One of my favorite ways to catch fish is with a crankbait. You can cover a lot of water and they can be super effective and a fun way to fish. I’ve learned over the years, that selecting the right color of crankbait is key.
When you go down the aisle at any tackle shop or are looking at crankbaits online. You’ll notice there is what seems like an endless amount of crankbait colors on the market to choose from.
With so many colors to choose from it can be difficult to know what the best crankbait colors are and when to fish each one.
So what are the best crankbait colors? The best color of crankbait for all around performance is a shad or white based pattern. This is the most versatile color and can catch fish in any situation. If you are fishing a crankbait in muddy water, bold colors like chartreuse are going to be the most productive.
However, if you are not careful you can spend hundreds of dollars on the wrong color of crankbaits. There are a few key factors that can help you determine what color of crankbait will be the most effective.
In this crankbait colored guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about how to choose the right crankbait color and I’ll share with you my top 10 all time crankbait color patterns.
Let’s get started.
The 10 Best Crankbait Colors
Shad Patterns
Color Description: a white, creamy or light gray color, often paired with chartreuse stripes and a white or orange belly.
Best for: imitating shad and other small bait fish, all around great color.
A shad pattern crankbait is a color that every angler should have ready to go anytime a situation calls for a crankbait.
Not only do they imitate shad which many lakes across the country have, but they also do a great job at imitating other baitfish as well.
It’s no secret. Predatory fish like bass, walleye, trout and pike love to eat other fish and a shad style crankbait is a fantastic option for tricking any nearby fish into striking.
This pattern shines in clear water conditions or when the fish are keying in on shad and other baitfish. Make sure to always have one of these colors ready.
Here are a few of my favorite shad based crankbait color patterns: sexy shad, citrus shad, gizzard shad, and natural shad.
Make sure to check out My Recommended Bass Fishing Gear and Tackle Guide to ensure you have the right gear for your next fishing adventure.
Bold Craw Patterns
Color Description: bright & dark reds, orange based colors.
Best for: fishing in the spring, low light conditions & muddy water.
When I think of bold craw patterns like bright red and orange, I can’t help but think of spring. These crankbait colors are killer springtime colors, but they can also work year round.
These bright patterns allow your crankbait to stand out in low light conditions and especially when you are fishing in muddy water.
I use these colors a lot in the spring when I am targeting both largemouth and smallmouth bass but I have heard they also work well for other species. The drawing power of these colors is what makes them special.
Natural Craw Patterns
Color Description: browns, greens & light red/orange.
Best for: imitating crayfish and small bait fish in clear water situations.
I’ve split craw patterns into two different categories: bold & natural. The reason for this is yes they both imitate crawfish. But because these colors are used so differently I think it makes sense to split them up.
Natural craw pattern colored crankbaits that are brown or green with some subtle orange, gold or red in them are ideal for imitating crayfish in clear water.
On the other side of the spectrum as I mentioned previously, what I call bold craw patterns (bright, red, orange) are best when fishing in muddy water.
Natural craw patterns are great for targeting all fish species that are actively feeding on crayfish, but they especially work well when targeting smallmouth bass. They simply can’t resist a well thrown crankbait in these colors.
Chartreuse
Color Description: a bright yellowish green color that typically has a black or dark top.
Best for: fishing in stained and muddy water or in low light conditions.
Chartreuse colored crankbaits are another staple in the fishing world and is a color every angler should in their crankbait collection.
Whether you are targeting big bass, walleye or pike this bold color is one of the best options out there when fishing in stained and muddy water.
The high contrast of this color also makes it ideal for overcast conditions as well. If you don’t have a chartreuse based crankbait color, it’s time to go out and get one.
Bluegill
Color Description: brown & greens, mixed with shades of purple and blue with an orange belly.
Best for: imitating bluegill and other baitfish, perfect for fishing in the spring.
Big bass love to eat bluegill and what better way to imitate one then with a bluegill pattern crankbait. This color will get the job done.
One of my favorite times of the year to throw a bluegill crankbait is in the late spring or early in the summer. After bass have completed their spawn and are recovering, the big females will be on the lookout for a nice bluegill meal.
FireTiger
Color Description: typically has a black or dark colored back, green sides and a yellow or white belly with black vertical stripes.
Best for: Fishing in stained to muddy water or in low light conditions.
The FireTiger pattern is a bold color that excels at standing out in low light conditions and especially in muddy water where there is low visibility.
This color combination works great on lipless crankbaits, squarebills and deep divers as well. This color is a staple for anglers targeting pike but it also works well for walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass.
If you want to throw a bold color or need your crankbait to stand out. The FireTiger color pattern is a fantastic option.
Ghost Colors
Color Description: is a natural see through pattern
Best for: clear water situations, very natural presentation and look
Another great crankbait color category is what I call a ghost color. A ghost color is essentially a see through color that looks very natural.
