How Clear Is Clear Enough? 2024

Preytorien reply :

I've really made it a point to get better with jigs this year. It's been a bait I've been intimidated by them in the past, but after reading thread after thread, multiple articles, and replaying Gene's videos about 50 times, I am confident that I can hang some quality fish with my newly stocked (Siebert) jigs.

That said, most seem to recommend green pumpkin for clear water, and black blue for stained/murky water.

My question is.....how clear do they mean for green pumpkin?

I'm pretty good at figuring out the visibility, especially since I've completed training for search and rescue SCUBA diving, so I know several methods of determining visibility levels.

So what's considered clear?

What's considered stained?

Thanks for any help guys!

719BassFishing reply :

I've caught fish on green pumpkin jigs in some pretty dirty water. Black and blue may be a better choice when the water is really stained, but never hesitate to throw green pumpkin. Its a good color in almost any visability.

doyle8218 reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 8:55 AM, 719BassFishing said:
I've caught fish on green pumpkin jigs in some pretty dirty water. Black and blue may be a better choice when the water is really stained, but never hesitate to throw green pumpkin. Its a good color in almost any visability.

For sure.

Bruce424 reply :

Hey if ur not sure just mix colors... green pumpkin with a black trailer. Black and blue jig with green pumpkin trailer. That defiantly works for me. Especially the green pumpkin jig with a black trailer

Catt reply :

So let me get this right!

Green Pumpkin will not catch in stained water & Black-N-Blue will not catch in clear water...Huh!

Grizzn N Bassin reply :

i use black n blue at a spot with lightly greenish stained i do very well with both colors

RoLo reply :

Jig colors are typically selected according to current Water Visibility' (Secchi Depth). However, rather than recommend pet jig colors,

I think it would be more useful to focus on 'water visibility' and its components.

When lure colors are chosen based on water visibility, we're turning our backs on 'matching-the-hatch' (you can't have it both ways).

Nonetheless, I believe that color selection should hinge on water visibility rather than trying to match the colors of prey.

(1) You may be dead wrong about the soup du jour

(2) Targeted prey is subject to change without notice

(3) Bass forage is available in every color under the sun and then some.

Although 'lure color' is debatable, 'lure visibility' is not. Ideally, the lure should be visible

within the effective Strike Window of bass. The scope of the strike window hinges on Water Visibility and Water Temperature.

Cold and muddy water severely compresses the strike window of fish, a scenario that pro anglers despise. In reality, when anglers speak

of water transparency and water color they're only addressing water clarity, which is only 1 out of 6 components of water visibility.

To accurately appraise underwater Water Visibility, all 6 determinants must be evaluated:

Water Visibility

- Sun Angle (midday to midnight)

- Sky Clarity (cloudless to heavy overcast)

- Water Clarity (crystal clear to muddy)

- Wave Action (flat calm to sharp chop)

- Lure Depth (1-ft to 25-ft)

- Cover Shade (open water to dense cover)

Be reminded, this post is not a Color Picker, but a breakdown of the components that comprise Water Visiblity.

If you believe that lure colors should be based on lighting conditions, this post provides the framework

Roger

Raul reply :

Color is just as small part, a fish like Bass can find a bait without being able to see it.

senko_77 reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 9:51 AM, Catt said:

So let me get this right!

Green Pumpkin will not catch in stained water & Black-N-Blue will not catch in clear water...Huh!

C'mon Catt. The OP stated he was brand new to jigs and this is a totally valid and understandable question. You should contribute your years of experience with jigs to help the guy out. Hope this doesn't come across as snide, I just know you have an full arms cache of jig info in that Catt brain of yours and this guy could sure need it.

Preytorien, as others have said, yes, green colors usually get the nod from anglers in clear water which I would say 2 1/2-3ft or more of visibility and anything less, they usually go with black and blue. Now what Catt meant was that both colors work in either situation. Sure there are times when certain colors seem to out produce others, but for the most part, my best advice would be to take 2 rods, rig up a black and blue jig and a green colored jig, and just toss em in any water color. Concentrate on retrieve (hopping, dragging, shaking, or swimming in like a spinnerbait) to see which the fish prefer and also play around with the weight of the jig. A TON of times the fish will hit it on the way down in it's initial decent and playing around with weights can trigger bites. For example, in Summer, I like a fast falling jig. To do this, I use a heavier jig (1/2-3/4oz) and a skirt that is thinned out and a streamlined trailer to make it fall fast. This triggers suspended warm water fish to bite. In the Winter, I like a bulky jig with a wide, obtrusive trailer to slow that fall down, giving the sluggish suspended bass time to eat it.

