Gloss

Is a high gloss lure finish really shinier under water? My flat finishes have luster when they are wet.

John

I would say yes they are shinier underwater. The luster you’re seeing on your flat finished lures is coming from the water sitting on the lure.

The gloss finish will refract more light, whereas the matte finish will absorb the light.

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The gloss finish will refract more light, whereas the matte finish will absorb the light.

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That’s what I was thinking too!

On a cloudy day a matte finish will out perform a highly reflective lure. The old wiggle warts had a great matte finish on them. They work a lot better than the new glossy ones. Most of the time I prefer a matte or dull finished crankbait. For my style of fishing I find they work better.

Jason

Jason,

Good point, I’ve heard of guys leaving crankbaits on their cars dash for months to dull the finish.

I’m still not convinced dull vs glossy makes a differance in water.

A gloss finish will reflect more light, giving off more flash. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing will depend on the conditions and mood of the fish.

If I put a clear gloss finish on a matt surface it becomes shinny. What the differance between being wet or a gloss finish? Think about it!

John

The difference would be the amount of light refraction between the baits UNDER the water.

Put both baits in a tank and I can all but guarantee you’ll see a difference.

I’ve got a couple really good matte finished crankbaits. Like the wiggle wart example I used earlier. The old finish wasn’t very glossy. You can really tell the difference. The glossy baits reflect more light. The dull or matte finish absorb the light. In the spring during low light conditions or on cloudy days and eggshell jerkbait will really produce. During conditions when there isn’t much light to reflect the those matte finished baits are the key for visibility under water.

I was working a show in Tennessee and had a number of guys tell me the Lucky Craft color matte pumpkin was hot in that region. It basically lookes like a baby bass, but won’t reflect any light. Lakes with gin clear water often require a subtle or finesse approach. In most cases you don’t need a flashy lure. In water that clear you don’t want the fish to see your lure from so far away and get a good look at it. They will still see that matte lure just not as well and when it gets close you’ll get that reaction strike. Remember most forage will try to camoflage themselves to be less visible. I think the matte finish really helps with that.

I find matte colors work well most of the time. I almost prefer them over smooth glossy lures, but there aren’t a lot to choose from. They won’t produce a flash, but remain highly visible. I’ve got about a half dozen colors I keeped stocked for crankbaits. Of those at least two or three have a matte finish the rest are glossy or have a lot of flash. Each lure has a specific purpose. You just have to use what you have confidence in for your given situation.

Jason