I have many bags of the yum crawbugs in colors that i would consider normal.  But also some which i personally wouldnt consider natural. Im not sure or comfortable when to use the following; when do you use soft baits that are colored somke and red pepper, tequila sunrise(a purple),  and red shad? I wouldnt consider these natural colors where i fish, or atleast that i am used to using so im wondering what situations typically any of these colors would be suited for? Any help would be much appreciated and help solve this brain freeze of mine on this topic  

I start off with the color that is tied on from last time.  Then , when I run out of those, I pick a different natural color.

IMO- Color is over-rated, at least at the lake we fish primarily.  Some times of year more than others (during spawn, they will hit any color, even pink merthiolate.)

I always go to my confidence color, which is what works for me.    When that doesn't work, I try to take the time of year, and what is supposed to be happening and match that.

For instance, post spawn, lizzards are known nest raiders, and bass hate lizzards even though you don't see them on your lake, they eat'em.   I like pumkins and chartruesse.     Watermelon seed, red flake, or candy which is a blue gill color all catch fish in Texas.

After post spawn, the blue gills, brim, perch, also known as nest raiders, begin their spawn rituals, and bass love easy meals, so blue gill patterns shallow works well.

Summer kicks off with shad colors, normally some chrome colors.   Normal green patterns for shallows, and as I go deep, I like darker colors, Junebugs, plums, tequillas, Redbugs, and standard black and blue fleck.    

As the water cools, and winter comes, black and blue jigs with hints of red, lizzards, and red traps seem to work well.

If you polled everones color that they say works, you'll get a variety of colors for different regions, and most of those are strictly what works for individuals, it our confidence baits.      At times, colors matter,   at times, color doesn't matter as much as the way the bait is rigged or presented.

Experience on the water will solve parts of the puzzle as experience is gained.

Then color doesn't seem as important as being in the right spots and putting the bait in the right situations.

Matt

I use an old Color-C-Lector when my confidence colors don't pan out (or have Muddy Man in the boat he's a human Color-C-Lector).  When things are tougher than normal, I've found it to be a useful tool rather than a gimmick.