Let us know if you want some more specific information. Always glad to help.

Remember, just take rods rigged with jigs and change your retrieves and weights/trailer combos until you get confidence in your jig fishing ability. The jig WILL catch you bigger fish consistently and once you're confident in it, it's all over.

Good luck, my friend. Sending good jig vibes your way!!!

Preytorien reply :

Thanks guys for all the advice. I'm looking forward to some good fish with these jigs!

Catt reply :

Well all-righty then, y'all can take a peek inside Catt's Box of Toys

But I'm gonna shock y'all!

I never seclect jig color based on water clairity, or any lure for that matter.

The reason is quite simple; every color will work in any water clairity, so I throw it & let the bass decide.

My jig box contains Black/Blue, Black Neon (red flake), Black/Brown/Amber, & a perfect match to Big-O's Falcon Lake Craw.

frogflogger reply :

I've always relied on brown and orange 1st, black with or without blue, and some shade of green - there are some very good pro's who will tell you brown is the universal jig color - all that said color comes after location, depth, and presentation.

Bluebasser86 reply :

When I was learning how to fish a jig I fished nothing but green pumpkin and black and blue. I didn't know when to fish them so I just switched back and forth. I never noticed one doing better than the other in a certain water clarity. If you really want to solve the problem, put a black and blue craw on the back of a green pumpkin jig

J Francho reply :

I pick my color simply by what strikes my fancy. I think one time color really mattered. Green and orange. Must been on a perch bite. I generally feel it's about getting the jig to the fish. Head design can be a big factor in this, though an arky style dies most everything pretty well.

Anyway, the jigs I the most of are black, blue, brown, and, green. Probably my favorite is a brown/green/orange that matches perfectly with a Ragetail Bama colored Craw. Siebert makes them for me.

While I'm on it, I also recommend going hand tied. You'll save money in the long run. They last much longer.

Preytorien reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 9:22 PM, J Francho said:

I pick my color simply by what strikes my fancy. I think one time color really mattered. Green and orange. Must been on a perch bite. I generally feel it's about getting the jig to the fish. Head design can be a big factor in this, though an arky style dies most everything pretty well.

Anyway, the jigs I the most of are black, blue, brown, and, green. Probably my favorite is a brown/green/orange that matches perfectly with a Ragetail Bama colored Craw. Siebert makes them for me.

While I'm on it, I also recommend going hand tied. You'll save money in the long run. They last much longer.

Yea, all my jigs are specifically from Siebert....which are hand tied, so they should last me a while.

WIGuide reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 8:31 AM, Preytorien said:

I've really made it a point to get better with jigs this year. It's been a bait I've been intimidated by them in the past, but after reading thread after thread, multiple articles, and replaying Gene's videos about 50 times, I am confident that I can hang some quality fish with my newly stocked (Siebert) jigs.

That said, most seem to recommend green pumpkin for clear water, and black blue for stained/murky water.

My question is.....how clear do they mean for green pumpkin?

I'm pretty good at figuring out the visibility, especially since I've completed training for search and rescue SCUBA diving, so I know several methods of determining visibility levels.

So what's considered clear?

What's considered stained?

Thanks for any help guys!

There's no real universal agreement between fishermen on classification of water clarity. Those that fish around clearer water lakes will think stained water is closer to muddy than stained. Personally, I break it down like this:

Muddy- less than a foot of visibility
Stained- 1'-4' visibility with
Clear- 4'+ of visibility

Alonerankin2 reply :

I believe the advice above is rock solid...

I can only simplfiy it

2 things.... Baitfish color/colors.... Crawfish color/colors.... Flip/ pitch jigs ... Football head jigs

Footballs you can cast and draaggg or sloowww

Crank...flip / pitch rof... Lighter weight in real cold water .... Heavier in warm/ hot... Footballs I never throw less than 1/2 oz...

There are a ton of variables.... Keep it simple to begin and keep a open mind ... Hope you catch em.... I taught my son to jig fish.... He won't use anything now other than a trap!! Good luck!!

iabass8 reply :

Blue craw

Black/blue/purple

Really the only two i use

Sometimes perfect craw

Siebert Outdoors reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 10:47 PM, WIGuide said:

There's no real universal agreement between fishermen on classification of water clarity. Those that fish around clearer water lakes will think stained water is closer to muddy than stained. Personally, I break it down like this:

Muddy- less than a foot of visibility

Stained- 1'-4' visibility with

Clear- 4'+ of visibility

That is about the same as I use.

