Texas Fishing Forum
Red?
I've caught tons of fish over the years on crawdad colored cranks, jigs, and worms. Mostly brown, orange, green. I've always had red baits and just can't remember ever catching anything on a red bait. I know prespawn would be a good time for red. Any other times? Any advice? My red baits are feeling left out. :-)
Posted By: 9094
Re: Red? - 02/22/18 03:46 PM
Red causes a reaction bite just about anytime. If the fish aren’t eating the baitfish patterns I will go to red just to try to get them to see the bait.
Slayed them last weekend at Toledo Bend on this lure. I watched a YouTube video of some College guys fishing the Bassmaster's there a couple weeks ago and decided to give it a try. Fish below went 6.10lbs in 3' of water on a flat close to a drop off. I will tell you red is deadly on spawning fish. Red lizard on bedding fish will get lots of bites.
I think a lot depends on whether the lake you fish has crawfish a primary forage source. I've caught them at all times of the year
Slayed them last weekend at Toledo Bend on this lure. I watched a YouTube video of some College guys fishing the Bassmaster's there a couple weeks ago and decided to give it a try. Fish below went 6.10lbs in 3' of water on a flat close to a drop off. I will tell you red is deadly on spawning fish. Red lizard on bedding fish will get lots of bites.
I think a lot depends on whether the lake you fish has crawfish a primary forage source. I've caught them at all times of the year
Thanks. I was thinking lipless crank. I don't have one in red.
Posted By: bigbass94
Re: Red? - 02/22/18 04:44 PM
I feel like the color red does 2 things to bass: causes a reaction strike and mimics bright red crawfish. Use those 2 things accordingly and you'll likely have success. But then again, if I remember correctly, red is the first color that disappears to bass' eyes. Or maybe it's the opposite... I don't know. I don't pay too much attention to that stuff. Red is just a confidence color to me. It's just hard to go wrong with a red squarebill or lipless crankbait this time of year.
Posted By: SAKS
Re: Red? - 02/22/18 05:45 PM
I think red disappears in depth. Seen an article and chart on it once. Don't know if it was BS or not. Had something to do with red hooks is why I was reading it.
In 3’ to 5’ of water red is red after that it starts to get darker until it is black. In clear water I think I would throw a dark red in dirty water bright red. Just my thoughts
Posted By: ezbassin
Re: Red? - 02/22/18 06:44 PM
I throw red crank baits this time of year and do well with them. I throw red finesse worms on a drop shot all the time and it works all year long and as deep as 30ft so the fish can still see it even in deep water.
Added 2 red Lipless cranks (One is the crank recommended above), a solid red rage blade, and some black and red chatterbaits. Can't wait to give them a try.
It's more about the presentation and spot than color imo..
Posted By: SAKS
Re: Red? - 02/23/18 03:52 AM
I would have agreed with you up until two weeks ago. Was on Falcon and those fish would not hit anything that was not watermelon red. We tried changing color and went zero. Went back to watermelon red and game on. Sometimes color is significant.
Posted By: RKT
Re: Red? - 02/25/18 04:10 AM
Stike King promoted its Bleeding Bait series of baits as having red that triggers fish to bite. At the same time Cajun line was promoting their line as better because it was red and became invisible in the water. Go figure.
Fishing couple weeks ago only fish that were caught on red craw squarebill. Color matters at least every once in a while.
Posted By: Ken A.
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 02:06 AM
We've been throwing a bright red Rattletrap for pre=spawn bass at Fork since 1987.
Bill Lewis sold a Zillion of these over the years. This is the one we used.
Then as they came out with variations we tried them all.
When the crawfish come out of their winter hibernation they are this color.
craws change colors. red or blue depending on what they are eating. I had to go back and do some searching online. red comes after the molt. the color seems to be absorbed from the nutrients/minerals in their habitat. they will turn blue from eating the brine/freshwater shrimp found in vegetation. lots of articles from many pro's online. Senko9s probably knows a wealth of information about this topic.
https://www.bassmaster.com/understanding-bass-forage-crawfish
Posted By: Scoundrel
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 03:14 AM
We've been throwing a bright red Rattletrap for pre=spawn bass at Fork since 1987.
Bill Lewis sold a Zillion of these over the years. This is the one we used.
Then as they came out with variations we tried them all.
I guess it is true. I can’t see the red hooks or red line at all on this trap.
Posted By: sprigsss
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 05:52 AM
Im not that familiar with crawfish in Texas lakes.
I do know in Louisiana the black/red crawfish are typically found in the swamps around flooded trees and brush.
