Do fish really see color Part 1 CLEAR WATER.

[dick tabbert]

DO FISH REALLY SEE COLOR

Does color really matter   Part 1 Clear Water
Here is my take or opinion on the subject of color. 
Clear water 1’ to 12’ and crystal clear (gin Clear) water 20’ and beyond.  The key word here is Clear and crystal clear-gin clear. Your lure colors are more visible in the upper water column of clear water due to the clarity of the water and light penetration. Light penetration is the biggest factor and can change the way fish see the lure although not as big a factor in our clear water lakes.
In these conditions natural baits work best but still may change and as we go deeper in depth as the sunlight rays change. The light changes the way fish see our lure. The biggest thing that may change the lure color or the way fish see the lure is full sun, intermitting clouds and overcast and something we rarely think about the angle of the sun across the water. One rule of thumb is to fish with multiple colors. I always fish at least 2 colors and 3 if possible.
Nighttime is another story. Fish can see shadows not color although the full moon may help as far as color is concerned but not very likely. Remember a darker color will have a darker shadow. This is a time when you would want to fish lures that may rattle or blade clanking together or bait that would have a lot of vibration. Fish hear using their lateral line. With any clanking, rattling, or vibrating baits the fish can zero in on the target then fine tune when it sees the dark shadow.