Does Color Matter for Fishing Lights?

Does Color Matter?

Which Color Should I Use?

While fisherman have been using White Light for many years, more and more
fisherman are discovering Color can make a difference. Recent studies have
shown that many times Green Light can penetrate darker waters better than White
Light. Does that mean you should throw away your White Lights and fish only with
Green Light or Blue Light? Of course not. But, if the fish aren't gathering with the
light you are using, you may want to think about changing to a different color of
light, much like you would change colors of lures if the fishing was slow.

Light Visibility at Depth and Distance

White Light is made up of all colors in the spectrum. When white light passes
through pure water the various wavelengths are absorbed at different rates. The
long wavelengths (reds) are readily absorbed by the water molecules while the
shorter ones (violets) are absorbed at a slower rate and penetrate further into the
water.

The longer wavelengths (reds and oranges) are absorbed nearest the surface, so
at depth these colors are no longer visible. The deeper you go or further away
from the light source you get, the other wavelengths are also slowly absorbed,
until there is no light visible at all. Reds and Oranges are absorbed first and then
Yellow wavelengths start to disappear, then Green. Blue, Indigo and Violet
penetrate the deepest and are visible the longest underwater. For more
information on this process see Fishing Light Attractor.

The below Figure shows the depths to which various wave lengths of light
penetrate crystal clear ocean waters at noon on a calm summers day. As you can
see other than Violet, Blue Light penetrates the deepest while still maintaining it's
brightness.

So which color of light is the best color to use? Which color of light to use
can vary on a nightly basis, so if you're not attracting a good number of bait-fish
with one color, change to another color.

The key to attracting any species of game fish is attracting the bait-fish. Once
the bait-fish come to the light, the game fish will be close behind. We
recommend using two lights, one White and one Green or Blue to see which light
attracts the most bait-fish. You can then switch both lights to the color that is
attracting the most fish.

So, the answer is to experiment with different colors of light just as you would
change colors of fishing lures. Conditions and water clarity change on a daily
basis, and in order to catch fish consistently you have to be able to change your
light and lures to match those conditions.