Unpainted Jig heads w plastic

Paint or no paint on jigs with plastic? What do you use?

[Pooch]

I used to always buy unpainted jigs depending upon the color in the plastic to do it's job. Then years ago I got my butt handed to me by partners using colored jig heads while using live minnows. They took pity upon me and shared some painted jigs with me. It was easier to swallow my pride than get out fished the whole trip. Spent the next winter painting jigs!

IMO:
Everyone seems to have a go to color and they all seem to work best at any given moment. The super pretty colored and sparkly jig heads are irrelevant to the fish. I think ultimate success is mostly driven by the person driving the jig. Color does matter and is a moving target based on forage, water color and light. Northern's love chartreuse!

Logic still tells me that when using plastic only a unpainted jig head should work, but the little splash or contrast that color might add may be of value.

Another interesting subject.

Pooch

[Custom Eyes]

Unpainted with blue plastic has always done well for me.

[Bill Krejca]

My experience has been, generally, the clearer the water, the less the the color of the head in importance. I feel that in stained or "dirty"water, a bright head adds a degree of attractiveness. The use of an active large and bright, i.e., flor yell,green, org, chart, etc, bait probably negates/neutralizes the need for a bright head.

Bill

[Mike Kansas]

Originally Posted by Bill Krejca

My experience has been, generally, the clearer the water, the less the the color of the head in importance. I feel that in stained or "dirty"water, a bright head adds a degree of attractiveness. The use of an active large and bright, i.e., flor yell,green, org, chart, etc, bait probably negates/neutralizes the need for a bright head.

Bill

Bill,

I agree 100%. In stained water colored jigs are more effective. I also think that even in clear water when fishing deeper color is important. I like hot pink in the deeper water. There have been tests that show the darker colors like red, purple, hot pink hold color better in deeper water.

Mike Kansas

[Opus Dog]

Spent the early part of my life on trout streams in Wyoming. I learned that you only needed about five different flies to cover most of what you were going to see on the river. Kind of use the same logic when it comes to jig head colors. I believe in four colors and if I cannot catch them with that, then it was not meant to be. White, hot pink, chartreuse, and plain lead color. Joe

[Rick Johnston]

Opus dog, I'd agree but add red. I do think that multi colored such as pink and white , etc can increase your chances by using two colors at one time

[Rick Johnston]

Orange like more so than red.