Temperature changes color. That is the entire idea behind thermochromic fishing lures — and it sounds like a gimmick right up until you understand what is actually happening inside the bait, and when water temperature changes fast enough to matter on the water. This is the second article in the effect-pigment family covered on the…
Same bait, two states — UV light flips a molecular switch that turns the color on, and shade turns it back off. Photochromic lures can look completely different depending on the sunlight. Pull a certain kind of soft plastic out of a shady tackle box and it looks pale, almost washed out. Hold it in…
A fluorescent color cheats — it returns more visible light than fell on it by converting invisible light you can’t see. Fluorescent fishing lures can look almost lit from within. Hold a chartreuse worm or fire-tiger bait in sunlight and it appears brighter than a color has any business being. That effect isn’t glow-in-the-dark paint—it’s…
Part 2 of the Soft Plastic Lure Color Guide Series Understanding fishing lure color contrast is one of the most important skills anglers can develop when selecting soft plastic lure colors. Many anglers spend countless hours debating lure colors. Entire tackle aisles are filled with hundreds of shades, laminates, flakes, translucent finishes, and custom patterns….
The final part of the color guide — applying visibility, contrast, and imitation principles into a simple repeatable color selection system.
Lure action frequently triggers strikes before color does. A complete breakdown of when action matters more, when color becomes critical, how they work together, and the most common mistake anglers make.
UV can help — but only when understood correctly. Covers what UV reflectance is, which fish can see UV, when UV lures work, and when they don’t.
Longer wavelengths disappear first — red vanishes in feet, blue penetrates deepest. A complete color wavelength reference table for depth visibility and how to apply it to lure selection.
Fish see color differently than humans — rod cells detect motion and brightness, cone cells detect color in bright conditions. Understanding which visual system dominates in current conditions determines which color matters.
Water absorbs colors in a predictable order — red disappears first, blue and purple last longest. How depth and light affect soft plastic color visibility and what it means for color selection.
