We all know the iconic Patchinko lure, it basically started the modern craze in surface lure fishing for bass here in the UK in the early 2000s. But with more then 30 colours to choose from, where do we start? Why are there so many, and what difference does a colour make anyway? Why did I choose the Cabot colour in the picture below? I hope reading this blog will explain....
I hear people say so often that lures catch anglers, and most surface lures look the same from underneath, so the colour on the top makes no difference. But you have to remember about light refraction, and how light acts when it is bounced off water. From under the water when a fish looks up, the light will refract off the top and sides of the lure, so the fish does actually see the colour of the side and top. So even sitting still the colour on the top is seen, as especially when being worked the lure rocks and rolls showing off even more.
Firstly, before I dive into lure colours, it is worth mentioning there are also a few different styles of colours in the Xorus range. These are:
1) "Solid Bodied" colours, these are lures that do not have any see-through sections and the colour is basically sprayed on the outside.
2) "Clear Sided" colours, these have a clear side with a painted top and usually a painted belly.
3) "Flash Plate" colours, are clear sided lures that have a flash plate inside, which is a reflective strip running down the middle of the lure.
4) "Clear Belly" colours are also clear sided and sometimes have a flash plate, but they do not have a white stripe on the belly, hence "clear belly"
The thing with choosing your colour, is it all depends on a few factors. Time of day and the angle of the sunlight, whether it is cloudy or clear, the colour of the clouds, the colour of the sky, the clarity of the water, whether it is windy or calm....and of course what type of baitfish are in the area you are fishing. So, I will highlight various conditions and times that many of us are faced with, then I will recommend the colour I would be looking for.
Early Morning: I am talking first light, twilight to the first hour or two of sun. The sun is low in the sky so shadows are long. Fish are hunting and the baitfish are creating silhouettes, not bright colours, more shadows, so go for a solid bodied lure, no need for bright colours unless it is over cast or the water is a bit murky. If it is overcast/dirty water then use a chartreuse top lure (Xorus do not make a solid body with Chart top....I will ask them though), but if the water/sky is bright and clear then a plain White or Nacre colour is ideal. If the sky/water is normal, a few clouds and the water not too clear, then a baitfish pattern like Mackerel, Aji, Sun Sprat or Black Mullet. 9 times out of 10 though I will personally put on a White lure at this time of day as it covers most situations here in Jersey where our water is rarely dirty. Conclusion: Solid Bodied like White/Nacre or a bait pattern like Sun Sprat / Aji and Black Mullet. The Sun Sprat below looks an odd colour in the hand, but looks and works incredible in the water, especially in Autumn and Winter, low light conditions
Dirty Water: Using a surface lure in dirty water conditions is often thought a waste of time, but it is far from it. Fish still feed in dirty water, and in fact they can be more prolific as baitfish can't see them coming. So the thing to do when faced with dirty water is very similar to fishing at night, slow down the lure and again use a solid bodied lure that will stand out better when the predator is near the lure. If the water is dirty but the sun is shining bright, definately try a flash plate lure though, because the sunshine can hit the flash plate and send some UV rays down into the water. Conclusion: Genrally a solid matt colour like Matt Lancon, Matt White, or even the Smelt colour. A grey/black pattern like Black Mullet is an option. If the sun is low in the sky/orange sky, then try the Pearl Chart OB colour. Matt White and Mat Lancon pictured below just scream to be used on a white cloudy day with dirty water.
Clear Water with overcast dull sky: This scenario, in my opinion, is a typical Autumn day here in Jersey, a time of year I love to use my Patchinko. Once again I like a solid colour, but days like these are the best because you can use almost any colour/pattern. Check out the sky, see what colour it is making the water, I tend to try and make my lure match the colour of the sky/clouds. My favourite patterns are Nacre, Sun Sprat & Smelt (because we have lots of Smelt here in the Autumn), and Aji if you know there are sandeel in the area. The Black Mullet is also a good choice as the chrome reflects the colours of the sky. Conclusion: Solid bodied, Aji, Sun Sprat, Smelt & Nacre, but a clear bodied like a Cabot can be deadly in shallower water. The Smelt pattern below is very popular here in Jersey on days like this.
Clear Water, broken cloud with sunlight from time to time: This is the time to bring out those lures that are clear sided but have a chrome flash or reflective strip on the side. Basically these lures are half clear bodied and half solid, and will pick up these flashes and moments when the sun does clear the cloud, reflecting a bit of UV back into the water. Still no need for a complete flash plate yet, just a bit of added flash on a clear lure. Conclusion: Lures like Belone, French Wakasagi and Spring Minnow have these bits of flash in the pattern, but a good old clear pattern like the Cabot is also deadly especially if Smelt or Sardines are about. You can see the clear top and strip of reflective material on the lower side of the Belone pattern below.
