# Slab Color - Please Read & Answer



## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

:question: I want to get opinions of slab color used for white bass fishing. I think we all agree that having confidence in your lure is important, so that you work it well. 

I mainly use white or chartreuse. I can honestly say that for white bass, I don't see a difference. 

Although I have caught a lot of stripers through the years, I don't specialize in it or specifically seek them as some on this forum do. Any opinions about color for striper preference?

I feel certain that for the catfish that tend to be found with whites, that chartreuse produces much better than white.

We have a LOT of excellent fishermen and women on this forum. I honestly would like to hear about your color choices. And, this is not a white and chartreuse only question ..... do you have another color that works best for you?


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## CFKBig57 (Apr 18, 2013)

Daddy was using a silver sided chartreuse yesterday. he caught a lot of undersized stripers.
i am sure chrome would work great.


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## GBird (Jun 12, 2010)

Red and white deep divers seem to do better than natural colors for me. Of course you catch them on the trailors, red chart white and yellow, but still I get better bites with the red and white divers.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

In the standard Bomber slab the chrome with blue or black seems to be a winner any time.

Actually I prefer a nice bright paisley print but that is just me.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pai...rome.1.57j0l3.9588j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


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## Get the Net (Nov 11, 2011)

I really like yellow slabs


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

Have you ever thought of putting red hooks on some. The hybrids on lake conroe would tear up a rattle trap that had red hooks. They would still bite ones with out, but it seemed to me that I caught more fish on ones with red hooks. The one color of rattle trap that works good for me is gray on the back and bone colored on the belly with red hooks.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

Sunbeam said:


> In the standard Bomber slab the chrome with blue or black seems to be a winner any time.
> 
> Actually I prefer a nice bright paisley print but that is just me.
> 
> https://www.google.com/search?q=pai...rome.1.57j0l3.9588j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


Chrome with a blue or black is a good color that I like to, sunbeam. Polka doted ones are great to, in purple or pink.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Whatever color WhiteBassFisher makes them. I have no preference for the green or the white. I suppose the fish don't either, as it seems at the end of a trip both colors will catch the same amount of fish.


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

I find myself always grabbing the chartruce all the time, they are a fish catching machine.


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## hopn (Jul 5, 2012)

I'm thinking about rigging a dual rig (looks like a fork) with both white and chart. To see which gets more bite. My money is on chart, but then again, nothing is concrete until both lures are in the water.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Paisley would be a site in the boat.


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

I seem to have more success with the green when the water temp is lower and the water is not as clear as it gets in the summer when I have more success with the white slab. Today the stripers liked the white slab. 

Matt


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## Git$um (Feb 11, 2008)

I like chartruse


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## juror81 (Jul 21, 2011)

For stripers, can not beat 2oz white slabs.


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## Nosaed (Aug 2, 2010)

I do know that chrome is great in the clear hot water of the summer, when the oxygen is skinny. It's attention grabbing and sharp in clear water enticing a hit out a fish in more unfavorable conditions. Yet in murky water, I feel as if chrome is at a disadvantage mildly.
I think this because under the water chrome is more mirror like right?
If its clear and sunny it will be bright, if it is cloudy, murky, and low light in the day it's just a dark slab. It won't reflect light due to the fact there isn't any to be found almost.
White shines at this time because white seems to just amplify when it catches any light at all. Chartreuse is hard to see when murky. I would think some bright blue with white combinations would be great for clear water up shallow or deep.
Sometimes it's the effect of a "slimming" color as in one that has more absorbent colors to light, seem to make the lure match the hatch the fish are after.
Just my opinions and some ideas since you asked for them.

P.s.large 2oz white slabs or my weapon of choice on stripes.
I also use a wbf slab that's is beaten bare after more than 2 years of fishing on it for white bass and it still kills em'.(was originally chartreuse)


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## Momma's Worry (Aug 3, 2009)

*lures*

For me two lure's work no matter what ..no matter where...on any fish no matter how large or small......a bucktail jig or any variation of as long as it is white or yellow and a chrome spoon..........I have been surprised many times on how small a lure a big fish will bite....and also just the opposite.