Will all colors possibly catch fish in any water condition. Yes. There are a few colors I have found over the years that work in many if not all conditions. 2 of those are Black and Blue then Green Pumpkin.

From my experiences jig fishing some colors do out produce in different water types. When I fish clear water I have always had better luck with browns, greens, etc. While others will work I have best confidence in these colors. Tablerock Lake is a prime example of this. I have yet to catch a fish out of that lake on black/blue jig. But If I throw a green pumpkin or PBJ I know I'll catch fish. I also know people do catch fish on blk blue in this lake.

When a fisherman is getting into jig fishing or asks for my opinion on what I would throw my goal is giving them the highest probability from my experiences. I want to make the learning curve as short as possible with the best chance of success.

Congrats on the Rescue Diver Preytorien, That was one of my favorite classes.

RoLo reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 10:47 PM, WIGuide said:

There's no real universal agreement between fishermen on classification of water clarity. Those that fish around clearer water lakes will think stained water is closer to muddy than stained. Personally, I break it down like this:

Muddy- less than a foot of visibility

Stained- 1'-4' visibility with

Clear- 4'+ of visibility

That's the same basic technique that I use as well.

However, that word "muddy" is confusing to me. For instance, the water visibility in a gin clear lake at midnight (-90) might be 8 inches.

But at high-noon (+90) the water visibility in that same lake might be 8 ft. My question is this: Do you adjust your secchi depths

throughout the day to compensate for current lighting conditions? To use another example, the water visibility may be 5-ft

during a 4 mph early-morning breeze, but by mid-afternoon it can be reduced to 1-foot by a 20 mph blow (spinnerbait time).

Roger

Siebert Outdoors reply :

That is the great thing about fishing. The ever changing weather patterns, available light, and will it or will it not effect the bite. The ultimate goal of the fisherman is learning to read these condition changes and change with them.

WIGuide reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 12:00 AM, RoLo said:

That's the same basic technique that I use as well.

However, that word "muddy" is confusing to me. For instance, the water clarity in a gin clear lake at midnight (-90) might be 8 inches.

However, at high-noon (+90) the water visibility in that same lake might be 8 ft. My question is this: Do you adjust your secchi depths

throughout the day to compensate for current lighting conditions? To use another example, the water visibility may be 5-ft

during a 4 mph early-morning breeze, but by mid-afternoon it can be reduced to 1-foot by a 20 mph blow (spinnerbait time).

Roger

Well you have to remember a few things about water clarity. Fish can see in a much lower light than we can and also, when the wind blows that affects OUR visibility into the water because we're looking through the disturbed surface. A heavier wind will not cause the clarity below the waters surface to change unless close to the bank where the wave action will wash sediment into the water. Waves will however effect the amount of visible light under the water's surface so those fish will become a little more active. I may vary my search depths throughout the day based on that, but more so due to the conditions changing the shallow bite will be more active and I can go to more of a power fishing style instead of having to slow down as much.

Siebert Outdoors reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 12:48 AM, WIGuide said:
Well you have to remember a few things about water clarity. Fish can see in a much lower light than we can and also, when the wind blows that affects OUR visibility into the water because we're looking through the disturbed surface. A heavier wind will not cause the clarity below the waters surface to change unless close to the bank where the wave action will wash sediment into the water. Waves will however effect the amount of visible light under the water's surface so those fish will become a little more active. I may vary my search depths throughout the day based on that, but more so due to the conditions changing the shallow bite will be more active and I can go to more of a power fishing style instead of having to slow down as much.

Fishing up on St Clair I've actually seen the jerkbait bite color completely change with a cloud coming over then change back when the cloud moves on. This was all in the same spot, same depths, etc. Nothing changed but the cloud.

WIGuide reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 12:55 AM, Siebert Outdoors said:
Fishing up on St Clair I've actually seen the jerkbait bite color completely change with a cloud coming over then change back when the cloud moves on. This was all in the same spot, same depths, etc. Nothing changed but the cloud.

No doubt in that, lighting is a sight variable that goes along with water clarity, but one can change without the other changing.

