Musky Lure Colors

[Kevin23]

What are some good color patterns for musky baits? I airbrush lures and would like to try some musky fishing this summer. I got my hands on some 10" jake blanks that Ive heard can be good for trolling, and plan to make some topwater ones myself.

I was told by someone local that orange and black is a good color so I came up with this one. But what are some others?

Thanks for any guidance you guys can provide! https://images.platforum.cloud/uploa...f3087525c5.jpg

[That Minnesota guy]

Do a Black top 2/3 and a White belly. Also do some Red for the gills. A spot of Red on the bottom just where the front hook hangs also.

[Kevin23]

Originally Posted by That Minnesota guy

Do a Black top 2/3 and a White belly. Also do some Red for the gills. A spot of Red on the bottom just where the front hook hangs also.

I like the sound of that!

[K Gonefishin]

Shad, Firetiger, Walleye, Black Perch, Perch,

[BornToFish]

Greetings,

There have been several excellent suggestions already on this thread. I will add a "sucker" color scheme.

Generally speaking, there are two types of color schemes for musky lures. Musky hunters often go with striking color schemes when fishing low-light or stained water conditions - e.g. firetiger, black/white, and the coach-dogs. The striking color schemes are used to help the musky zero in on the lure after it has "heard" the lure coming towards it.

Musky hunters often match the hatch when fishing clear water conditions - e.g. perch and cisco/whitefish, walleye, bass, redhorse or sucker.

As far as top-water lures go, it's hard to beat all-black to ensure a good silhouette against the surface of the water.

Most of my DIY lures have white somewhere to give color contrast and to resemble the belly of any baitfish. I too often add a splash of red near the front of the lures to resemble gills.

Good hunting and tight lines!!

[bearfvr13]

Originally Posted by BornToFish

Greetings,

There have been several excellent suggestions already on this thread. I will add a "sucker" color scheme.

Generally speaking, there are two types of color schemes for musky lures. Musky hunters often go with striking color schemes when fishing low-light or stained water conditions - e.g. firetiger, black/white, and the coach-dogs. The striking color schemes are used to help the musky zero in on the lure after it has "heard" the lure coming towards it.

Musky hunters often match the hatch when fishing clear water conditions - e.g. perch and cisco/whitefish, walleye, bass, redhorse or sucker.

As far as top-water lures go, it's hard to beat all-black to ensure a good silhouette against the surface of the water.

Most of my DIY lures have white somewhere to give color contrast and to resemble the belly of any baitfish. I too often add a splash of red near the front of the lures to resemble gills.

Good hunting and tight lines!!

I never thought of the "red" to use to resemble the gills, but it definitely makes sense. I'll keep this in mind with my lure making from now on!!

Chuck

[BornToFish]

Greetings and hello BearFVR,

I make a lot of wire baits, such as in-line "buck tails" and bent-arm (a.k.a. clothes-pin style) spinner baits. I like to add a splash of a contrasting color (such as red gills) on my lures that hopefully excites the fish at the last moment when it comes in to attack. I really don't know if this approach to lure making really works or not, as it might very well turn some of the fish off. At any rate, it makes me happy when I am tying lures in the winter.

I hope that you and your son have a wonderful time on Perrault Lake this summer. Make some great memories together.

Good fishing and tight lines!!

[egladding]

I honestly don't think color matters much to musky. If you put a lure in front of a hungry fish it will eat it. But normal color patterns work. You can't go wrong with all black for top water, black and orange is always a good combo, any perch or shad colors in clear water works well. I make a 6.5 and an 8.5 musky popper with a bucktail hook on the rear. Most people like a frog pattern if it is a top water lure. Jailbird is a popular color as well. It is yellow with black stripes.

[Lake Of The Woods]

Match the colours to the forage fish of the lake you are fishing.

[yoopertrout]

My favorites are White (I like lemonhead which is white with a chartreuse head), black (especially for surface lures as they show up against the sky), gold, silver, flourescent orange.