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## fishin_envy (Aug 13, 2010)

O.K., here is my 2 cents worth. Over the years I have tried mostly yellow, chartreuse and white. I have experimented in the past with a few other colors when the fish were thick and at lakes other than Livingston. For me, in a lake where the water is relatively clear (only 50% of the time at LL), white is a killer on WB or stripers. On LL I use to only use school bus yellow and caught plenty of both stripers and whites. I then fell in love with chartruse and although still killed the whites, I noticed a decline in the number of larger stripers I caught. I switched back to yellow and haven't looked back. If I was going to target just stripers, it would be white.


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

The CS 1 1/2 Hologram slab is my choice for jigging, WBF! However, chrome and blue works best for me when trolling for WB.


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## Roosters Tackle (May 25, 2012)

I prefer to keep it simple. I use yellow chartreuse (banana) for every lake from here to Texoma. I'm not saying white doesn't work (because it does work very well), I just prefer to keep it simple and use the one color. But, it sure is fun painting new lures and experimenting with different colors.


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## GT11 (Jan 1, 2013)

Saturday, I fished with yellow, then white little Georges with silver spinners, then switched to a dual rig with a yellow slab and a silver pet spoon. They hit everything. When they are biting, they are biting. Sunday they hit equally well on white or yellow little Georges with a silver spinner but didn't seem to hit the yellow ones with the yellow spinner. I have a chart I use for salt water fishing that shows lure selection for different water clarity and weather conditions. I will see if I still have it electronically and I will post it. Grant it, I am not super experienced when it comes to the main lake WB fishing but I tend to fall back on my salt water experience to put fish in the boat.


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## GT11 (Jan 1, 2013)

OK, this will be a long reply but it has some useful information in it. It is written by the TTF guys and is for salt water fishing but also works for bass and could work for WB if they are slow to bite.

If you're new to fishing with artificial baits, or just new to inshore fishing in general - you've come to the right place! Below you'll find some helpful videos, images and tips that will put you on the fast track to fishing (and catching) confidently with TTF soft-plastics as well as other artificial lures like topwaters, hard-plastic jerkbaits, sinking plugs and more.
The whole theme of all the content on this page is *SIMPLICITY*. There are dozens of baits on the market in all shapes, sizes and colors, and the folks at TTF know it can be an overwhelming and confusing chore trying to learn how to properly select, rig and fish with artificial lures. Don't worry, we're here to help.
One this page you'll find detailed information about the three basic elements of catching fish with artificial lures:
*1. COLOR SELECTION**
2. PROPER RIGGING
3. PRESENTATION*
Once you understand these three simple principles, you'll be well on your way to putting limits in the box. Of course, there's no better substitute than practice and time on the water, but knowing and understanding these three concepts will greatly shorten your learning curve by making your time on the water more productive, and most importantly, more fun!


*1. COLOR SELECTION**
Before we start, it's important to understand that when it comes to fishing, there are ALWAYS exceptions to every rule. The charts below are meant to illustrate basic guidelines or "rules of thumb", but you will encounter situations on the water where these guidelines simply won't apply. It's important as an angler to always keep an open mind and experiment with lure color and presentation while on the water. If one thing doesn't produce results, switch it up. Eventually, the fish will tell you what they want through bites.*
With that said, if you follow the basic guidelines outlined below, more often than not, you'll find that they produce positive results.
For the purpose of this discussion, let's break all bait colors down into five basic categories:
*Light, dark and natural are pretty self-explanatory. "Natural-Plus" refers to baits that have a natural look to them but include that little something "extra" that gives them some added appeal - notice you won't see any baits with chartreuse tails in this category. "All-Purpose" refers to baits that are a mix of natural and un-natural colors. For example: pumpkinseed/chartreuse. Pumpkinseed is a very natural color on its own, but adding a chartreuse tail gives it a lot of contrast - hence, "All-Purpose".*
*Below you'll find a listing of TTF colors divided by category. Our advice is to stock your tackle box with one or two colors from each section. With one bait from each of these five categories, you'll be prepared for ANY condition. To see recommendations for which colors to use in different conditions, take a look at the chart below.**

{I will post the chart in another reply**

NATURAL: Liquid Shrimp, SA Mullet, Dirty Oil, Kiwi Flash, Laguna Pearl, Seedy Melon, Smokey Joe, Madre Noche
NATURAL-PLUS: Mumpy Glo, Boneyard Shrimp, Backwater Surprise, Matagorda Magic, Sabine Shiner, Bone Catcher
ALL-PURPOSE: Pumpkinseed/White/Chartreuse, Pumpkinseed/Chartreuse, Texas Shrimp, East Beast, Salt & Pepper/Chartreuse, Chili Melon
BRIGHT: Limetreuse, Key Lime Pie, White/Chartreuse, Glo/Chartreuse, Liquid Lime, Limetreuse Flash/Orange, Texas Chicken
DARK: Bug Juice, Blackened Chicken, Texas Morning Glory, Plum/Chartreuse, Strawberry/White, Red Shad, Burnt Oil

{I will post the charts in a separate reply**

* This chart is governed by three basic guidelines...

*1.* Use the most *NATURAL* color that conditions will allow. In other words, there's no need to throw a hot-pink bait in clear water under sunny skies. Fish will have no problem picking up on subtle, naturally colored lures. Furthermore, un-naturally colored baits may spook fish in clear conditions. You wouldn't eat a lime-green steak, would you?

*2.* *BRIGHT* colors are more visible in *BRIGHT* conditions. The only reason any given color is "bright" is because of it's light-refraction properties. As less light is available, bright tones become muted, thus making them harder to see.

*3.* *DARK* colors cast a stronger silhouette in *LOW-LIGHT* conditions. This may go against what seems logical, but it's actually better to use darker colors in low-light or nighttime situations. The silhouette created by these dark baits makes it easier for fish to locate them in low-light conditions. So, in low-light conditions, remember two things: DARK and SOLID. To test this theory, go out in the dark and hold up a sheet of plain white copy paper next to a sheet of thick, black construction paper on the night of a full moon. Now imagine those pieces of paper darting around like nervous baitfish over your head. You can see how the darker object would be easier to hone-in on from a hungry fish's perspective. 
_Here's a bonus tip for catching fish in low-light conditions: use a paddle-tail bait like a Killer Flats Minnow, Red Killer or BIG MINO. The vibration of the tail helps fish to find the bait - even if they can't see very well. You can also add rattles for an even stronger presence._
*2. PROPER RIGGING*
Check out the videos below that feature a variety of different rigging options for our baits. You can apply these rigging techniques to all of the baits in the TTF lineup.
*3. PRESENTATION**
*The video below shows some of the basic retrieves that tend to work well when fishing our baits. However, it should be noted that the techniques shared in the video are *merely guidelines*. There is technically no correct or incorrect way to fish an artificial lure. Make sure you constantly vary your retrieves until you find what the fish want at that particular time.

{Videos can be found on the TTF website**


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## GT11 (Jan 1, 2013)

Here are the charts:


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

I fish with white for everything.


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## Bluiis (Aug 20, 2005)

*Sparkles*

I like to use this WBF white slab that has been dressed up with 
Sparkles fingernail polish. Sure catches light at the surface, so assume it catches some at depth as well.
Also catches lots of WB.