Clear Water, bright sunshine: A hard time to get fish to take off the top, as predators can be seen so they tend to stay deeper....but you can trick them to come up. This is when a subtle colour will pay, a pattern that almost blends in and you think the bass won't even see it. There are a few Patchinkos that come with clear bellies, but if clear water is a thing in your area, then it is definately worth having one or two of these lures in your arsenal. A flash plate will help for sure, these reflective plates will flash UV rays down and entice a bass to come up to investigate. We sell a lot of the White Cotton colour to customers that deal with clear water, and especially the Patchinko 100 to guys that live near estuaries that flow clear water at times. It is good to remember though that there are other clear belly colours available. White Cotton, Holo Bait, Ghost White & Ghost Green. (On a side-note, the Xorus Z-Claw Yellow Bone also has a clear belly). Consider lowering the breaking strain of your leader too. Conclusion: Clear belly lures with a flash plate will seem like a baitfish trying to be stealthy and sneek along the top without being noticed, but the flash plate will give their game away and entice a bass to come up and nail it. White Cotton, Holo Bait, Ghost White & Ghost Green.
Evening time as the sun is low in the sky: Once again, like at dawn, the sun is low and casting long shadows, and this creates a silhouette for the fish to see. It's a tricky decission this one, as I have seen fish caught on both clear and solid coloured lures, but I have also been completely out-fished by colour choice with a friend stood right next to me (he was using a solid chrome colour, I was on a flash plate chartreuse colour, he had 13 bass, I had 1 lol). So..... if the sun is making the sky orange, that lovely evening orange glow, then use a chrome lure or one with some orange on it or a red belly. The Pearl Chart OB can come into its own, but if you don't have a colour like that then again use a white or chrome lure. You are basically trying to mimic the sky again, so always check out the colour of the sky when deciding. Conclusion: More likely a solid body will out-fish a clear, choose a lure with orange in if the sky is that colour, or use a chrome, white or natural baitfish pattern like Smelt, Mackerel, Aji etc. The Chrome one below was a colour I asked Xorus to create, exactly for these times. As long as it has some chrome on it, it will help.
In the dark: Surface fishing in the dark is a great time, but slow it down, make your lure act like a nearly dead/struggling baitfish. I have caught on white lures at 1 o'clock in the morning, so don't worry too much about the colour, just make it a solid body lure. Conclusion: A solid body lure that you have confidence in, if there is some moonlight then a White lure is fine.
Some things to remember:
1) If you don't know what colour to put on then start with white.
2) You are never in too-deeper water, I have caught on an Asturie 110 in 70ft of water, the fish were on the bottom too and would come up in seconds.
3) If you are fishing with friends, try different colours and see who starts getting rises/hits. Also, all of you try different retrieve speeds to see what speen/action the bass want that day.
4) A simple colour choice rule is to remember, if the sea is clear then use a clear lure, if the sea is dirty then use a solid colour.
5) A Flash Plate lure is designed to be used when the sun is shining.
6) Try to retrieve your lure in the direction the tide is flowing, if you can't do this due to wind or other factors, then try and bring it across tide.
7) If you have a bass swirling around your lure, do not stop winding, just keep doing what you are doing, maybe just slow it a bit. But, if a bass hits your lure but doesnt hook-up, stop the lure, let it sit for a few seconds then start again, maybe a few twitches make it look like it is recoving from the hit. Bass will slap a baitfish to stun it, it will then turn around and eat it. If it hasnt hit your lure then there is no reason to stop working it.
8) A daft one this, but I see people struggling when using a Patchinko. You don't need to move your whole arm to work a Patchinko correctly, it is only your wrist/hand that need to move. It will cast a long way, and will walk perfect at the longest distance (unlike most copies), at distance you use your hand/wrist, but also your forearm a bit due to the slack line out over distance. As the lure comes closer it is only your hand/wrist that needs to move.
9) Personally I prefer a slow retrieve reel for surface lure fishing for our bass. A PG or HG reel is ideal. I see people using their XG reels and it just makes it hard work. It is easy to speed up a retrieve with a slow reel, but weirdly it is hard to slow an XG reel down. If you are struggling to catch on a surface lure then try a slower reel.
10) Winter fishing with a Patchinko, you are much better using a solid body pattern as the sun is low in the sky creating long shadows. Colours like Sun Sprat, Smelt, Nacre and Aji are among some great choices.
11) Summer fishing with a Patchinko, with the water usually being clearer and the sun shining more, opt for clear body lures for standard water clarity, or add a flash plate if the sun is bright.
12) Windy day with choppy seas, a bright top or high contrast lure can help the fish find the lure.
Well I hope this helps to some extent, we all love our surface fishing as it is just so exciting. Of course this is just my findings from using these lures for 20 years, and you may find something completely different in your experience, it is fishing at the end of the day, and as I have said for many years "Confidence is 9/10ths of the lure".