Apart from lure action and profile, color is important not only to our confidence in a lure but as an attractant.

Basically the purpose of a lure is to use movement, vibration, and (at times) color to catch the fish's attention so it bites. Color can enhance a lures action whether it is at rest or in motion.

There are three definitions of the word artificial:

1. man-made

2. unnatural

3. false, misleading, fake

Artificial life can be natural or unnatural in appearance even if colorless (IE. low light, deep stained water). The human brain is as infallible as a fish's when mistaking an object as real when there is no time to evaluate it. The response for both is reflexive: we swat, it gulps or tuns away.

The eyes of humans and fish are sensitive to light flicker. For lurecrafters, this is important because too much flash can repulse a fish; just enough can hold its attention long enough to begin the strike sequence.

Unless a lure lies flat on the bottom of a lake, it has motion and motions make the lure appear solid. Fish eyes are capable of detecting not only a lure's outline, but its colors and moving shapes. Fine glitter and pearl powders reflect light in clear plastic, easily seen within range of sight, and that fill in a lure's shape and depth. Depending on the light source, a lure can appear differently. Note back-lighting versus reflection in each of the following similar colored minnows:

Back-lighting (water surface) behind the top lure enhances tiny dots which sway as the tail waves.

Reflected light off the bottom lure causes the same tiny glitter to shimmer and flash minutely. Being that lures are finesse in shape and action, makes me lean towards also making their color and flash finesse in appearance.

Florescent colors and solid white are the extremes of lure brightness and unnaturalness and appeal to fish not in the mood to wait a bit before striking. I like those colors best in spring, pre-spawn and in clearer water when fish chase faster moving lures.

In the case of the spike tail lures shown below, which is more important to a crappie or perch fisherman - color or action?

Action by far. The body color could be any hue, but the quivering silicone strand sent fish of different species into a feeding frenzy!

Do natural colored lures work. Of course, but not because they resemble anything in nature IMHO but because art imitates life and a fish is fooled by an artificial lure believing artificial animal life form is alive and vulnerable. The challenge for lurecrafters and anglers alike is to attract and then do nothing to deter a fish from its assumption.

Thanks for reading,

FrankM

This is some good reading!

Great write-up SENKOSAM, enjoyed it !!

Part 4 coming up - Lure characteristics that define the visual and the choices we have.