Why do trout like crazy colors?

[bman]

I tend to use "natural" color baits- Mullet, White, mackeral...

But, last weekend the go to color was Nuclear Chicken-

It looks like a Christmas orniment.
I remember when Electric Chicken was so hot.
Pink Bubble gum is great too.

Why do you guys think the fish like this stuff?

[Flint River Pirate]

I really like the bright colors in the spring when fishing freshwater. I love green and pink when the fish are feeding aggresive. Saltwater seems to follow the same pattern in my opinion. But their natural food isn't bright colors so I feel like the bright colors trigger a reaction bite. Just my .02 cents from a South Georgia Country Boy's experiences.

[red_yakker]

I've often wandered the same thing. Do fish see in color? And if so, can they see the same spectrum of colors that we can? Maybe to a trout, those wild colors look like something found in nature. All animals see color differently.

I also believe the reaction strike argument has merit. Maybe the wild colors freak them out, and they attack out of agression rather than hunger.

Either way, it's always a good idea to keep a wide assortment of colors in the ole tackle box.

[RHTFISH]

A giant conspiracy: Berkley programs the fish to prefer different colors on different days....to increase sales of course!

It's done via GPS satellites I imagine.

[tin can]

Lets think this through. Nine days out of ten, if they're biting, they'll hit any color. My thought is RHTFISH is partially right. Not that Berkley is programming the fish, Berkley is programming the fisher. A fish brain is about the size of a pea. A predatory fish sees something hopping through the water. It makes no effort to eat him. So he eats it. A fisher has a fairly large brain. For this discussion we'll assume the fisher has the ability to use said brain. Berkley (and most other major bait companies) have highly paid employees that do nothing but condition fisher peoples' brains (it's referred to as marketing). They develop a totally new line of baits (lets use GULP as an example) and give them to a few pros. They endorse the pros and pay them a lot to tell the general fishing public how wonderful they are. The average fisher sees the commercial and buys some. Within three trips this fisher has caught fish on this wonderful new bait. That fisher is so excited he or she goes out and purchases hundreds of dollars worth of these baits, AND continues to be successful with them. The fisher rationalizes he or she has stumbled onto the magic bait that the fish just won't pass up. Very few fishers will rationalize that he or she happened to wander around long enough to stumble on an area that's holding fish. They threw this wonderful new bait out there. The fish see it. It doesn't eat them. So the fish eats it. The bait company has succeeded in selling their product, the fisher person caught fish. Everyone is happy.

Or, I could be wrong and there MIGHT be some scientific answer to Bman's question.

[fishinfool]

TC, I think you just might have something there. I have caught fish on one color and my buddy is not on his color of choice. Then we switch colors and I start catching on his color and he is not on mine. I think it has more to do with presentation than color. I have talked to guy that say they always catch fish on X color of Y lure, that is because they don't use anything else. Go figure. I do believe that light reflects differently off of one color than another in a fish brain, and it can produce a strike. But to say that a fish prefers one color over another? I think that is over thinking it a bit. Just my$.02 worth.
FF
p.s. I believe the shoestring on a jig head story, I am gonna try a strip of t shirt one day soon.

[tin can]

TC, I think you just might have something there. I have caught fish on one color and my buddy is not on his color of choice. Then we switch colors and I start catching on his color and he is not on mine. I think it has more to do with presentation than color. I have talked to guy that say they always catch fish on X color of Y lure, that is because they don't use anything else. Go figure. I do believe that light reflects differently off of one color than another in a fish brain, and it can produce a strike. But to say that a fish prefers one color over another? I think that is over thinking it a bit. Just my$.02 worth.
FF
p.s. I believe the shoestring on a jig head story, I am gonna try a strip of t shirt one day soon.

What you stated leads up to what I've always said to someone who asks me what bait to use. Use the bait you have confidence in. That's the bait you'll fish hard and catch fish on.

[RHTFISH]

A fisher has a fairly large brain.

Thanks Mr. TC....I just took that "out of context" and forwarded to my wife.

I hope you don't mind I quoted you as "the" world famous authority! I really appreciate the help as I frequently get labeled
"mentally challenged" when it comes to my fishing endeavors and exploits!

[tin can]

A fisher has a fairly large brain.

Thanks Mr. TC....I just took that "out of context" and forwarded to my wife.

I hope you don't mind I quoted you as "the" world INFAMOUS authority! I really appreciate the help as I frequently get labeled
"mentally challenged" when it comes to my fishing endeavors and exploits!

There, I fixed it for ya.

Always glad to help, Ross. I enjoy "HELPING" lots of my friends. There are several on this forum that will vouch for that. If you'll send me her phone number I'll give her a call. I can probably give her justification for lots of new tackle, and maybe even a new boat. And I don't even charge for this service.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY JOHN, HOW IS THE BACK DOING, I JUST HAD ANOTHER FRIEND COME HOME FROM BACK SURGERY AND HE IS DOING FINE, HOPE YOU ARE TO.
PA THE OLD MAN

[tin can]

HEY JOHN, HOW IS THE BACK DOING, I JUST HAD ANOTHER FRIEND COME HOME FROM BACK SURGERY AND HE IS DOING FINE, HOPE YOU ARE TO.
PA THE OLD MAN

I'm doing OK, Pa. Thanks for asking.