How do you pick your swimbait colors?

[Neo]

I'm also in the profile and action or presentation group. Swimbaits displace so much water that color selection is last on my list of things I think about. With that being said I lean towards natural colors and patterns that includes when I'm fishing traditional tackle. The thing that has the most negative effect on my fishing is water clarity. The places I fish the most are normally pretty clear so if it gets muddy at all the bite dies.

[timcauliffe]

Trial and error. Spending a lot of money, buying every bait in sight to see that 90% of my wallet isn't catching fish. Sell what doesn't work and keep what does.

 

[ATFISHING1234]

Haha....homie needs to pull up those pants.....talk about having them low   

[swim16]

The colors that seem to work the best for me are the ones that I have enough confidence in to keep throwing...persistence normally pays of in one way or another with bass fishing.

[scoopdaloop]

Don't overthink it. Get something that somewhat resembles your local forage and focus more on your presentation to the fish than the color. I promise.

[whompuscat658]

Matching the hatch is never a bad place to start. If they'll eat a real one, it just makes sense...

[bigpoppabass]

Answer is yes on pressured waters. Color matters then.

[DeltaBassinWithJP]

Well, this is a controversial subject, and quite interesting.  I've just been going through this personally over the last 3 weeks.  I have 2 exact baits, same action, same sink rate, everything...except the color.  Experimenting in some of my local spots where I know they are, or can actually see them, color HAS made a difference.  I would throw one first thing in the morning for an hour and clean up, pick up the other rod with the same bait in the other color, and watch them ignore it for an hour.  Return to the first setup (same line, same reel, everything) and get the follows and bites again.  I couldn't believe it.  When I throw glides, most of the time it made no difference, the action drew them in, but in this case, and here recently, color has been everything. 

 

That being said, do I think it always matters? NO.  I do however believe finding that "trigger color" or a color they are more willing to eat is important. 

[bassbass]

Well, this is a controversial subject, and quite interesting.  I've just been going through this personally over the last 3 weeks.  I have 2 exact baits, same action, same sink rate, everything...except the color.  Experimenting in some of my local spots where I know they are, or can actually see them, color HAS made a difference.  I would throw one first thing in the morning for an hour and clean up, pick up the other rod with the same bait in the other color, and watch them ignore it for an hour.  Return to the first setup (same line, same reel, everything) and get the follows and bites again.  I couldn't believe it.  When I throw glides, most of the time it made no difference, the action drew them in, but in this case, and here recently, color has been everything. 

 

That being said, do I think it always matters? NO.  I do however believe finding that "trigger color" or a color they are more willing to eat is important.

 

Good point. But it may also have something to do with the time.

 

Another thing to try is to have a friend go with you and use the same setup as you. Rod, reel, and line but have him use the different color bait. Try to do the same type of retrieve, and see what happens. Do it a few times to see if there is a consistent pattern.

[DeltaBassinWithJP]

I have done the same, make a few casts with one and then a few with the other, and same result, within a few minutes of each other.  I really do believe that it makes some sort of difference at times.  It may not be everything, but there has got to certainly be a color they are more willing to eat than another at any given time.

[ISO_the1]

Trial and error. Spending a lot of money, buying every bait in sight to see that 90% of my wallet isn't catching fish. Sell what doesn't work and keep what does.

 

 

this is pretty much the basics...youll buy every color and find out the one you thought wouldnt work is your highest producer.

 

 

The colors that seem to work the best for me are the ones that I have enough confidence in to keep throwing...persistence normally pays of in one way or another with bass fishing.

 This is also very accurate.  If you throw it enough it will get fish.  Right time right place anything will get hit!

 

Personally I use which ever color is in stock when I go to purchase a bait.  Ive thrown trout painted baits in small private ponds that have never had trout and caught fish. Ive thrown shad colored baits in ponds with no shad...

 

My top producing slammer is a pink perch pattern...there are no perch, let alone pink perch in CA

 

Its mostly trial and error....good luck!!