Fall Crankbait Shapes
By Lance Valentine
Every angler has their own favorite crankbait color. Sometimes a bait that caught a special fish or holds a special memory is our favorite. Sometimes we KNOW a certain color works at a specific time and place. There is no problem with having a favorite crankbait color, if we don’t continue to fish it when it is not producing!! I like to let my detailed fishing records PROVE to me that colors work when and where I am fishing. I still have some “favorites”, but I always defer to what my past fishing history shows me works when I start fishing.
Fall walleye are big, fat and hungry! Crankbaits are a great way to catch them in the fall no matter where you are fishing. Over the past 4 decades of fishing and record keeping, here are some crankbait color patterns that have PROVEN to be effective in the fall no matter where I fish.
1. White, Bone or Gray based lures: lures with a more “subtle” base layer have proven to catch more fish than “flashy” lures most falls.
2. Black and Purple based lures: another proven fish catcher, especially in clearer water where flash can spook fish.
3. Copper based lures: Copper is my favorite base color in the fall if I want “flash”. Copper is a great base at deeper depths, in very dirty water and on clear sunny days.
4. Bottom Color: Remember, most fish we catch in the fall are rising 2-10 feet to hit a lure so pay more attention to the color on the bottom of your lure than the top! The bottom of the lure catches fish, the top of the lure catches fishermen! I have four bottom colors that have proven over time to out produce others. They are purple, red, orange and pink (PROP).
5. Accents: Records show that accents on a lure make it more productive in the fall. Dot, stripes or lines on a lure, especially near the bottom, make a lure more attractive.
6. Old Reliables: There are certain lure color that just work everywhere, every time and we shouldn’t forget them. Firetiger, Blue/Silver/Orange Belly and Gold/Black should be in every fall walleye trollers tackle box
Here is a quick list of some of my favorite fall crank bait colors:
Pink Lemonade
Lights Out
Raspberry Dolphin
Black Mamba
Barbie
Firetiger
Purple Demon
She’ll Do
Fantasy
Pink Squirrel
Speed Racer
White Ghost
I purchase all my custom crankbait colors from www.Warriorlures.com
Lure color is a fun topic, every angler has their opinion, and some will defend it to the death! But by keeping track of what does and doesn’t work in specific conditions, color selection will become based on fact, not feeling and your catch will increase...But, don’t forget that favorite color just in case!