When we would set traps around grass the crawfish were more green in color with orange claws.
Muddy water with sandy bottoms the crawfish would be a very pale brown color.
Never seen the crawfish really change colors as season progressed.
The red/black crawfish would sometimes turn more black as the water got hot over the summer.
All I know is this time of year you better be using a lipless bait in red. The different brands make a difference also. It all depends on which one they prefer for the moment.
Fished with a friend this year who went out with the sole purpose of fishing red rattle traps. I told him I always herd about it but never caught a fish on one. He caught a 7.5 and two 8s in three trips plus we both have caught lots of nice fish since Dec. Funny how confidence is the key factor. It's just hard to stay with something long enough to get that first bite. Now it's hard for me to fish with anything but red. Red cranks, red worms, red rattle traps and red chatter baits have worked on 4 different lakes.
Posted By: Okie Poke
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 12:49 PM
Ranger?
Posted By: Ken A.
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 01:18 PM
We've been throwing a bright red Rattletrap for pre=spawn bass at Fork since 1987.
Bill Lewis sold a Zillion of these over the years. This is the one we used.
Then as they came out with variations we tried them all.
I guess it is true. I can’t see the red hooks or red line at all on this trap.
Lost a giant on this one. She pulled both hooks off!!
Posted By: SAKS
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 01:24 PM
Crawfish change color based on nutritional factors.
Posted By: Dosser
Re: Red? - 02/26/18 09:53 PM
I know everyone throws the red cranks and traps this time of year, but do you specifically flip a bright red craw imitation as well for this purpose?
I didn't throw a lipless crank this weekend, but I threw a red chatterbait until my arm nearly fell off this weekend. I varies the depth and the retrieve, etc.. .and not one bite.
Posted By: ezbassin
Re: Red? - 02/28/18 12:34 PM
It's more about the presentation and spot than color imo..
Well you have to be in the right spot and present the bait in a way so the fish will bite but the color you present is a huge factor also. Sometimes it makes all the difference, I have seen that many times and like SAKS said about fishing Falcon, the only color they got bit on was Watermelon red so in that case they had to present the right color to the fish also.
Posted By: ezbassin
Re: Red? - 02/28/18 12:40 PM
We've been throwing a bright red Rattletrap for pre=spawn bass at Fork since 1987.
Bill Lewis sold a Zillion of these over the years. This is the one we used.
Then as they came out with variations we tried them all.
When the crawfish come out of their winter hibernation they are this color.
They were that color at Bro's this past weekend....LOL
I would have agreed with you up until two weeks ago. Was on Falcon and those fish would not hit anything that was not watermelon red. We tried changing color and went zero. Went back to watermelon red and game on. Sometimes color is significant.
+1
Posted By: SAKS
Re: Red? - 02/28/18 12:49 PM
It was the first time that I had ever been on the water and only one color dictated whether or not you caught a fish. I am just glad I had several bags of that color. I am typically a green pumpkin user.
Posted By: Jumpin J
Re: Red? - 02/28/18 10:42 PM
Crawdads take on the hue of color the location/bottom/dirt has, that they burrow-up in. Limestone lakes they're lighter grey to lt. blue mostly, grass lakes tend to be more tannic, so darker colors. All Crawdads molt, and will appear more "red" with no hard shell. Test facts show that the color red is visible to 15', after that it diminishes to shades of brown. 4 primary colors hold their tint, all the way to the deep: black. blue, brown, green. Also, I have seen fish throw-up bright red Crawdads, in the livewell, in January.
Red Rattle Trap caught more fish back in the day because 95% of the fishermen were throwing them. When you're throwing a fast moving bait in 3ft of water......IT'S A REACTION STRIKE.
Posted By: june-bug
Re: Red? - 03/02/18 01:30 PM
Funny thing is I have never in my life seen a crawfish just swimming his butt off mid ways of the water column.
Funny thing is I have never in my life seen a crawfish just swimming his butt off mid ways of the water column.
I have. Looked like a squid when it was swimming. One of the craziest things I've seen.
Posted By: senko9S
Re: Red? - 03/02/18 04:35 PM
Red Rattle Trap caught more fish back in the day because 95% of the fishermen were throwing them. When you're throwing a fast moving bait in 3ft of water......IT'S A REACTION STRIKE.
Posted By: Hog Jaw
Re: Red? - 03/02/18 05:31 PM
The past 2 weeks I have been throwing and flipping red baits , cranking red hard baits also , not much difference for me , going back to my regular stuff .
crawdad baits are effective in shallow water pre spawn situations for several reasons .
