Colours look distinct above water.
Many lure colours are easy to tell apart above the surface.
Underwater, light absorption and scattering reduce saturation and compress colour differences — especially with depth, distance, and turbidity.
ERHAI selects colours using a simple standard:
Each option must remain functionally distinct underwater — through contrast, tone, and controlled chroma.
What water does to colour
Water does not treat colour equally.
It filters, compresses, and shifts signals before fish ever see them.
- Distance reduces separation
- Depth shifts available light
- Turbidity amplifies compression
Fish react to signal, not catalog codes
Bass are visual predators.
They detect usable contrast and motion cues.
They do not evaluate:
- Flake density differences within 3%
- Slight temperature shifts of the same base colour
If two colours produce the same underwater signal, adding both increases noise, not choice clarity.
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Choose by Water, Not by Guess
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Our Colour Logic
If there are fewer colours, how do I pick the right one?
Start with water conditions, not personal preference:
- Clear + bright → subtle contrast / natural transparency
- Stained + low light → stronger silhouette / higher contrast
This keeps colour selection fast and defensible.
What about flake—does it matter?
Flake is primarily a light interaction feature: it changes how the bait reflects and glints under the available light field. Underwater radiative transfer depends on both the water’s optical properties and illumination.
(ERHAI keeps flake controlled to avoid adding noise in clear, pressured water.)
Are “natural” colours always better in clear water?
Not always. Clear water punishes mistakes—sometimes a cleaner silhouette (not louder colour) is what makes the difference. ERHAI treats colour as contrast management, not decoration.
Why do you use a small, defined colour set?
Because a larger palette can imply precision that the underwater light field often does not preserve. ERHAI keeps the lineup tight so each option remains functionally distinct after water optics are considered.
How does ERHAI choose colours (in plain terms)?
We use a constraints-first approach:
- Optics: will the colour stay separable underwater (contrast / tone / chroma) across realistic conditions?
- Biology: is there evidence bass can use that kind of cue?
- Field validation: if a colour doesn’t hold up in repeated use, it doesn’t stay in the lineup.