Must Have Crankbait Colors. 2024
Jassch82 reply :
I'm looking at putting together a assortment of Crankbaits. I'm looking at the Strike King KVD 1.5(square), KVD HC 1.5(flat side), 4, 5, 6 & 6xd. I want to be able to cover many depths and water color types. The baits listed should get me from 2' - 18'+. Can I limit myself to 6 colors or less of each and be able to cover almost any situation? What colors are a must and what conditions to use them.
Catch and Grease reply :
Chartreuse black back is a must for dark/muddy in my opinion but I use it in all kinds of water.
I think 6 colors could cover most situations
If I had to choose 6 colors only for the KVD 1.5s I'd pick
1. Chart black back
2. Gizzard shad
3. Sexy shad
4. neon bluegill
5. Yellow perch
6. Cataouatche special
But that just me everyone's gonna be different
livetofish28 reply :
Chartreuse black back sexy shad and bluegill are all you truly need you can cover most water colors with......sorry BAIT MONKEY. That's what I would pick it all depends on forage also
Tight lines
Andrew
Fishing Cop reply :
Red seems to be the only color working for me right now.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Firetiger,,silver,gold
papajoe222 reply :
I limit my choices to only three 'colors' as I don't put a lot of faith into subtle differences in color on a fast moving bait or one that runs more than 10ft. deep. Natural (shad or bluegill or craw), bright (firetiger, chartruse), Dark (red, black). Between shallow-medium, and deep runners, square-round, coffin and spoon bills, flat,-fat and long bodied baits, suspending and floating and silent and rattle baits. Three color variations are all I can afford!
Hey, I just figured out what my answer to the wife's 'why are you buying another crankbait' question should be. 
TNBassin' reply :
Chartreuse black back
Sexy Shad
Chartreuse Sexy shad
Blue Gill/Neon Blue gill
Powder Blue chartreuse
Citrus Shad
Gizzard Shad
iceintheveins reply :
For the 1.5 color selection I go with the following:
1. Bluegill
2. Chile Craw
3. Firetiger
4. Sexy Sunfish
5. Green Gizzard Shad
6. Blue Gizzard Shad
7. Black Back Chartreuse
8. Orange Belly Craw
Mr. BattleArmor reply :
Bluegill, Chrome blue back, and chart. black back
iceintheveins reply :
For cranks in general I always have on hand bluegill/sunfish colors, shad colors, crawdad colors in both natural and bright, and bright colors like firetiger and chartreuse/black. Variations in those are all you need. But here is a bare bones color guide that should cover any lake in the country.
1. Bluegill/Sunfish
2. Shad
3. Natural Craw
4. Bright Craw
5. Firetiger
Really you don't need more than that.
crazyjoeclemens reply :
Kind of OT and sorry for hijacking the thread, but I noticed that nobody put Pearl on their list. Why is that? I don't use KVD's (I have mostly Bandit cranks), but my color choices would be somewhat similar. I have a bunch, but the ones I throw most are Rootbeer, Tennessee Shad, Pearl/Black Back, and Natural Shad/
Avalonjohn44 reply :
Pearl/Chartreuse back, Rootbeer and Taco Salad are my three Bandit colors.
As for KVD1.5s, I love the Black back Chartreuse and River Minnow (BPS exclusive) colors.
Jassch82 reply :
Thanks again for everyone's input. I think I am going to start with a certain style (square bill or medium depth) and go that way. It will cost a lot less initially. Can I get away with throwing square bills on a MH/F baitcaster until I can save up for a M/Mod setup?
tcbass reply :
On 7/5/2014 at 5:39 AM, livetofish28 said:Chartreuse black back sexy shad and bluegill are all you truly need you can cover most water colors with......sorry BAIT MONKEY. That's what I would pick it all depends on forage also
Tight lines
Andrew
How many colors did you just mention? lol.
Is chartreuse black back sexy shad one color or is that multiple colors?
MichiganBass80 reply :
The KVD 1.5 sexy sunfish has been my go to crankbait so far this year. Lost my last one a couple nights ago, got a couple more on the way, along with bluegill and yellow perch
Frenchman83 reply :
For the waters I fish Bluegill, Perch, Gizzard Shad, and Chartreuse Black Back.
ColdSVT reply :
Chartreuse black back
white black back
citrus shad
tennesee shad
something in a craw color...red or brownish
Bluebasser86 reply :
Chartreuse black back
citrus shad or chartreuse blue back
Tennessee shad
red craw
craw orange belly
bull bream
copper gold bream
ww2farmer reply :
I actually do not like my squrebills, lipless cranks, jerkbaits, topwaters, mid depth and deep cranks to be the same color. IDK why, but it's always worked better for me that way. I keep three colors (give or take a few LOL) for each "type". These are the three for each that would be my "must haves".
