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You’re staring at your tackle box. Dozens of lures, every color of the rainbow. But which one actually works?

Here’s a simple guide to lure color selection, no color wheel required.

Clear Water = Natural Colors.
If you can see more than a few feet down, reach for realistic shades—greens, browns, shad patterns. The fish can see just fine, and they’ll shy away from something that looks like it fell out of a cartoon.

Stained Water = Bright or Dark.
In muddy or tannin-stained water, fish rely more on contrast than detail. Chartreuse, white, or bright orange can stand out just enough to trigger a bite. On the flip side, dark lures like black or junebug create strong silhouettes fish can track more easily.

Low Light = Dark Colors.
Dawn, dusk, or overcast? Go dark. It seems backwards, but a black or purple lure often pops better in low light than a flashy one.

Match the Hatch (Sort Of).
If baitfish are around, mimic their flash. If crayfish are in the mix, think browns and reds. You don’t need a perfect match—just something close enough to fool a hungry fish.

Bonus Tip: Let the Fish Decide.
If you’re not getting bit, switch colors before you switch lures entirely. Sometimes a quick change from white to green can turn a quiet morning into a hot bite.

Lure color isn’t everything, but it matters more than most anglers admit. Think visibility, think contrast, and always keep a wild card in the box.

Because the only thing worse than getting skunked… is getting skunked while the guy next to you is catching on hot pink.

Every week we generate fishing related AI images. See the coolness/weirdness below:

If you’re interested in making fish and chips, but want to avoid all of the frying: