Though it is probably safe to say that crappies can distinguish chartreuse from yellow or red from pink in clear, shallow water, research indicates that colors disappear at depths around 10 to 15 feet, depending on clarity and light levels. Crappies, like other fish, can switch from a reliance on color-sensitive cones to rods in the retina that detect only black, white, and shades of gray. Crappies apparently see well using their black-white vision, since they feed so extensively after dark in so many lakes, rivers, and reservoirs around the continent.
MAKING CHOICES
Panfish in winter tend not to chase things down, the result of a lower metabolism in cold water. It's also possible that the increased use of “slow” muscle tissue in winter makes it more difficult for panfish to focus on or even see things that are moving too fast, which is probably why that pause between jiggles tends to be the most effective trigger so many days on ice.
When a panfish coasts up close and gets personal with a jig, subtle movements prove deadly most -- but not all -- the time. The slow quiver of a tapering plastic tail or the lazy undulations of a live grub or maggot on a jig held still make such a difference some days that it's difficult to doubt that panfish see that type of movement very well. Of course, scent comes into play, too. But it's often the live grubs and maggots that work best, as opposed to dead, motionless baits.
Is color important? We know panfish have the right equipment in the structure of their eyes to see color, and some laboratory tests seem to prove they can learn to react to different colors by consistently striking the right color target -- the one that emits food. From personal experience, I feel convinced that color makes little difference much of the time. Then we have days when certain colored maggots seem to work far better than others. Eurolarvae (maggots) come in many shades, from a natural cream to red, yellow, blue, green, and orange. Some days, I swear the red ones work best, other days, the green ones. Or could be I'm imagining this.
Similarly, I find that, sometimes, color makes a difference with plastic tails. My general rule of thumb for plastics is to start with the colors that traditionally work on that body of water, and if things aren't going well, I switch to the other end of the spectrum. If white is usually the hot color, I might try black, or switch from yellow to purple, or orange to brown. Usually panfish just have to see it to want it, if it has the right size, shape, and action. So, not always knowing what background you're trying to contrast the color against, crossing to the other side of the color spectrum and going from there is a somewhat logical choice. And contrast is the main issue, not color -- especially since deep snow, thick ice, and 15 feet or more of water filter out all the wave lengths of color from light that penetrates that deep, leaving only white. Basin fish, most of the winter, probably see only black, white, and various shades of grey.
Realism is a big thing these days with jigs, plastics, and lures of all kinds. Can panfish see well enough for realistic “fish head” jigs or holographic plastics to make a big difference?
Nah. Probably. Who knows? It's getting too complicated. Put a camera down there and look at your offering. How realistic does it look? And, since your buddy over there is catching crappies on a 1940 version of a marabou jig with the feathers bent in every direction but the right way, do you really care? (Psst. Hey, buddy. What color marabou is that?)
