Color a conundrum for crappie

Chartreuse jigs a favorite for anglers around state waterways

Most anglers have their opinion what’s the best jig color to use while crappie fishing.

They usually have jigs in an array of colors but end up using only a few.

Most fish do see color, according to scientific research. Many studies point to largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie as well as most other freshwater fish as being able to differentiate color groups. Just like people, fish have both rods and cones in their eyes. They are able to see contrasting whites and blacks in low light, but also recognize color when enough light is available. Many factors can determine how well the colors come through.

Colors don’t look the same through the water as they do in broad daylight above the surface. Water clarity, light penetration, depth and water temperature affect how a fish sees certain colors. Red fades fairly quickly as depth increases, while purples and blacks are among the last to disappear at depth. Chartreuse and white offer good visibility in lightly stained to very dingy water.

Kent Williams, a Blytheville angler who fishes regional and national crappie tournaments, has a simple answer: a combination of black and chartreuse will catch crappie in most any lake he has fished.

Chase Thomas, who fishes a wide range of waters in central Arkansas, is also a fan of chartreuse, but matches it with red.

Jerry and Debbie Cross are an ardent fishing couple from Paragould who spend many hours on the water at Lake Norfork in Baxter County. “Our first choice would be a minnow,” Debbie Cross said, “but, on jigs, it would be chartreuse plus anything.”

The science of how fish see and how water clarity and sunlight affect color vision also leans toward brighter colors.

No matter the color choice, the best addition to an angler’s hook is the confidence to stick with it and be patient.