Well-known crank-pullin’ walleye slayer Brad Hawthorne shares his thoughts on crankbait color selection – daytime vs. nighttime. When it comes to walleye fishing, the choice of crankbait colors can make a big difference in your success. In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between night and day fishing, and the best crankbait colors to use in each situation.

General Tips

When fishing at night, it’s important to have your safety equipment ready and to turn on your bow lights. Additionally, it’s important to have a variety of crankbait colors on hand, as what worked last night may not work the next night.

When it comes to walleye fishing, the choice of crankbait colors can make a big difference in your success. By understanding the differences between night and day fishing, and the best crankbait colors to use in each situation, you can increase your chances of catching walleye.

When it comes to walleye fishing, choosing the right crankbait color can make a big difference in your success. In this article, I will share some tips on selecting the best colors for both day and night fishing.

Day Fishing

When fishing during the day on a clear body of water, I like to use unnatural colors to attract the fish. One of my go-to options is a crayfish pattern, as it mimics one of the walleye’s favorite meals. Another effective choice is a natural minnow pattern, which can also entice the fish to bite.

Night Fishing

When transitioning to night fishing, I prefer to switch to more vibrant and flashy colors. As the light fades, I find that using a crankbait with a little more color and flash can be highly effective. One of my favorite night fishing crankbaits is the clown pattern, which combines bright colors and flash to grab the attention of walleye in low-light conditions. Additionally, I like to use crankbaits with rattles to create extra noise and vibration, which can help attract walleye in the darkness.

Adapting to Conditions

While there are some general guidelines for selecting crankbait colors for day and night fishing, it’s important to remember that every fishing situation is unique. Sometimes, the bait colors that work during the day will continue to be effective at night, especially on clear bodies of water. For example, a blue chrome crankbait can be a good choice for both day and night fishing.

Lake Mille Lacs Exception

One exception to the general rule of changing crankbait colors at night is Lake Mille Lacs. In this particular lake, I have found that walleye will often bite on a blue chrome crankbait during the day and night. If there is a moon overhead or if there is light from the stars or cloud cover, the walleye can easily spot the blue chrome crankbait and strike at it.

Be Prepared with a Variety of Colors

To increase your chances of success, it’s important to have a variety of crankbait colors in your tackle box. Just because a certain color worked well one night doesn’t mean it will work the next night. Similarly, a color that was effective during the day may not produce results the following day. Therefore, I always make sure to have three or four crankbaits in each color, in different sizes, to cover a range of fishing conditions