For squarebills/shallow cranks I like: Bluegill, Orange Belly craw, and chart/black back
Mid depth: Rootbeer, sexy sunfish, baby carp
Deep cranks: Chart. sexy shad, , chart. belly craw, and sexy ghost minnow
lipless: Chili craw, albino craw, and Jap. shad
Jerkbaits: Yellow perch, natural bream, Ayu
Topwaters: clear water minnow, black, and white
Fishing Cop reply :
I went again yesterday and fished several cranks with no luck and then went back to my go-to RED crank and wham, 3 fish in just a few minutes. They just love the red.
Felix77 reply :
1 - Sexy Shad
2 - Green Gizzard Shad
3 - Chartreuse Perch
4 - Chartreuse/Black Back
DirtyDeuceGoose reply :
On 7/10/2014 at 8:21 AM, Jassch82 said:Thanks again for everyone's input. I think I am going to start with a certain style (square bill or medium depth) and go that way. It will cost a lot less initially. Can I get away with throwing square bills on a MH/F baitcaster until I can save up for a M/Mod setup?
You absolutely can throw squarebills on a MH/F rod. I did it for the longest time and actually liked how it performed/felt. I still do it from time to time depending on the area I'm fishing.
Catch and Grease reply :
I like red during spawn but that's it reallyOn 7/10/2014 at 9:41 PM, Fishing Cop said:I went again yesterday and fished several cranks with no luck and then went back to my go-to RED crank and wham, 3 fish in just a few minutes. They just love the red.
DTack reply :
I definitely feel you can get away with 6 colors and cover everything you need. I primarily throw about 3 colors in each different depth category. I will use Strike King’s colors to hopefully make this easy on you. I’m not the greatest crankbait fisherman and would never claim to be. I feel confident in catching fish on them however. I will say, this list can depend upon where you live as well. I live in California and we face adverse water conditions. We have bodies of water where the clarity can be about 2” down to ultra-clear water with 20’ visibility which causes me to carry a few variations. I basically want colors which will cover a shad, a bluegill or brighter shad color, and a craw color. Once again this list is trying to cover just about every water condition you could face. I used the 1.5 colors for reference, not sure if these colors are available in all baits listed or not, but I’m sure there will be comparable colors in other models.
Sexy Shad
bluegill or firetiger
chili craw
Clearwater minnow
Black back/chart or Cataouatche special
I've never looked at Strike King that close but another favorite that they don't offer in the squarebill is either chartruese with blue or purple back. That's usually what I consider my bright bluegill color which I included Bluegill or Firetiger as a replacement.
Hope this helps.
papajoe222 reply :
On 7/10/2014 at 9:41 PM, Fishing Cop said:I went again yesterday and fished several cranks with no luck and then went back to my go-to RED crank and wham, 3 fish in just a few minutes. They just love the red.
Glad to hear of your success. What color was the water, or I guess a better question would be how deep was the light penetration and how deep were you fishing?
Bankbeater reply :
Shad color is about the only thing working for me right now.
PersicoTrotaVA reply :
Color hasn't seemed to be that important this year. I throw the Tennessee Shad color a lot and my brother throws the black back/chartreuse a lot and we both catch fish fishing them at the same time. To me size is the important factor. Right now I'm fishing the 1.0 KVD in Tennessee shad, 1XS in Tennessee shad and chartreuse sexy shad. I will throw a 1XS sexy sunfish or a KVD 1.5 bluegill if I find they are eating bluegill more than shad. I fish shallow lakes so I don't really throw deep divers...actually I don't own any crankbaits other than the KVD squarebills, 1XS, Series 1 and 4S.
Fishing Cop reply :
On 7/11/2014 at 8:22 PM, papajoe222 said:Glad to hear of your success. What color was the water, or I guess a better question would be how deep was the light penetration and how deep were you fishing?
The water was a little stained. About 2 foot visibility. The crank was only running about 3-4 foot. It was a lipless.
Scottjr1979 reply :
I'm new to bass fishing just starting learning about colors but when they say natural colors what colors do I go with any help will help me thanks for your time.
Scottjr1979 reply :
On 2/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, Scottjr1979 said:I'm new to bass fishing just starting learning about colors but when they say natural colors what colors do I go with any help will help me thanks for your time.
Bassjam2000 reply :
On 2/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, Scottjr1979 said:I'm new to bass fishing just starting learning about colors but when they say natural colors what colors do I go with any help will help me thanks for your time.
