Lure Colours

When spinning for bass or pollack I love either all silver or red/silver lures such as the excellent Kilty Catcher, German Sprats, Abu Tobys/Kosters, etc.

Anyone agree/disagree or have experience of other colour schemes or lure patterns?

Anyone had success with Flying C, Dexter Wedge or Salty Taz? If so what, when, where & how? I've heard that Lukki lures are excellent.

Replies:

1. "I love using plugs and plastic lures more than spoons / spinners because I feel you must put more in to get more out, think a little more than simply casting and retrieving, popping lures are the most exciting way of fishing I know. I agree with you on colour choice but I have mentioned this here more than once that blue / silver immitations are't the only thing that work. Where I fish in the Solent / Needles area the water isn't that clear, even in the summer, chartreuse (lime green) outfishes a sandeel copy any day.

Some of the Rapalas (J13, Husky Jerk, Sliver) are all time classics but vary the colours a bit. Bright jellies catch just as many Pollack in crystal clear water as do shiny spoons. Sinking lures are rarely mentioned in this subject (in fact one of my best lures is a Yo-Zuri crystal minnow in mackerel that weichs 30g and sinks like a stone). Also my biggest tip is, make it rattle...............

I caught a load on Skitter Pops last summer mainly schoolies though, try the Storm Chug Bugs, they are better (they have a rattle!).

Jellies are superb for pollock from the shore, I don't actually use Redgills any more, when a couple cost the same price as twenty worms, shads etc I really see no point. I have certainly never been outfished by them when wrecking, they may be better for bass than jellies though. The Blue ones are worth a go. The jellies fish better from the shore with an inline setup rather than mangled around a lead head, just slide a ball weight up the line and use a power gum stop knot in front, use a flourocarbon tippet / leader and real em' in. In Jersey we used to Chum the fish up, after about half an hour you could end up with 100+ fish waiting for food. Just chuck out the jelly and use a steady retrieve. I also had Bass upto 7lb 3oz doing this.

Black is good colour but the fire tail patterns work best. In some areas people will only use black and red, other places people may prefer bright orange, it really is down to you.

With the popping lures you'll never see a strike like it in our waters, there is usually a boil behind the lure before or just an explosion underneath, it is the only time I've ever seen sea fish (other than gars) tail walk like a big Barramundi or something similar. You do not have to be in very shallow water for them to work well just as long as the bass are near the surface. For about twelve quid you can have more fun than you would have thought possible."