Rise and shine. This is Early Bird Fishing. Prepare for world class fishing instruction, stories, and news, in less than 5 minutes.
Here’s what we got for you today:
How much effort should you put into choosing a lure color? 🛑
A 13 year-old catches a 177 pound halibut ⚓
Dinner plans incoming… 🐟
Does Color Really Matter?
Walk into any tackle shop and it feels like you’ve just stepped into a Crayola factory explosion. Neon chartreuse, bubblegum pink, natural shad, glow-in-the-dark pumpkin... and that’s just the first aisle. The question is: do fish actually care about lure color, or is it just a play by manufacturers to sell more products?
The short answer: yes... and no. Fish don’t see colors the same way we do. Underwater, light bends, fades, and disappears faster than you can say "fish on."
Reds vanish first - gone in just a few feet of water.
Blues and greens last longest - they hang on much deeper.
Deep water = muted colors - your bright red crankbait may look gray down there.
Here’s the kicker: contrast and visibility often matter more than the exact shade.
In murky water, loud colors (chartreuse, orange) help fish find your bait.
In clear rivers, natural patterns win the day.
Big picture? Think "can they see it, and does it look alive?"
That said, confidence is everything. If you believe in that watermelon flake Senko, you’ll fish it longer, sharper, and better than the color you’re lukewarm about. Sometimes the magic isn’t in the paint job - it’s in the angler’s head.
Pro tip: keep it simple. A smart box includes:
A couple natural colors
A couple bright ones
One solid contrast option
So does color matter? Sure - but not nearly as much as casting in the right spot, at the right time, with a little patience. Remember: the fish aren’t judging your palette. They’re judging your presentation.
🎣 IN THE FIELD
A 13-year-old New Hampshire angler set out for sharks but instead hauled in a 177-pound halibut that outweighed him by nearly 60 pounds and stunned the crew. Now his family is chasing a world-record title with the International Game Fish Association.
Check out how DeAndre Hopkins and Zay Flowers are getting ready for the NFL season.
One of the best videos we’ve found to visualize how lure colors appear in different depths:
AI CORNER
Every week we generate fishing related AI images. See the coolness/weirdness below:
💋 CHEF’S KISS - RECIPE OF THE WEEK
A dover sole recipe, but the real shining star is the sauce + capers: