# Soft Plastic Colours



## HoldYourHour (May 6, 2008)

Simple question how do you decide what colour of soft plastic to use?

I know the bright day / clear water, equals light colour plastic and the dark days (or night) murky water equals dark colour's but when you go into a tackle shop there are maybe twenty odd shades or colours in every size and shape of plastic how do you experienced folk choose which colour to buy and which colour to take out on the water with you on a given day?

I have read the book "On Soft Plastics" by Starlo and Bushy and while it's full of good information on choosing the right size and shape plastic there is nothing at all on colour choice! I would be really grateful (buy you a beer grateful) if you could shed some light on colour selection for me.

Thanks in advance,

m.


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

my all time favourite is clear with silver fleck
either plain










or dressed with a skirt










these have been the most successful for me and only use other colours because i have them but will only buy these from now on...


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Hard call on colour, and as an SP junkie I'm spoiled for choice, but as for Astro my choice comes down to clearish with a fleck. Salt & Pepper mojos are still my go-to SP (6" clear stickbait, dark & silver fleck), but I think most work when you crack their particular code re presentation etc. I have similar Slug-gos (etc) that work as well. In Gulps I have most luck on pumpkinseed, but I use that colour more than the others.

I think confidence in using them, and fishing effectively with them is more important than colour selection.

Nice skirt Astro.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## locky24 (May 24, 2008)

In dirty water I use Bright colours, Night time White, Clear water I use clear with fleckle in them.
Some of my all timers are,
Squiggie Fish - Neon , Garry Glitters & killer tomato in 70 -80 mm & Berkley power bait ( stickbaits )3 - 4 inch smelt & gulp nucular chicken. 
Mainly use all of the above for Flathead & Small snapper.

I find the stickbaits are realy good for small snapper as they seem to inhale the plastic and being slimmer in shape the bend easy & fit into there mouth for a better hook up.

Locky.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Buy lots and experiment. Here is my latest laboratory purchase. Yet to be tried


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## HoldYourHour (May 6, 2008)

Thanks guys - lots of good advice there. I think I'll have a try of some clear glitter ones and some pumpkinseed as I am after Flathead around the Manly area.

Couple of follow up questions
Astro - can you tell me what brand clear shad that is in your photo and can you buy those with skirts or is that (a rather fine) DIY effort?

sbd - Is there a website for Mojo SP's? I've not heard of them before.

Thanks again folks - when I make it along to one of the AKFF meet ups we'll see about fixing up those beers. 

m.


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

HoldYourHour said:


> sbd - Is there a website for Mojo SP's? I've not heard of them before.


Sadly they're no longer made. There was a great rush on buying the last stocks last year, and I've still got a few 8) packets stashed away. The Compleat Angler chain had them - they still had a few packs for their sale a couple of weeks ago, but there are no more S&P to be had.

The slug-gos are just about as good though, or Bass Assassins or any similar stickbait.


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## johndory (Jun 5, 2008)

I seem to do better with gulp nuclear chickens,camo and similar over rocks and reefs ,and light colours (pink shine mainly)over the sand.


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

HoldYourHour said:


> Couple of follow up questions
> Astro - can you tell me what brand clear shad that is in your photo and can you buy those with skirts or is that (a rather fine) DIY effort?


here you go...usual disclaimer..not responsible for the $$$ you spend etc........

http://www.upnorthoutdoors.com/stamina/ ... stics.html

i have the 4inch shads and 3 inch grubs....

that skirt is a bought one i now make my own...


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

HoldYourhour... you'll find that flatties will nail most colours I think... they tend not to be very fussy... but just bounce what ever you have slowly over the bottom... and pan your casts out as they tend to ambush your lure and generally will not follow a lure (kind of) you just need to find it(the fish) - if you get what I mean... its not like they are a free swimming schooling fish. I would certainly keep it smaller than larger.. as I think most flattys would nail a small lure... but I'm not sure if all flatties would nail a big lure - although I have caught one on a nine inch stickbait meant for big kings... I got a tangle - the lure floated down to the bottom... when I untangled and pulled the lure back in - hey presto a flatty had tried to wolf it down... this is the exception I would say

Good luck

I personally would start with the Powerbait Minnows in about 3 inch with a small lead head


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## HoldYourHour (May 6, 2008)

Astro - thanks, what a website! Plenty of soft shiny bits calling out "buy me" - all seems very, very cheap, 100 placies for US$8 - 10!! I'm making plans for my next pay cheque. Just one quick question would you rate these as good a quality as Atomics or Squidges?

Wopfish thanks for the advice - I suspect you right and Flatties will hit almost anything dropped on their nose sadly though I have yet to catch a legal one and buying more SP's is my sad way of making up for the inadequacies of my fishing ;-) I will be following your advice though and sticking to trying small plastics in the 2 -3" sizes, lightly weighted and very slowly bounced up and down on the retrieve. Gotta catch one soon.


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

HoldYourHour said:


> Astro - thanks, what a website! Plenty of soft shiny bits calling out "buy me" - all seems very, very cheap, 100 placies for US$8 - 10!! I'm making plans for my next pay cheque. Just one quick question would you rate these as good a quality as Atomics or Squidges?


yeah...they work just fine...i also add a skirt and they are killers :twisted: on all types of fish


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Astro said:


> i also add a skirt and they are killers :twisted: on all types of fish


A lot of male fish methinks


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Holdyourhour

Further to my point - you'll find alot of flatties in quite shallow water in a few meters ... this is where the yak can come into its own. Try the run out tide... they'll be waiting for the fish/ prawns to be getting pulled off the flats. The sure way I have also found is the old sx-40 hardbody slowtrolled in a few meters of water... deadly on them... just go slowly..... I have rarely caught flathead in deepwater.......they are there.. but like I said much more productive casting back to beaches,,, and flats... edge of weed beds etc Have you thought about using the prawn star lure... Aussie made.. and easy to use.... also with a bit of weight to get some distance...

Good luck mate


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

HoldYourHour,

The only "sure bet" SP I know is the 50mm Squidgie Fish in Killer Tomato. This combined with a 1/8 once jig head will always score a fish. It's particularly deadly on flathead.

Though I'm yet to try it, I'm reliably informed that the Gulp Sandworm in Camo colour is also deadly on bream. Though you need to cut the worm in half and use 1/8 oz jig head or less.

Cheers,

Pete


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## HoldYourHour (May 6, 2008)

wopfish said:


> Holdyourhour
> 
> Further to my point - you'll find alot of flatties in quite shallow water in a few meters ... this is where the yak can come into its own.


Yep that's why I'm so looking forward to getting a yak, just need a few more pay cheques to go...

Gigantor - I have caught a bream on the camo worms but have had more success on on the shrimps in new penny - that may just be my inexperience though. I will check out the Squidgie Fish in Killer Tomato, I always like to try out people's "go to lure or technique".

cheers,
m.


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