bucktail colors..and why not ?

[baldwin]

Actually Mueller, I'm not so sure about orange being visible in deep water. Red is the first to fade to gray with depth, orange is close to that end of the spectrum. Red looks gray after a few feet down. Not that gray is a bad color, most baitfish are grayish. The blue end of the spectrum is visible deepest, with chartreuse standing up well.
As for colors of plugs, I think all white or all black is a good scheme. For picky situations, I like yellow at dawn, and olive over white sometimes, chartreuse in stained water.

[NIB]

Originally Posted by baldwin

Actually Mueller, I'm not so sure about orange being visible in deep water. Red is the first to fade to gray with depth, orange is close to that end of the spectrum. Red looks gray after a few feet down. Not that gray is a bad color, most baitfish are grayish. The blue end of the spectrum is visible deepest, with chartreuse standing up well.
As for colors of plugs, I think all white or all black is a good scheme. For picky situations, I like yellow at dawn, and olive over white sometimes, chartreuse in stained water.

I reaD A ARTICLE IN sws LAST FALL BOUT COLOR.
F'n caps button.
Lime green if I remember right was one of the most visable.
If I can find the mag i'll post the link.

[baldwin]

Q: Why do some colors appear black when they're in the water? I know it has something to do with wavelengths, but I don't really understand it.
A: Water transmits light of every color and, therefore, looks clear. The clearness enables you to see colors of an underwater object near to the surface. Water is clearest for colors of shortest wavelengths%$the blues and greens. That's why water looks greenish-blue and the deeper the water, the more greenish-blue it looks. This effect is most noticeable in the water looking up. Looking down into the water, reflections and refractions on the surface can interfere.

Water isn't perfectly clear, though, especially for colors with longer wavelengths. It strongly absorbs infra-red (heat) radiation and weakly absorbs colors in the red and orange part of the spectrum. White light consists of red light plus its complement, greenish-blue light. So absorbing orange and red colors from white light leaves greenish-blue, the intrinsic color of water.

This also means that orange and red colors in deep water look black if illuminated by surface light. Think what a "red" fish means. The fish looks red, not because it emits red light, but because it reflects red light. If, at depth, there's no red light left, then a red fish will look unlighted or black.

Water molecules absorb red light weakly and infra-red strongly because the molecules vibrate greatly in the infra-red frequencies. They resonate%$that is, they vibrate a greater amount at that frequency like a gong vibrates and "bongs" when hit with a hammer.

The vibrating molecules get hotter due to their motion, like those in a bowl of water warming in the summer's sun.

Occasionally water molecules absorb visible red light. Since the effect is faint, it takes many molecules%$about nine feet of water depth--to absorb enough red light so the blue of the water is noticeable. That's why a glass of water looks clear.

[STRIPER77]

"You want the truth? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!!!"
WTF---Just tie on a freakin bucktail and fish!!!!!

[Strider]

"You want the truth? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!!!"

hahahaha....too funny!

Professor Baldwin (just kidding with ya) thanks for the lesson, it's all good info and I thank you. However, I assume when one is bouncing a bucktail jig in 10' or more of water at night, the spectrum of light thing is pretty much n/a? My guess would be that light colored jigs are pretty much gray/black and darker colors simply black. To me what are fish friends are looking for or at, is profile and contrast. Any thoughts or comments?

[Nebe]

I only use white- heres my theory- it works

[NIB]

Ya thats true.Its ok to pigeon hole urself into thinkin that way U gotta draw the line someplace.I think if u applied the same theory to plug fishin it would work most the time also.I know for fact though.there are times in the canal in 35 ft of water where black an red outfishes white big time.