"Red lures catch big bass" is repeated over and over all over the internet and on these forums. I'm inclined to believe that this is because those red swamp crayfish are really really red, and the bass are seeking out a know pray. I also wonder if the bright color makes them easy to find in mirky waters.

 

But up here in WI our crayfish are more of an olive drab, and our waters are pretty clear 5-15' of clarity on my local lakes for example. Does anyone have any experience with red lures working up north?

I’ve never seen a Rayburn red colored crawfish in my lake, but that color sure catches fish for me. Try it and see. It might work.

Red doesn't work for me...at least not that I notice in any appreciable way.

 

Like you, our crayfish here are brown-ish.

I have no idea whether this works to an advantage in the north, as I don't have much experience with early-season fishing.  I usually reserve reds for muddy conditions, especially in rivers.  However, In addition to the explanations you cited, I've also heard red contrasts well against early green weedgrowth, giving a visual detection advantage in clear, weedy waters during a time when they maybe are feeding even more opportunistically than usual.

I have caught fish on red up here in New England but I haven’t noticed a difference in bites. It’s not crazy good bites like oh red is definitely a factor.  A fish here or there. I could be getting them on a jig then try a red jackhammer pick off fish or 2.  Not the other way around where I’m crushing fish on the red jackhammer then pick up a jig and pick off 2 more 

Red is 1000% a dirty water thing for us here in NC - it works in summer too.  Just gotta have dirty water.  I think the point is mostly to make the bait silhouette better and give them a bold color that stands out when they get close.

 

I fish it in places where I don't see red crayfish and do well with it.

 

A functionally similar color for us is black back chartreuse sides - another excellent dirty water color.  Doesn't really mimic anything perfectly - it just looks visible when it's hard for them to see.

i catch fish on red in maryland and PA bit i seem to do better wth brown and orange in spring.

In Pa, I can’t say that red has done anything significant for me.  I won’t not throw it but I have not found a reason to choose it specifically because of it being red.

 

I will add, there are certain bodies of water I fish where one color does work better than other colors. I guess I just haven’t found the body of water where red is the goto yet. 

Speed and depth of your lure and location where you present it (at fish) are the most important things.  Color is an aid.  I use different colors but rarely have seen any difference (but sometimes it does make a difference).  Confidence in your lure, and color, selection is always important.

I agree with the water clarity idea. Red craw crankbaits work better for me in dirty water. If I run into some less stained or clear water I go with a ghost craw that is either green or dark brown. Something like these.. 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Red is 1000% a dirty water thing for us here in NC - it works in summer too.  Just gotta have dirty water. 

 

All I fish is dirty water....Red doesn't seem to work.

I use red all season long.. Works for me.. Pick any colour and if they bite they bite.. 

5 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I have caught fish on red up here in New England but I haven’t noticed a difference in bites.

 

Ditto

26 minutes ago, RRocket said:

All I fish is dirty water....Red doesn't seem to work.

 

 

Maybe it's too dirty. Maybe it's not dirty enough. Maybe they've seen too much red. There's so many variables at play with bass fishing but don't use it if it doesn't work, am I right?

 

I catch fish using red but I think mostly it's when you throw it more often and you have confidence in the lure that it works then anything else.  At least that's been my experience with just about every lure and every color.

2 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

Maybe it's too dirty. Maybe it's not dirty enough. Maybe they've seen too much red. There's so many variables at play with bass fishing 

Its one of the great mysteries of the world! LOL 😆 

 

Which is why we keep coming back for more, I presume.

 

 

Im fishing at a dirty pond after work. I'll ask them.

My main color for early spring in NNY.

I’m up north and I can’t say that it is better or worse than other colors but red shades and accent certainly do work for me. 

 

 

No red crawfish in Indiana. I’ve seen dark brown, green, creme colored with blue accents, the eggs they carry are orange very bright orange and rather large.. 

 

Let's just say I’ve never seen a red one..

In PA if it werent for a red lipless in the spring my largemouth PB wouldve maxed out at 3.25lbs. Instead it gave me about a dozen PB's.

 

Rest of the year, nothing on red.

As others have mentioned red or red/orange is a good in stained or dirty water. I've also had success throwing it in clear water along with chartreuse/black back. Mostly fish rivers.

 

Caught a chunk of a smallie in the Milwaukee river on a red/orange bait in clear water. 

 

Crayfish can be many different colors and I believe they change throughout the season due mating and other factors. One fall I had a decent bite on a lipless. It was an old Bagley in pistachio color. Either one of the fish puked up a crayfish or I caught/saw one in the shallows. Regardless it had most of the color accents of said lipless. It was actually quite remarkable looking.

 

Pretty sure the rusty crayfish have invaded a lot of waters and they are rusty/red.....

I hear you guys saying that red is a dirty water color and it can be.  But keep in mind that there are lots of variations on red/orange and combos thereof.  Here are a couple of things across the spectrum.  For me, I never have muddy or even dirty water (<1' visibility) and rarely have < 2' of visibility.  I'm more likely to have 3-5' than < 2'.

 

 

 

Red (actually the Redeye Shad in orange craw) has become my favorite lipless crank that I use mostly in very clear water in northern Wisconsin. 

Growing up in NY, I would throw an orange and red skirted spinnerbait all through the spring and kill em. At that time I had no idea why that color seemed to work so well in Spring and not as well in Summer since my main spinnerbait color has always been white. Not sure if it was water clarity or crawfish or confidence throwing that color etc. ......

 

I am not 100% certain though if Red baits catch more fish in the pre spawn because of matching forage or because everyone throws them more? If that makes sense...I fish a place loaded with Golden Shiners yet rarely get bit on anything gold.......I am not sure what fish see compared to what we see since so many variables. 

 

Here in Florida, I have yet to have the same success with red spinnerbaits or skirts. I have had days where a green/Orange laminate senko is a killer. I just think watermelon and orange is a good color all year.

 

Color is a tricky one but if you think it will work, it likely will. I never throw Pink yet plenty of people do and catch a ton of fish.....

 

 

I can always seem to catch bass on an orange lipless crankbait when the water is muddy.  It doesn't seem to matter what time of year.