ok guys i just started  fishing crankbaits but i never really seem to catch any fish on them. i have had some decent days on the sexy shad crankbaits in various sizes and depths but other than that nothing. what would you all say is the best color for clear to stained water? also the lake i fish is all rock and then bushes up shallow with shad as the main forage. but i also come back to michigan alot on leave so whats some good colors for lakes with bluegill being the main forage and lakes with lots of grass. i have plastics,jigs,topwater etc. all down really well but crankbaits are my weakness. any help would be great thankks.

My favorite and most productive crank colors are:

Shad, Hot Mustard and Parrot. (speaking of Rapala DT series)

I like firetiger also but for some reason atleast on the lake I fish the majority of the time, I catch 3:1 northern to bass on firetiger lures...

thank you sir

in my waters, the best producer by far in cold water, clear or stained, is the lc american shad...the rapala silver/black back scheme is a close second.

as clear waters warm, the "ghost" colors (ghost minnow, ghost sunfish, ghost ayu) produce better...ghost sunfish is a killer in clear bluegill waters.

as stained waters warm, the chartreuse rootbeers become the go-to.

your waters may vary somewhat but, imo, you can go anywhere in this country and catch bass on cranks based somewhat on those basic colors, depending on season.