June is a fantastic time of year to fish for bass. The warm summer weather has bass actively feeding and getting ready to spawn. Choosing the right bait colors and techniques during this transitional period can make a big difference in your success rate. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the best lure colors for bass in June, recommend productive techniques, and provide tips to help you catch more fish.
Water Clarity
An important factor in selecting lure colors for June bass is water clarity. Bass rely heavily on their vision when feeding, so you’ll want to tailor your bait colors to match the visibility conditions:
- Clear water – Natural translucent colors like white, silver, gray, and even some greens or browns work well. You can also use flashing metallic colors to mimic baitfish.
- Stained water – Switch to bold contrasting colors like chartreuse, orange, yellow, or red so bass can see your lure silhouette.
- Muddy water – Very dark colors like black or blue and lures with vibration become key to triggering reaction strikes.
Check the water clarity in areas you’ll be fishing and choose lure colors accordingly for better visibility and appeal to bass.
Matching the Forage
Bass are opportunistic predators and in June they target a variety of forage like shad, bluegill, crawfish, frogs, and insects. Selecting bait colors that mimic this natural food sources will get more strikes.
Here are some productive color options tailored to specific forage:
- Shad – White, silver, chartreuse, olive, gray
- Bluegill – Pumpkinseed, watermelon, green pumpkin, orange
- Crawfish – Brown, green, orange, red
- Frogs – Black, yellow, white, green
- Insects – Black, brown, chartreuse, yellow
Think about what’s most abundant in the body of water you’ll be fishing and match the hatch with lure colors that suggest that forage.
Lure Types
Certain lure types also favor particular color schemes in June. Here are productive colors for popular bass lures:
| Lure Type | Top Colors |
|---|---|
| Crankbaits | Chartreuse, white, bone, citrus shad |
| Spinnerbaits | White, chartreuse, shad colors |
| Chatterbaits | White, black/blue, green pumpkin |
| Jigs | Green pumpkin, black/blue, brown |
| Topwaters | Bone, black, frog colors |
| Swimbaits | White, shad, rainbow trout |
Pairing the right bait colors to the specific lure type will increase your chances of drawing strikes.
Clear Water
In gin clear water, natural translucent colors work best. Here are some top producing clear water colors and techniques for June bass:
- White – Great on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits
- Silver – Excellent for mimicking shad, good for spoons, cranks, blades
- Chartreuse – Try a chartreuse jig with a green pumpkin trailer
- Browns/Greens – Imitates craws and bluegills, good on jigs, tubes, creature baits
- Black – Great for bluegill imitations, works on jigs, Senkos
- Chrome/Flashy – Any flashy crankbait or spinnerbait
In clear water, make long casts and use a stealthy approach to avoid spooking fish.
Stained Water
When the water has some color to it, brighter colors get the bass’s attention. Top stained water lure choices include:
- Chartreuse – Versatile chartreuse cranks, spinnerbaits, jigs
- Orange – Mimics crawfish well, good on jigs, creatures, cranks
- Red – Excellent crawfish imitator, effective on baits like jigs, soft plastics
- Yellow – Suggests perch or other panfish, good on cranks, topwaters
- White – Contrasts well in stained water
- Blue/Black – Good for dirty water scenarios
In stained water, target shallower areas like points, shoreline cover, and submerged structure.
Dirty/Muddy Water
When the water is heavily discolored, the bass’s sense of sight is limited. Rely on darker colors, vibration, noise, and scent to draw strikes:
- Black – Black jigs, soft plastics, spinnerbaits are great choices
- Blue – Dark blue mimics crawfish well when visibility is low
- Purple/Red Flake – Excellent colors for dirty water crankbaits
- Vibration – Blades, rattles, vibration jigs become key
- Scent – Add scent boosters to your baits in muddy water
Target underwater structure, contours, and shoreline cover that bass use to ambush prey when water clarity is very low.
Deep Clear Water
Targeting deep clear water scenarios in June requires adjusting your approaches. Here are some tips:
- Downsize your lures – Use smaller profile baits that mimic shad and bluegill
- Go natural – Stick with translucent greens, browns, whites, blacks
- Try finesse – Finesse tactics with baits like shaky heads, Ned rigs, and drop shots work well
- Slow way down – Slow rolls, longer pauses, and light bites are common
- Watch your silhouette – Keep your boat far enough away to not spook fish
Patience and stealth are required to catch deep clear water bass.
Night Fishing
Nighttime fishing for bass requires a change in lure colors as well. Here are some tips for after dark colors:
- Black – The best nighttime color, black jigs, soft plastics, topwaters
- Purple – Works well when there is a full moon or some light
- White – Also effective on brighter nights, good for spinnerbaits and buzzbaits
- Chartreuse – Glow or neon chartreuse stands out at night
- Clear/Translucent – Clear baits with rattles and flash draw strikes in low light
Target lighted docks, bridges, or other structure at night and use slower, noisy retrieves to catch bass after dark.
Matching Conditions
Beyond basic water color, also consider factors like sky and water conditions when selecting colors.
- Overcast – Dark colors like black, brown, purple work well on cloudy days
- Sunny – Opt for brighter colors like chartreuse, white, red when it’s sunny
- Wind – In choppy conditions, use bold contrasting colors that stand out
- Shade – Where there is shade on the water, natural translucent colors get bit
Pay attention to light levels, weather, wind, and other conditions that can impact the bass’s visibility and choose your colors accordingly.
Location
Where you fish also plays a factor in selecting lure colors for June bass.
- Heavy cover – Dark greens, blacks, browns mimic bluegills in heavy cover
- Docks – Shad patterns and black/blue jigs work well around docks
- Points – Try chrome/white cranks and red shad colors on points
- Grass – White and chartreuse spinnerbaits cover water over grass efficiently
- Timber – Brown/green jigs and Texas rigs match timber well
Choose lure colors tailored to the specific structure, cover, or terrain to maximize your hookups in those areas.
Clear Water Baits
Here’s a look at some excellent clear water bait colors for June bass:
| Bait | Color |
|---|---|
| Spinnerbait | White, chartreuse/white, shad |
| Crankbait | Chrome, ghost, citrus |
| Jig | Green pumpkin, brown/purple |
| Worm | Green pumpkin, watermelon |
| Creature bait | Watermelon, green pumpkin |
| Topwater | Bone, clear, black |
Natural translucent colors matched with clear water areas give you a subtle presentation that draws more strikes.
Stained Water Baits
To match stained water conditions, here are some excellent color choices:
| Bait | Color |
|---|---|
| Spinnerbait | Chartreuse, white/chartreuse |
| Crankbait | Chartreuse, orange, firetiger |
| Jig | Black/blue, brown/purple, orange |
| Worm | Watermelon red, June bug |
| Creature bait | Green pumpkin blue, orange |
| Topwater | Chartreuse, bone, frog colors |
Brighter, bolder colors contrast well in stained water and draw more strikes.
Conclusion
In the end, having versatile lure color selection tailored to specific conditions is key to consistent success in June. Pay attention to water clarity, light levels, and other factors and adjust your bait colors accordingly to match the conditions. While it can get technical, taking this approach allows you to put the bass catching odds in your favor this month and anytime you hit the water.