# Hull Color



## Sheepdog5749

Do bright hull colors spook fish in skinny water or any water for that matter?


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## Tom Ilg

Ironically, I was wondering that very same question recently. I'm going to be in the market for a skiff in the coming months and recently saw a really sharp East Cape Lostmen with an orange hull, it did look really sharp.


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## bw510

I don’t think it matters..


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## Flatbroke426

It does matter. Guides have discussed this for years and compared notes. It seems lighter off white colors such as ice blue, Light gray and Sea foam seam to disappear looking up. Some years ago I did some self research and filmed under water looking up at hulls and found these three colors especially the light gray and ice blue just disappear. I do believe it makes a difference. Also very dark colors seem to repel fish like the plague.


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## Finsleft258

Even shirt color makes a difference in certain situations. Those coral-colored cocktail shirts and fish jerseys can push fish off a bar fast in clear water.


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## Sheepdog5749

Flatbroke426 said:


> It does matter. Guides have discussed this for years and compared notes. It seems lighter off white colors such as ice blue, Light gray and Sea foam....





Finsleft258 said:


> Even shirt color makes a difference in certain situations. Those coral-colored cocktail shirts and fish jerseys can push fish off a bar fast in clear water.


Thanks for the feedback. My thoughts were, if the color of baits make a difference, then surely hull and rigging color would also. Finsleft258, I never considered the color of my clothing but you make a great point!


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## State fish rob

I think being quiet is the biggest key to skinny water. Shadows as well , especially where structure is scarce Years ago ,off shore folks up here were putting silhouettes of fish on their boat hulls underwater, supposed to look like a school of fish from below. If you can see them,they can see you good fishing!


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## Flatbroke426

Sheepdog5749 said:


> Thanks for the feedback. My thoughts were, if the color of baits make a difference, then surely hull and rigging color would also. Finsleft258, I never considered the color of my clothing but you make a great point!


I got extremely anal when doing my last Hells bay hull. I got in the


State fish rob said:


> I think being quiet is the biggest key to skinny water. Shadows as well , especially where structure is scarce Years ago ,off shore folks up here were putting silhouettes of fish on their boat hulls underwater, supposed to look like a school of fish from below. If you can see them,they can see you good fishing!


So true. A quiet hull is the best weapon


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## topnative2

What does a fish see when it is looking up?


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## topnative2

Preference: guide green in shallow water


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## DuckNut

I've had fish bite way out on a long cast. I have had fish bite right at the boat. Musky fishermen have the most bites at boat side.

When a fish is in 2' of water and looks up it either sees the sky or a big azz shadow sitting on the surface.

To me color is not even a thought, except for banana yellow.


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## bw510

People That think that matters are just making excuses why they didn’t catch that fish lol 
Shadows and movement will scare fish 
I watch these guy go to make a cast to a fish and squat down so their profile is lower but I think that movement is more likely to shake the boat and spook the fish than if they just tried to stay as still as possible to not shake the boat 
( though that squat gives “cool” points) haha 
If I can see my shadow and it’s going to go over the fish than yes that will spook it but that’s usually only late or early In the day 
My opinion..obviously to each their own


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## DBStoots

Flatbroke426 said:


> It does matter. Guides have discussed this for years and compared notes. It seems lighter off white colors such as ice blue, Light gray and Sea foam seam to disappear looking up. Some years ago I did some self research and filmed under water looking up at hulls and found these three colors especially the light gray and ice blue just disappear. I do believe it makes a difference. Also very dark colors seem to repel fish like the plague.


The hull on my skiff is black, and I seem to do ok. As a few others have commented, I think being stealthy and not creating noise or displacing water is most important. Fish sense sound underwater via two sensory organs, otoliths in the inner ears and the lateral line, which runs along each side of a fish’s body from the gills to the caudal peduncle (just forward of the tail). Generally speaking, fish use their inner ears to sense sounds at a distance while the lateral line senses vibrations that are much closer. So in my view, a well-designed skiff is way more important than the color of the hull.


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## BudT

What DB said above........tried to quote but.......

In my world all of this matters way more than hull color, don't over think it. If it freaks you out that bad, just get outta the boat and wade.....


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## DuckNut

BudT said:


> What DB said above........tried to quote but.......
> 
> In my world all of this matters way more than hull color, don't over think it. If it freaks you out that bad, just get outta the boat and wade.....


But...my brown waders might spook the fish. Oh crap, I have blue wading boots too.


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## bw510

DuckNut said:


> But...my brown waders might spook the fish. Oh crap, I have blue wading boots too.


I guess o should return my chartreuse Waders I just ordered ‍♂


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## DuckNut

bw510 said:


> I guess o should return my chartreuse Waders I just ordered ‍♂


LOL.

Roland Martin never seemed to have much problem catching fish in his bright red glitter boat.


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## Flatbroke426

DBStoots said:


> The hull on my skiff is black, and I seem to do ok. As a few others have commented, I think being stealthy and not creating noise or displacing water is most important. Fish sense sound underwater via two sensory organs, otoliths in the inner ears and the lateral line, which runs along each side of a fish’s body from the gills to the caudal peduncle (just forward of the tail). Generally speaking, fish use their inner ears to sense sounds at a distance while the lateral line senses vibrations that are much closer. So in my view, a well-designed skiff is way more important than the color of the hull.


Oh I fully agree but in tight situations I have seen it make a big difference.


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## BudT

DuckNut said:


> But...my brown waders might spook the fish. Oh crap, I have blue wading boots too.


Damn, I thought real men just went comando..... waders??? Seriously.

After reading my post it may have come across a little harsh, my bad. No doubt we all have our opinions on what matters and what doesn't. I do think sometimes we get a little too caught up in the marketing machine and loose focus on the things that do matter.


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## DuckNut

BudT said:


> Damn, I thought real men just went comando..... waders??? Seriously.
> 
> After reading my post it may have come across a little harsh, my bad. No doubt we all have our opinions on what matters and what doesn't. I do think sometimes we get a little too caught up in the marketing machine and loose focus on the things that do matter.


No dude, all good. Having some fun.


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## Scott Hitch

Sheepdog5749 said:


> Do bright hull colors spook fish in skinny water or any water for that matter?


I have had several flats boats over the years. I fished mainly in the keys with clear water. My lasr hull I had built in the lightest green I could get. My thought was the light reflection off a sandy bottom always looks light green under water. The bottom of the hull was barely visible in that situation until you were very close.Cant swear it helped but it seemed to get me closer. I think the real culprit in that situation is more the shadow the hull throws when you get close


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## MRichardson

Fish know the boat is there long before they see it.


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## SomaliPirate

My hull slap is so bad it wouldn't matter if the hull was metal flake purple.


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## kylet

You can kill a turkey in street clothes if you really want and don’t mind failing a lot. I’m not going to attempt it. Y’all are talking like “ it’s more important to be quiet and still”, well yeah, but that’s not what he asked. It’s just one more factor that can spook a fish. Both are going to throw a shadow, both are going to have noise and displacement. As far as colors, yeah the one that doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb is going to spook less fish.


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## Sheepdog5749

Thanks for the replies. Going to go with a light blue, light grey or light green. Black powder coat on the metal to help with reflection.


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## DuckNut

kylet said:


> You can kill a turkey in street clothes if you really want and don’t mind failing a lot. I’m not going to attempt it. Y’all are talking like “ it’s more important to be quiet and still”, well yeah, but that’s not what he asked. It’s just one more factor that can spook a fish. Both are going to throw a shadow, both are going to have noise and displacement. As far as colors, yeah the one that doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb is going to spook less fish.


I have an experiment for you.

Take your skiff out to your typical fishing spot and anchor it. Cast out like you normally would and mark that spot. Then take your dive mask and go to the spot your lure landed and go to the bottom and look at the boat. Report back what you see.

I have never done this but it sounds like a good experiment. I think the outcome will surprise you. If color mattered then the entire bass boat industry has been wrong for decades.


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## anytide

not worried about the fish seein' me...... its you fkrz.


