What are the best color combinations for bass fishing lures?

Question

FishGPT · Accepted Answer

When you’re chasing bass, color is a tool, not a magic wand. The right combos turn a slow day into a few more bites and a few more doubles on the board. Here are practical, field-tested color ideas plus some go-to pairings you can start throwing tomorrow. 🎣🐟

Key principles to guide your color choice:

- **Match the hatch in clear water**: In clean water, basss are looking for something that resembles their prey. Think *natural greens, whites, and translucent blues* with a subtle metallic flash. Use a main body color that mirrors baitfish (silver/pearl, light blue, olive) and add a small accent that imitates a wounded or stressed forage (chartreuse or orange tints work well).
- **Contrast in stained water**: When visibility drops, contrast becomes king. Go dark or highly visible against the water: *black/blue with chartreuse*, *chartreuse/white with a black back*, or *pink/black* for reactive strikes. A bright tail or flare can trigger bites even if the fish can’t see every detail.
- **Light and depth effects**: Bright sun sculpts shadows and depth; under bright sun, subtler patterns can read better. Overcast days or deeper water benefit brighter, high-contrast combos and glow in the dark or chartreuse accents.
- **Season and foraging**: In early fall, bass often target shadbeds and baitfish that are active around the shallows and weedlines. Colors that suggest small baitfish with a bold tail accent tend to perform well.

Popular color pairings (with quick rationale):

- **Black/blue with chartreuse tail**: High contrast, versatile in clear to moderately stained water. Great for jigs, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits. 🖤💙💡
- **White/silver with blue or chartreuse back**: Natural, reflective, and easy for bass to pick up in clear-to-moderate water. 
- **Chartreuse and white (or chartreuse/pearl)**: High visibility with a flashing cue that mimics injured baitfish.
- **Red/white or pink/white**: Classic for pressured fish; the white body with a bold red or pink head/eye band can provoke curious strikes.
- **Natural green pumpkin or watermelon with a subtle pearl or gold fleck**: A backbone color for finesse plastics and small cranks; the fleck reads in low light.

Want a head start? Check out what the pros say about lure colors here:
- [The Fishing Lure COLORS You ACTUALLY Need (Color Masterclass)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIr7xrqUtNA)
- [Choosing the Best Color for Bass Lures | What Bass See](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQT0vGcla0c)
- [The ONLY 3 Bait Colors You’ll Ever Need for Bass Fishing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKqq84kKFng)
- [Try These Fishing Lure Color Combinations!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8vlkszG2W4)
- [Stop Wasting Money on all those COLORS!! You only need FOUR Lure Colors!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el5vRnWlLTI)

To put some real-world gear in your hands, consider these lures with solid color options (examples and color tones to study):
- [TRUSCEND fishing lures (jigs, swimbaits, and spoons)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X6Q799C?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [TRUSCEND Swimbaits & segmented lures](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C1QH1DZ?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [TRUSCEND pre-rigged jigs and soft plastics](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHQJ2H94?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Tigofly soft lures and color sets](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HD52PW2?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

Pro tip: when you’re on the water, start with a two-tone setup (main color + bold accent), then vary visibility by fishing deeper or shallower, and switch the accent color if bites stall for 15–20 minutes. A quick color swap keeps the fish guessing and your boat count climbing. ⛵️🔥

Keep it fun, stay curious, and let the bass tell you which color they prefer today. Tight lines!

Bass Fishing Questions

More Questions

What size offset worm hook for yellow bass?

Can a Calcutta Conquest DC size 100 cast 2 oz swimbaits?

Is the Shakespeare Wild Trout Combo good for bass fishing and panfish?

If you had $36 on a gift card for entry-level fly fishing gear, how would you spend it?

How do I catch striped bass from the shore in Clinton during the summer?

Does the Megabass X80 Jr. sound attract bites from far away?

How big is a fish?

What is the best setup for trout fishing?