that I was fishing the "Spot on
a Spot." So we switched holes. Still, I was catching fish and he wasn't.

Finally, I had him come and drop his lure/bait combination down the hole
next to mine. We could watch the bluegills charge up to his blue jig and
put the brakes on, eye ball it and turn away. I'd drop mine down alongside
his and the bluegill would swim up and eat it instantly!

So Gil tied on a white teardrop jig and caught his limit of bluegills too.

While I realize this isn't exactly a scientific study done under controlled
conditions, we eliminated all the variables we could, and the only deciding
factor in success that day was color.


It really does not make a lot of sense, that color has that much to do
with it,, I mean, in a bunch of basses brains, it tells them " we don't
eat a purple worms today, instead eat blue worms only" :-)

***I don't believe that fish are capable of "independant thought" like that
at all. However there are days when you walk into the kitchen and there's a
bowl of bananans, apples and oranges. Somedays you'll grab the banana,
other times it's the apple, other days you'll grab the orange. Do you
think, "Hmmm, I'm only going to eat apples today." No, it's just what
you're hungry for, your body's reacting and you grab. Now you had the
choice of three different fruits, one a different shape, but two are similar
in shape. The presentation's the same, why did you grab one over the other?


There are so many variables in fishing, especially the Mood of any
particular fish at that moment in time, which could change on the next
cast. Then we have presentation, two fishermen in the boat using the same
lure, and color, yet one out catches the other nearly "every time" two
fishermen do this.

***Mood of the fish does play largely in the success of fishing and when the
fish are in an aggressive mood, often times color won't make a bit of
difference. In this instance however, if two anglers are using the same
lure, same color, then there are other variables at play. One would be how
the successful angler is manipulating the lure, the other would be that
perhaps the unsuccessful angler isn't as adept at detecting the bite.


If you have a favorite worm color, you bet you will catch more fish on it
than any other color,, because you fish it more :-)

***This is true. The most successful muskie lure is a black bucktail
spinner with a chrome blade. Why? Because more companies sell more
black/chrome bucktails than any other lure color combined.


So the next question, which is more important color, or presentation ?
No I'm not just talking about my rig, I'm talking all others with two guys
using the same rig (two guys Carolina, Texas, drop shotting or even
Wiggling) is one's particular presentation more important than color

***Under normal circumstances, I would have to say that presentation is the
more important of the two. But, if all other variables remain constant,
then color is the next important. I guided two guys for smallmouth and
based on my success from the day before, I had them throwing watermelon
senkos, one wacky rigged, one Texas rigged. One was a T-rigged straight
watermelon green, the other was the same color with the addition of red
flecks and wacky rigged. The guy in the front of the boat was catching all
the fish on the wacky rig.

Thinking that he was getting first crack at the fish, I had he and his buddy
switch positions. Then the guy in the back was still getting all the hits.
I thought, "Ok, they want them wacky rigged." So I cut off the T-rig hook,
and tied on an octopus hook and wacky rigged the watermelon green worm.
Still the guy in the back of the boat was getting bit more. I wondered if
there was that big of a difference in angler ability because I knew the
tackle was identical. But I had them switch rods just to satisfy my
curiosity. Immediately the guy in front, who had been fishless up to this
point began catching smallies, and his buddy in back didn't!

So what was the variable? It wasn't the angler's ability, they were fairly
well matched there. It wasn't the tackle, because they were as identical as
possible as I could build the rods. Same blank, same guide spacing, same
reel and line. It wasn't the presentation, because the smallies were taking
the senko as it fell on the initial cast. So what was it? I firmly believe
it was simply the addition of red flecks to the watermelon green senko. As
soon as I took that straight watermelon green worm off and replaced it with
one with flecks, they were both catching fish!

Some days it doesn't make one bit of difference, but I know on other days,
it makes all the difference in the world.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com