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## FishNJeremy (Jan 1, 2012)

White, chart, or yellow. Maybe some with a hint of red belly


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

I really appreciate the answers and the thought put into them. I make lures really as a hobby, and I want them to catch fish. The reports about fish these lures catch encourage me, as they are 100% handmade by just me. Of course those who are on the water a lot have more experience, but everyone's experience is valuable and appreciated. There is no way I can personally learn as much as all of the answers here give me.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Spring when water clarity is generally less, chartruse is the color of choice. As the water gets clear in late summer, white becomes the color of choice.....white is especially good in winter time on main lake. But if I could only have one color to use year around, it would be banana.


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## lx22f/c (Jun 19, 2009)

Chartreuse for me and white.. Those are the only colors that fall out of loys pockets when going to his truck. Lol


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## Tall1 (Aug 3, 2009)

Whitebassfisher, all I can say is your slabs work well! I fished with Loy & Lee back on the 1st, and we used white as well as chartreuse, with great success on both. Didn't hurt that I fished with a couple of great guides! I bought 8 of them from Loy when we got back to Beacon Bay.


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## oilfish (Jan 23, 2010)

WBF, first I want to thank you for the quality of your slabs. Loy turned me onto them a few years ago and I can honestly say we have not had a zebra break a hook or the swivel. I have had equal sucess with both chartuse and white but it does depend on water conditions and time of year. I would like to try a yellow like we had back when all we had was Old Reliables. 

Oilfish


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## GT11 (Jan 1, 2013)

Here is part one of a great 4 part series on how depth and water clarity affect lure color and how they are seen underwater.






Basically for us (at the depths we fish), yellow is great unless that water is muddy, then use blues or black.

There are 3 more parts on Youtube, so watch all 4.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

lx22f/c said:


> Chartreuse for me and white.. Those are the only colors that fall out of loys pockets when going to his truck. Lol


*Hey!! *

I know crappie fishermen are the best and then maybe LMB when it comes to learning what color to use when. The real crappie pros I know use a phone app or a color c-lector to help them choose the right color/combination. It can mean the difference between catching or not at times for them.

For white bass it appears to me that style of slabbing is almost everything.
I watch everyone and try to pick up little differences that people use when the fish are hard to catch, you can learn something from everyone.
In our boat people who are new to slabbing have two models to watch that are very different most of the time.

My style has changed as the arthritis in my shoulders and elbows have worsened. When I first started back fishing after several surgeries on my neck and spine I had very little arm strength and had to use raise my rod high to set the hook, now after some recovery time and regained strength I am back to using just the wrist and forearm to set the hook with a lift and turn of the reel handle. 
I start at each spot with a loud bang on the bottom for a bit and then gradually lower the height of my lift and when I start to feel hits I barley lift it off the bottom and let hang inches above the bottom longer and usually this gets me fish.

Lee starts with loud bangs from a 2 oz slab and keeps it up longer drawing fish from the surrounding area to the boat. He is also always looking for that striper hit. They seem to get triggered by fast moving baits. He puts more pop to the action than I do most of the time. I do more dead stick than he does.The differnce between youth and,... well older.
hwell:
Both of us use mostly the single stroke approach instead of the double twitch I see many folks use. We also both will short stop the slab just off bottom after repeated hits and misses, anticipating the hit just before the bottom. This technique is very effective. It takes getting hit a lot at the same depth from the bottom before you develop a feel for when that hit will occur and then you are ready for it.

The least effective method I see is the long lift and drop of over 3' to 4'.
When the fish are fired up it does not matter much, but getting them fired up is often the key when you locate a school that is hugging the bottom and not arcing up on the screen. Using the low to the bottom method will get a couple of fish caught and start the riot when the fish see others going after baits.
After watching the video I understand why Lee's favorite slab is that old one with no paint. It is just dark like GT11 suggested.

The best schooling I hear Lee( He is in charge of instruction most of the time with newbies) tell folks who are new to slabbing is to think of it like teasing a cat with a piece of cloth on a string, vary the approach to keep them interested.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

GT11 said:


> Here is part one of a great 4 part series on how depth and water clarity affect lure color and how they are seen underwater.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have watched all 4 parts of this series before, and it made me want to try blue.


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