Don’t confuse the ghost color patterns with white. White is a bolder color and doesn’t look as natural as the ghost crankbaits. The see through “ghost” color provides your crankbait with a more natural presentation.
As you can imagine this color pattern excels in clear water conditions where the water visibility is high. Or when the fish are being super finicky and want a more finesse natural looking crankbait instead of other bolder colors.
Metallic
Color Description: silver, chrome, gold and other reflective patterns.
Best for: providing flash on sunny days, and overall excellent color choice year round.
Metallic colors like gold and silver are phenomenal crankbait colors that can help you catch a ton of fish year round.
This color of crankbait is ideal in sunny conditions. As the sun penetrates through the water it will deflect of your lure and create flash. So you get a lot of light reflection and flash with these colors, which can trigger some big fish to strike.
I would encourage you to experiment with these color patterns they can be excellent options and are a great way to mix things up.
Other Bait Fish (brim, perch, shiners etc.)
Color Description: browns, blues, green and white based colors that resemble some other type of baitfish.
Best for: imitating specific bait fish species and ideal when fishing in clear water conditions.
One of the best color selection tips that you should always keep in mind is to select crankbait patterns that closely resemble the baitfish found in your body of water.
If you can “match the hatch” and look as close to the real thing as you can, you’ll have a ton of success. That’s where bait fish colors like perch, bluegill, brim come into play.
These style of colors patterns are going to perform the best in clear water situations or when the fish are clearly feeding on a particular type of bait fish.
Pink, Orange & Green
Color Description: any crankbait color that features a pink base with green and orange mixed in.
Best for: walleye, pike, stained or muddy water.
When I am fishing for walleye or pike, I’ll typically start off throwing a bold pink based color mixed with green, blue or orange. For whatever reason these colors really seem to get these fish fired up.
These bright colors are perfectly suited for fishing in muddy and stained water as well as at night or in low light conditions.
The next time you are faced with cloudy conditions or are fishing early/late at night try tying one of these color patterns on. You’ll be surprised on the kind of reaction bites you’ll get.
How to Choose the Right Crankbait Color
Adapting your crankbait color selection based on the conditions will give you a hug advantage and can dramatically increase your odds at catching more fish.
There are four main elements you should consider when selecting a crankbait color: forage, time of year, water clarity and sky conditions. These factors will help you determine which color of crankbait will be the most productive.
Forage
Choosing a color or pattern of crankbait that closely resembles what your targeted species is feeding on is key. Find out what baitfish or forage live in your lake, and then choose colors that that best match them.
For example, if you fish in a shad lake. Shad colors like sexy shad or citrus shad are going to be great colors to start with. On the other hand, if you know your fish may be feeding up on crayfish, craw patterns like red, orange and brown are going to be your best bet.
Time of Year
Another important factor to consider when selecting a crankbait color is the season or time of year you are fishing in. This can influence water clarity, fish activity and the forage that they may be eating.
Here a few basic color recommendations based on the season:
- Spring: spring craw, delta craw, chartreuse and black and bluegill patterns
- Summer: citrus shad, chartreuse, homemade shad
- Fall: sexy shad, citrus shad, chrome olive, craw patterns
- Winter: both natural and bold craw patterns, green pumpkin, ghost and shad colors
For more information about choosing the right crankbait color by season check out this article: Top 5 Crankbait Colors by Season.
Water Clarity
The clarity of the water you are fishing can play a major role on what color of crankbaits are going to be the most effective.
In clear water where the visibility is high, colors that closely mimic and resemble the bait fish are going to be the ones that will be the most effective.
On the other hand, in stained or muddy water situations bright colors like chartreuse or fire tiger will make your crankbait stand out which will help you get more bites.
Here is a quick guide on when to use what color of crankbait based on the water clarity:
- Clear: Use natural colors and patterns that closely resemble the fish forage.
- Muddy: Both natural and bright colored crankbaits work well in muddy water.
- Stained: Fish with bold and bright colors that will help your lure stand out.
Sky Conditions
The conditions of the sky can be another factor in determining what crankbait color is right for you. When the sun is bright. reflective colors such as chrome, and other metallic colors work best. On the other hand, when its cloudy or you are fishing in low light periods try throwing bright and white colors.
Final Thoughts
- Sunny: use reflective colors like chrome or natural colors that best imitate the fish forage.
- Cloudy: use brightly colored crankbaits like chartreuse, white, red are solid options.
If you walk down the aisle of any tackle store across the country, you realize how many different crankbait color options are available. With so many options it can be overwhelming trying to decide which color of crankbaits you should use.
For that reason, we have put together this crankbait color selection guide to ensure you throw the best color or crankbait at the right time and in the right conditions.
I hope you have found this article to be insightful and that you use the information you’ve learned to help you catch more fish on a crankbait.