Most successful Rat color?

[Jerkbait22]

I’m in the NY/NJ area and plan to get into swimbait fishing in 2022. Going to pick up one of the PB Rats and was debating whether I should go with the bone brown or white black (IE gray). 
 

I think the brown would be a better imitation of rodents but the gray is more of a universal color (IE can also imitate fish). I’m only planning to get one so would you go bone brown or the white black to start out?

Most of the places I fish have enough 3 feet of water clarity if it makes a difference. 

[thedonnguyen]

color doesn't really matter...if you think about how fish are looking at the bait, they're looking at it from the bottom with more light above it, making it just a black silhouette...so really, the pattern that gives you the most confidence is all that really matters

[Loudsplashbassn_]

14 minutes ago, thedonnguyen said:

color doesn't really matter...if you think about how fish are looking at the bait, they're looking at it from the bottom with more light above it, making it just a black silhouette...so really, the pattern that gives you the most confidence is all that really matters

This ! Lol most rats are all white under the belly no matter the top color .keep it natural if you fishing day time and maybe all black if you plan to do mostly night fishing ..also look around on the black market can find them for a great price 2nd hand 

[BASS_SWINGER]

Brown and white but honestly I don’t think color matters to much with rats 

[Whiskeyriver]

Confidence is key with throwing swimbaits.  If you have confidence in a color or bait you will throw it longer and it will get bit more.  Just pick the color you like best.  If you want to throw a hot pink rat it won't matter much to the fish.  The rat you have picked out gets bit.  It is a good, proven bait.  Just pick the color you like to look at and will throw the most.  If the rats you see are mostly brown, go brown.

[chefchris]

My go to color on the cl8 crankdown baby possum Is chipmunk and wake it’s light pink. 

like others said pick what you want and fish it. The more you like it and keep it tied on and throw it the more it will get bit

[Jim137a]

There is no swimbait fishing in NJ - LOL. 

Like others have said color isn’t that critical  - rat baits generally push a lot of water so god knows what he fish are seeing. 
 

I crushed this year on the Mischief Rat from @SacPig916 - my best NJ fish came in at 5 and half pounds on the rat. 

[Jerkbait22]

Well I can’t say I didn’t expect these sort of replies. I know it probably won’t make that much of a difference but when spending over $50 on a bait I always get hung up on which color to choose.  
 

We have grey mice and brown muskrats. I’ve seen more muskrats swimming around than mice so I guess bone brown it is. I’m also picking up a slammer in light trout so I guess that can cover the white spectrum. Cheers gentleman and happy holidays. 

[bigpoppabass]

White would be a good starter color so you can watch the retrieve that gets the best action. Peeps throw the spro rat in all kinds of weird colors that work well for em. 

PS.  I don't think anybody has really done the science to determine what rat fur looks like in the water especially for muskrats etc. that spent alot of time on the water. Their furs absorb water and have oils in em to make em swim better.  I haven't seen a discussion of the sheen or color fur gets when wet. 

[bassturds]

I don’t fish rats, I definitely need to. But if it helps. I own a ton of slammers, I love wake baits. My best colors have always been solid colors. White, black, red, chartreuse, purple.  Surprisingly orange was a hot color spook for me. 

[SacPig916]

I really like running rats with a bit of chartreuse on the bellies.  However, with my rats at least, the feet move in such a way that on both baits, the feet breakup the main color.  I really think this color change helps also, any color as long as it breaks the color of the main body. 

Video example :  https://www.instagram.com/p/CN_DnBijB7q/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[bassturds]

1 hour ago, SacPig916 said:

I really like running rats with a bit of chartreuse on the bellies.  However, with my rats at least, the feet move in such a way that on both baits, the feet breakup the main color.  I really think this color change helps also, any color as long as it breaks the color of the main body. 

Video example :  https://www.instagram.com/p/CN_DnBijB7q/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Those look awesome 

[Frezzy]

17 hours ago, SacPig916 said:

I really like running rats with a bit of chartreuse on the bellies.  However, with my rats at least, the feet move in such a way that on both baits, the feet breakup the main color.  I really think this color change helps also, any color as long as it breaks the color of the main body. 

Video example :  https://www.instagram.com/p/CN_DnBijB7q/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Very nice swim on that bait.  Well done.