Natural means matching the local forage in the waters you fish... bluegill, perch, shad, baitfish, crawfish, etc. I’ve found an easier way is to just match the color of the bottom of the lakes or rivers you fish as prey will be close to the color of their surroundings to blend in. In weedy lakes-green pumpkin or watermelon, clay bottom-red or orange, mud-brown/black, etc. Keep it simple, size, vibration, depth and speed of the lure are all more important than color.
Dens228 reply :
A natural, like bluegill or shad, I usually go with shad..
A reflective
A bright with chartruese
MIbassyaker reply :
On 2/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, Scottjr1979 said:I'm new to bass fishing just starting learning about colors but when they say natural colors what colors do I go with any help will help me thanks for your time.
Start with three styles: (1) Shad, (2) crayfish, (3) Bluegill/sunfish. There are many, many varieties of each, but just pick a couple of each that look good to you. The most basic shad is just a white body, black back. Crayfish in browns, reds or oranges are popular. Bluegill or sunfish...anything that looks kind of like a bluegill or sunfish.
MN Fisher reply :
On 2/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, Scottjr1979 said:I'm new to bass fishing just starting learning about colors but when they say natural colors what colors do I go with any help will help me thanks for your time.
You don't say where you are, and that will determine the local forage.
On 2/20/2020 at 1:48 AM, MIbassyaker said:
Start with three styles: (1) Shad, (2) crayfish, (3) Bluegill/sunfish. There are many, many varieties of each, but just pick a couple of each that look good to you. The most basic shad is just a white body, black back. Crayfish in browns, reds or oranges are popular. Bluegill or sunfish...anything that looks kind of like a bluegill or sunfish.
Here, I swap that sunfish/bluegill for perch - seems to work better here for me. The shad closely imitates the bluntnose and fathead minnows which are prevalent in MN waters. Crayfish is always a good one almost anywhere.
Tizi reply :
Natural/Perch
Bright color for off color water
Ghost
Red Craw
MIbassyaker reply :
On 2/20/2020 at 2:20 AM, MN Fisher said:You don't say where you are, and that will determine the local forage.
Here, I swap that sunfish/bluegill for perch - seems to work better here for me. The shad closely imitates the bluntnose and fathead minnows which are prevalent in MN waters. Crayfish is always a good one almost anywhere.
Indeed. Shad patterns make a passable imitation of crappie as well.
J Francho reply :
Pretty much all my crankbaits are LC, and MS Am. Shad.
Paul Roberts reply :
I guess I've never been able to tell if one color is really better than another. That said, I've been sitting here tricking out the colors on some cranks here.
schplurg reply :
I haven't fished long enough to have a good opinion yet, but I'll try anyways 
Something light, something dark, something in the middle.
I throw cranks a lot and in my area none of the colors I have tried outperform/underperform the others. I've caught bass with perch, craw red, and shad all within an hour from the same spot on the bank (because I lost them all one after another). Anyways, see first sentence above.
ChrisD46 reply :
I see a few new crank colors that make sense to have … *Who's that knocking at my door ? … Why, it's the bait monkey - come on in pal and make yourself at home , can I get you a cup of coffee ? (lol !)
ChrisD46 reply :
On 7/10/2014 at 11:42 PM, Catch and Grease said:On 7/10/2014 at 9:41 PM, Fishing Cop said:I went again yesterday and fished several cranks with no luck and then went back to my go-to RED crank and wham, 3 fish in just a few minutes. They just love the red.
I like red during spawn but that's it really
*Red from Feb. to Apr. - then it's on to shad and bluegill colors until Oct. when I start mixing in the craw brown / orange color cranks over the winter.
scaleface reply :
I use a lot of different colors . Besides shad/baitfish , crawfish and sunfish patterns I like the Rapala perch , Rapala foil both gold and silver , the Bomber's with the mirror flash insert and, fire tiger . just to name a few .
Spankey reply :
On 2/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, Scottjr1979 said:I'm new to bass fishing just starting learning about colors but when they say natural colors what colors do I go with any help will help me thanks for your time.
Just an FYI you can pick up crankbaits that are of this real image design. Look real as heck. You might like them. They may work out great for you if that is a direction you want to go. They are not for me.
I’m a Rapala Freak, one of my favorite patterns is the original Rapala bluegill. On A few models it works great.
That real image bluegill of Rapala came out and I was all over it like white on rice. I have never done well with it. Got a few. But soured me from anything real image. Shame, I see a lot of nice RI baits out there but I’m not gonna bite.
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