RoLo reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 12:48 AM, WIGuide said:
Well you have to remember a few things about water clarity. Fish can see in a much lower light than we can and also, when the wind blows that affects OUR visibility into the water because we're looking through the disturbed surface. A heavier wind will not cause the clarity below the waters surface to change unless close to the bank where the wave action will wash sediment into the water. Waves will however effect the amount of visible light under the water's surface so those fish will become a little more active. I may vary my search depths throughout the day based on that, but more so due to the conditions changing the shallow bite will be more active and I can go to more of a power fishing style instead of having to slow down as much.

Here's my point: Water Clarity is only 'one' component of the fish's Underwater Visibility. Other criteria that enter the equation

are Sun Angle, Sky Clarity & Wave Action. For instance, regardless of the 'water clarity', fish see much better at high noon than at midnight.

Regardless of water clarity, which is 'fixed', fish see much better on a sunny day than on a day with heavy overcast,

which equates to degraded water clarity. Regardless of the water clarity, underwater visibility is superior on a calm day

when there's no underwater distortion. Wave action caused by high winds produces crisscross refraction

that can sharply impair a fish's underwater visibility.

Last but not least is Lure Depth

For example, suppose I select my lures colors based on 30" water clarity (stained water). I begin to fish the lure as a subsurface bait

about 1 foot below the surface. Then I decide to deliver the same lure about 10 ft below the surface. Regardless of water clarity,

which is 'fixed', the light level at 10 ft below the surface will be significantly lower that the light level 1 ft below the surface.

So in spite of water clarity, I'd probably change to a darker color at 10 ft, in order to enhance the contrast.

Roger

J Francho reply :

I think this is starting to be over thought.

RoLo reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 3:30 AM, J Francho said:
I think this is starting to be over thought.

There is no over-thought, but there is errant thought

J Francho reply :

I'll take that. Lol.

Good stuff as usual guys.

normmcclean reply :

Dang I have never seen someone so sensitive on an outdoors forum. Me thinks roger needs a hug and some fishing therapy. Guess I have thick skin from duck hunting forums. At the end of the day its just fishing not a quadratic equation get back to basics and enjoy nature instead of quantifying it.

bigbill reply :

I use a rattle on every jig too plus a scent.

Fishing from shore I can get the water conditions wrong sometimes. This is why I carry the different colors. I just switch colors till one works. Plus my casts are so far the water conditions could be different out there.

Don't get hung up on one color for too long. Change colors. I'm a color freak anyway.

Peace gentlemen God bless, bill

WIGuide reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 3:11 AM, RoLo said:

Here's my point: Water Clarity is only 'one' component of the fish's Underwater Visibility. Other criteria that enter the equation

are Sun Angle, Sky Clarity & Wave Action. For instance, regardless of the 'water clarity', fish see much better at high noon than at midnight.

Regardless of water clarity, which is 'fixed', fish see much better on a sunny day than on a day with heavy overcast,

which equates to degraded water clarity. Regardless of the water clarity, underwater visibility is superior on a calm day

when there's no underwater distortion. Wave action caused by high winds produces crisscross refraction

that can sharply impair a fish's underwater visibility.

Last but not least is Lure Depth

For example, suppose I select my lures colors based on 30" water clarity (stained water). I begin to fish the lure as a subsurface bait

about 1 foot below the surface. Then I decide to deliver the same lure about 10 ft below the surface. Regardless of water clarity,

which is 'fixed', the light level at 10 ft below the surface will be significantly lower that the light level 1 ft below the surface.

So in spite of water clarity, I'd probably change to a darker color at 10 ft, in order to enhance the contrast.

Roger

I'm not sure if they can see better at noon or night, but I do know that a bass's eyes can gather 5 times more light than the human eye which means that they can see a lot better than we can in dim situations. I don't really think wind effects a fishes vision. It does prevent some light penetration, but it's not like the fish just go blind because of it.

Personally I don't necessarily switch colors just because I'm fishing deeper or shallower. Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to do just fine doing what I do.

Preytorien reply :

Well.....this is a great deal of information.

Looks like I'll just throw what I think they MIGHT like and if I don't get hit, try something else. Fish are so finicky....

Thanks for all the help guys.

Brian Needham reply :

I dont want to spin the OP out and have him thinking crazy........ but here goes.

first question is should you choose your color based on water clarity or the color of the crawfish in your lake?

I use 3 colors..... black and blue, greenpumpkin with orange(think bama craw or the Jfrancho color) and PBJ.

you will be hard pressed to find a better 3 colors than that, all of them catch fish in all water colors.

it has been said Bass see 3 times as far as humans..... so if the water is 3 foot visablity then a bass can see 9 foot in it. (whether that is true or not I have know Idea)

7875

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