If an angler wants to match the hatch, size matters when selecting a lure. But so does color.
However, when a favorite bait is no longer made or a color scheme wanted by the angler cannot be found, what does an bass angler do?
Anglers like Bobby Templet get out a spray gun and create their own masterpieces. Well, maybe, masterpiece is a strong description.
When a manufacturer stops producing a hot local color, anglers only need an old lure or picture to copy the color pattern. Something as simple as a black dot here or red belly there, makes a new bait match the hatch.
Bass anglers are always looking for something different to gain the advantage over the competition, and customizing even those color palettes still in production can be a big plus. A splash of blue, chartreuse or red color on a bait might be just the edge needed to trigger a big strike.
Templet suggested yellow sides and black backs when bream are a dominant prey. Also, green-colored tops along with yellow sides are another color combo that is a productive bream pattern.
For shad patterns, try white sides with a black back. Templet adds a small dot to match the one found on the shad in his local waters.
When he heads outside the Basin to the coastal waters, he tweaks his patterns to match the crabs, shrimp and other creatures on which those bass feed. For crab imitations, Templet uses a purple-and-blue back with white sides.