1) crawdads molt and spawn when water starts around 50-55 . They are easily targeted by bass at these times because the shell is softer and they are focused on mating/molting , not hiding and feeding.
2) in the early spring , threadfin shad are not shallow , they don't move up until water gets around 65-70 degree's . Bass need a food base that is shallow in pre-spawn , to bulk up for the spawn .
3)pound for pound , a crawdad provides better nutrition that shad , bass can bulk up and gain size quicker eating crawdads than chasing shad .
lastly , several years ago , I landed a 3lber that was the shaped like a football , it was late summer and I thought I would it keep for the BBQ , this bass had seven crawdads in it's belly , all in different stages of decay , including one in it's throat --- and it still ate my senko. The lake I caught it in is absolutely loaded with threadfin shad.
Posted By: Worm Dunk
Re: Red? - 03/04/18 02:34 AM
I was throwing a red square bill today at PK on steep banks, couldn't keep the stripers off of it and they were choking it. Caught a few bass too
Posted By: cali kid
Re: Red? - 03/04/18 02:07 PM
crawdad baits are effective in shallow water pre spawn situations for several reasons .
1) crawdads molt and spawn when water starts around 50-55 . They are easily targeted by bass at these times because the shell is softer and they are focused on mating/molting , not hiding and feeding.
2) in the early spring , threadfin shad are not shallow , they don't move up until water gets around 65-70 degree's . Bass need a food base that is shallow in pre-spawn , to bulk up for the spawn .
3)pound for pound , a crawdad provides better nutrition that shad , bass can bulk up and gain size quicker eating crawdads than chasing shad .
lastly , several years ago , I landed a 3lber that was the shaped like a football , it was late summer and I thought I would it keep for the BBQ , this bass had seven crawdads in it's belly , all in different stages of decay , including one in it's throat --- and it still ate my senko. The lake I caught it in is absolutely loaded with threadfin shad.
This is why we fish senkos. Even with a belly full of crawdads he couldn't resist it.
about that time. maybe this will help a few folks.
Posted By: Txfiremn
Re: Red? - 01/04/19 02:11 PM
I've had decent luck with red square bills and lipless cranks but nothing on a red jig. Is red only good for reaction type lures?
Stike King promoted its Bleeding Bait series of baits as having red that triggers fish to bite. At the same time Cajun line was promoting their line as better because it was red and became invisible in the water. Go figure.
Hahahaha this is pretty funny. I remember using that red line allot back when I first started doing some bass fishing
Posted By: Scoundrel
Re: Red? - 01/04/19 05:42 PM
Stike King promoted its Bleeding Bait series of baits as having red that triggers fish to bite. At the same time Cajun line was promoting their line as better because it was red and became invisible in the water. Go figure.
Hahahaha this is pretty funny. I remember using that red line allot back when I first started doing some bass fishing
Yep, that red line that they can’t see makes ‘em so mad they follow it all the way to the lure and attack.
Posted By: Champion1
Re: Red? - 01/04/19 07:42 PM
I have a whole box of red traps every brand and size. They catch them especially in the grass lakes.
Posted By: BMCD
Re: Red? - 01/04/19 08:25 PM
Truth is u will catch them on any color, but if they can see the baits good u might catch a few more in the late winter months on red.
Posted By: 361V
Re: Red? - 01/04/19 11:30 PM
Lots of “studies” many years ago where they filmed different colors under water at different depths. Yes in those studies red was the first to go. When they said a color disappeared it appeared dark and colorless not invisible! Now you have to ask: do bass see the same thing humans see?
http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/underwater-photography-lighting-fundamentals Then there was the Color C Lector many years ago. Quickly went the way of the HydroWave although Spike-It did bring the Color C Lector back to try to see if everyone around then had died or forgot!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MTNli21MWe0
Posted By: ezbassin
Re: Red? - 01/05/19 01:35 AM
I would have agreed with you up until two weeks ago. Was on Falcon and those fish would not hit anything that was not watermelon red. We tried changing color and went zero. Went back to watermelon red and game on. Sometimes color is significant.
I agree 100%. Sometimes color does not matter and they will eat many different colors but there are times when a certain color will out fish all the rest and there are times like you described where there is only one color that they will bite. I have seen it too many times to say that color doesn't matter.
I also don't subscribe to the theory that red disappears as it gets deeper because I have caught a bunch of bass deeper than 20ft. on a red bug shad worm.
Posted By: Fast Lane
Re: Red? - 01/05/19 04:32 AM
