Earlier in the year I tried a bunch of different jig colors on Cedar Creek and subsequently found 2 jigs that worked well. A 1/32 white/chart hair jig in the heat of the summer and a 1/8 oz pink jig head with a ghost minnow thump chubbie. Those are the only 2 lures I've used for the last 8 months. I've had the last week and half off and on the last day off before the front decided to run a quick experiment with different jigs. First I did what I always do, hit different spots until I find active fish. Fished my first two spots (each with 5 or 6 different piles in varying depths) and only caught 1 fish at each. Moved to my 3rd spot and caught 11 in about 30 minutes. When I moved to my 4th spot and caught a fish immediately on the thump chubbie, I decided to try different jigs. On this particular spot I pitch out and let my jig swim over a slope where fish have staged. On 4 consecutive casts I caught fish on 4 different jigs. On the 5th cast with the white/chart tube jig I didn't get bit. Tried that 3 more times and nothing. Then switched back to my thump chubbie and also got no bites on 3 more pitches. I then move on down the slope and finally starting catching fish again on the thump chubbie and didn't have time to further experiment because the front was blowing in and I had to leave.

I can't really conclude that they didn't like the tube jig because of color or profile because I didn't catch anything on the thump chubbie when I switched back. Really all I can conclude is that active fish didn't really care about color. If I had tried different lures at my first 2 spots could I have enticed some somewhat inactive fish to bite ? Maybe. Or maybe I could have spent 30 minutes there trying different things and maybe caught nothing ? What I can say is by moving 1/4 mile to that 3rd spot worked without having to try different lures. I don't claim there are any absolutes in fishing and I don't claim that switching spots is 'the best' way to fish versus switching lures -- just sharing some data.

I don't know who said it first , but " Color don't matter till it does" is one of my core beliefs. I believe the same about size.

Good luck

Mo

Maybe it would matter if I were moving to a different lake but I've been fishing the same lake 1 to 3 times a week for 8 months and haven't had a reason to try a different color. When they stop biting that color I'll try something different. Since I'm fishing mostly open water structure the water clarity/color is fairly stable as is the primary crappie food source.

Very good observations Ron. I agree with your statement/findings. It comes down to 2 things. You can stay on a school that does not want to bite and go through 20 color combos and maybe find one to pick up a few fish or you can move to a new school and pick off the aggressive fish. I tend to move and pick off the aggressive fish. I don't feel crappie are as color oriented as most think. I think profile, action and presentation is a whole lot more important. This is just my opinion and use whatever works for you at the end of the day. We all have different ways to catch crappie and this does not mean one is better than another.

ive has summers where I would catch 10 to one on a black.chartruese jig instead of a white and chartruese and summers where it was just the opposite. I think it is kind of a contrast thing at times, and a firm believer in light translucent colors in winter. whatever gives you confidence and produces results is what is important.
I was fishing with a guy one time and he was using a salt and pepper jig, and was catching naught.. I was reeling them in steady.. after a while he finally tied on what I had on and started catching like I was. so to me it matters. ive seen the results of color change too many times to discount it as not important.. jmo

I will add my 2cents , if I may....
I usually go by water clarity of the body of water I am fishing at the time and the cloudiness or clear sky, and day or night.
General rules:
Dark color jigs for dark sky (night time) and clear water...
Bright color jigs for muddy and clear sky...
Neutral color jigs for bright day with combination of color choice base on water clarity

Most important rule:
PRESENTATION!!!!.... be confident with the jig you have on and concerntrate on your presentations. Often times we get distracted and 2nd guess ourself on whether the jig we have on is the right color. And by overthinking, we don't give full attention to what matters most, and that is presentation. After all, if we expect a crappie to bite on a fake-food (a jig), we must somehow trick it into thinking that it is yummy just by looking at it!!!

Had a very interesting day last Saturday afternoon. Went out to the local lake with my buddy and we were concentrating on artificial structures in 10-12fow with water temps in the lower to mid 70's, air temp lower to mid 80's, with off and on sun and pre frontal conditions. Water clarity was pretty clear for the most part. I was fishing a BPS "Jake" in black and chartreuse and a Bonehead Brush Glider in Moon Dust most of the afternoon, He was fishing a couple of hand ties in natural shad color. During the afternoon he was putting fish in the box 2 to my one. Once the sun went down we fished for about 45 more minutes. That was when the ratio reversed to about 3 to 1 for me on the black and chart "Jake". The fish also moved up from right on the bottom to abut 6ft down. I think the black and chart really shined once the sun went down just because of the silhouette that it provided against the night sky.

Back in late 70s I had some chartreuse polar bear hair. Tied a red head, red thread, chart tail jig. This was right after chart was really coming on in bass lures.
Fishing Thomas Hill Res in Missouri. Three people in the boat. My red chart jig, one light yellow maribou, one light green/white maribou. No plastic bodies; all 1/8 oz. All profiles about the same size.
Found spawning crappie in very small cove. Casting to crappie, I'm catching a fish every cast. The other two, one fish about every 6 casts. Friend says is it your jig or the way you're reeling it? I said I don't know, take my rod, give me yours. He catches fish every cast, me one every 5-6 casts. Gives the rod to his son and his son catches fish every cast and Dad now one fish every 5-6 casts. I'm still catching every 5-6 casts. Get my rod back and it's fish every cast.

May not prove anything. But it may prove that how the jig was reeled back at what speed or depth wasn't the big factor. Maybe crappie just like polar bear hair.
And that color combination is still a great crappie and bass combination for me.

So much this.

Or accept that stinky cat in your boat more than you want to say it....

DUTCH said it first.

I have been told for years to match the hatch via profile and adapt the color to the presence of light .