If you’re an angler who gets fired up for an explosive reaction bite, early spring is one of the best times to hit the lake and get to winding! During this time of year, volatile weather and changing water clarity can make fishing a challenging yet fruitful task. One thing you don’t need to overthink though is your color selection. Red and orange colors, whether they’re on a crankbait, chatter bait, jig, flip bait or even a kicker blade on a spinnerbait, drive bass crazy and generate bites. If you pay attention to the standings in tournaments during this time of year, most of the top finishers are fishing a red reaction bait of some sort. In 2014, Randy Howell proved how dominant red lures are by catching over 29lbs of bass on a red crankbait at Lake Guntersville to secure the win on the final day of the Bassmaster Classic.

The reason why reds are so effective has often been debated among anglers. The only thing we can all agree on is that they work. Many anglers believe bass key in on reds because the time frame coincides with the molting season for crawfish, some claim bass can see red pigments better, and others would argue that bright reds are simply easier for them to track in dirty water. While there are many theories on why using red is so effective during the pre-spawn, all that matters is that fish love to eat red throughout the Country during the months leading up to the spawn. Shop the hottest red lures below!