Why black?

[CaptDean]

In regards to why black, took me a few years to figure it out. Has anyone stoped to think why ducks ,baitfish, and game fish have white bellys? well it's to help protect them from below as it blends them in with the sky on foggy,cloudy, and darkness. yes my poppers quit fishing at sundown until I started to put dark bellys on them. Now they can be seen on overcast, foggy days etc. I am strickly talking about surface plugs. So from now on all my home made plugs have dark bellys.

[OSSCA]

Originally Posted by CaptDean

In regards to why black, took me a few years to figure it out. Has anyone stoped to think why ducks ,baitfish, and game fish have white bellys? well it's to help protect them from below as it blends them in with the sky on foggy,cloudy, and darkness. yes my poppers quit fishing at sundown until I started to put dark bellys on them. Now they can be seen on overcast, foggy days etc. I am strickly talking about surface plugs. So from now on all my home made plugs have dark bellys.

You nailed it Capt! The silhouette of a black lure or plug is what gets the attention of the fish,not the color.Daytime fishing is a different story,here's some info regarding how stripers see color Fish Vision Study

[Hardcore]

I'm a big believer in that people catch on what they fish the most and have the most confidence in.

Place hammer on head of nail!!!!! But I also believe in the black silhouette theory being the most logical answer to the black plug at night choice.

[Hardcore]

even although the darn thing looks like nothing.

Actually when outfitted with a long curly tail or pork rind they look very similar to a squid. I love bucktails and jigging in general. Clousers are just the flyfishing jig and work like no tomorrow when other flies won't produce. The up and down motion as you strip the clouser is deadly as I am sure you all know.

[OSSCA]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

I'm a big believer in that people catch on what they fish the most and have the most confidence in.

So, if you love a pink needlefish at night, it's what you're most likely to catch on. Since everyone likes black at night, it's what many catch on. But it IS better for the most part.

Especially under a moon at night though, I certainly never rule out lighter colors, but on darker nights I'm still very loyal to black.

The popper is a weird thing, in particular when you think about the effectiveness of a surface plug like a Danny plug. Again I think the conventional wisdom that they don't work at night discourages people from using them, but they do work. I've tried hard to make them work as well as other plugs, but it does seem they just don't compete in most cases.

I also believe confidence in your lure and presentation is the most important factor. A tip using poppers at night,instead of popping it try crawling it SLOWLY on the surface. Works for me!

[rirockhound]

Originally Posted by Hardcore

Actually when outfitted with a long curly tail or pork rind they look very similar to a squid. I love bucktails and jigging in general. Clousers are just the flyfishing jig and work like no tomorrow when other flies won't produce. The up and down motion as you strip the clouser is deadly as I am sure you all know.

Watch a lobster 'swim' in strong current and you will see why curly tails work!

[BassDawg]

Very Interesting, OSSCA!

Except doesn't the Vision Study basically say to fish during the day and with chartreuse to land a Striper? Seems directly opposed to everything anyone has told me about Trophy Hunting.....................although many sharpies have mentioned chartreuse, just didn't "think" it was kosher with all the black at night, blackety black-black talk I hear, ad infinitum.

Am a big believer in the gray to false to first lights BITE as prime pluggin' time and I will definitely be leaning more towards the bigger plugs and the chartr and the yellow/reds with a new found vengeance!! I use mostly bait (pogies/eels/ sluggos/surfhogs) in the deep of the night 0200-0430. All black so far, and I'm inclined to stick wit it even more so after reading CaptDean's thoery and comments .

Totally agree with the confidence factor, though. Am not quite there yet with all me plugs, but I am working on it. Just need many many more moons under my surf belt..........................
Thanks for yer insights and enlightenment, gents!

[Tunacell]

Thanks for the replies guys. I thought that confidence would play a key role on black's effectiveness.

[CaptDean]

Originally Posted by Hardcore

Place hammer on head of nail!!!!! But I also believe in the black silhouette theory being the most logical answer to the black plug at night choice.

Good for you Thread, Just FYI in regards to my remarks on the black, I'am speaking of 40 odd years of experience, I'am the guide who had to beg a buddy to go surf fishing with me as he had never caught a big striper before, and on my bait, my pole and my spot on the beach, set a new Maine striper record(67#) in 1977 that still holds today, plus my over a dozen fish over 50# and many many over 40#s in the surf including a 48!/2 pounder in the tail on a plug. I also had to beg Capt.Barry Gibson (editor of Saltwater Sportsman) at the time to go to the beach one nite and we caught 7 fish that weighed in at 318 1/2 pounds , and Barrys biggest at 53#. So just wanted you to know i can speak from many years experience and i always try to figure why a fish does what it does?