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## kylet

DuckNut said:


> I have an experiment for you.
> 
> Take your skiff out to your typical fishing spot and anchor it. Cast out like you normally would and mark that spot. Then take your dive mask and go to the spot your lure landed and go to the bottom and look at the boat. Report back what you see.
> 
> I have never done this but it sounds like a good experiment. I think the outcome will surprise you. If color mattered then the entire bass boat industry has been wrong for decades.


Totally different ballgame with bass. You’re talking a type of fishing that is probably a 95% non sight fishing catch compared to a deal where you are probably pushing 95% sight fishing with poling skiffs.

Bass don’t worry about defenses but rather how to ambush prey. Add to that their focus on cover and the general increased turbidity of fresh water, it’s an apples to oranges comparison.

I’d imagine if year round you had a spawn or dog days of summer cruisers where sight fishing does come into play, then that boat market would look a little different.


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## Sheepdog5749

kylet said:


> Totally different ballgame with bass. You’re talking a type of fishing that is probably a 95% non sight fishing catch compared to a deal where you are probably pushing 95% sight fishing with poling skiffs...


I was going to let it be but since you have a response, I will say that I agree. 

The saltwater environment is much different than freshwater, especially when it comes to the predatory nature of the fish. They seem to be much more aware of their environment and rightfully so, survival.

Growing up in a small town you may not be as aware of your surroundings but growing up in Miami, L.A., NY etc... you probably would be pay a little more attention.


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## anytide

urban fishing is different than fishing the 10K
some fish you cant spook and some are ghosts, ive caught big snook next to docks/seawalls that were being demo'd.
calm and quiet in skinny water is a must, and deep water fish act diff. ?

COLOR has to matter... any color easy on the eyes will make em smile and bite and deck colors that dont reflect light back up day or night. night fishers know this.


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## kylet

anytide said:


> urban fishing is different than fishing the 10K
> some fish you cant spook and some are ghosts, ive caught big snook next to docks/seawalls that were being demo'd.
> calm and quiet in skinny water is a must, and deep water fish act diff. ?
> 
> COLOR has to matter... any color easy on the eyes will make em smile and bite and deck colors that dont reflect light back up day or night. night fishers know this.


I agree. I mean if we are talking Louisiana, I don’t care what color boat you are in. I’ve stuck fish that came unbuttoned, just to pick up the line and lay it back down and they attack it like their pissed at it. I’ve also poled as slow and easy as possible on a flat only to see a school 100 yards away make wakes for 300 yards getting the hell out of there. Those fish really aren’t part of this discussion. 
If we are talking fish that are on alert, cruising but not actively feeding, maybe a little closer than you’d want them to be, then I think and believe I’ve experienced boat color make a difference. How big of a difference, like you said is definitely circumstantial and for many, I wouldn’t argue against it being trivial. I know for me personally, I’ve experienced many times where I believe it could have been a factor.


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## MRichardson

DuckNut said:


> I have an experiment for you.
> 
> Take your skiff out to your typical fishing spot and anchor it. Cast out like you normally would and mark that spot. Then take your dive mask and go to the spot your lure landed and go to the bottom and look at the boat. Report back what you see.
> 
> I have never done this but it sounds like a good experiment. I think the outcome will surprise you. If color mattered then the entire bass boat industry has been wrong for decades.


Well, when scalloping in 4 feet or less i know that the water surface restricts what you can see from horizon to horizon due to Snell's law (google it!). Technically, light from further out than the window that you will see is visible, but the objects out on the horizon (of the water) are compressed so much that they are not visible, and are part of a dark ring around the "window" to the air world before it transitions to where the surface of the water simply reflects back the bottom.

If you are in very shallow water (>4'), and more than 15ft away or so, you're not visible. For example, in 2 feet of water, if your eye was flush with the bottom looking up, using the critical angle of 48.6*, the cone of light you can see reaches a maximum window of just over 7 feet. So anything on the water (and sticking up) needs to stay out of that cone. The cone thus starts about 3.5 feet away from where you are. Very easy to avoid being seen - you nearly have to be on top of the fish before it can see you or your boat. That angle of light above the water is about 20* - stay under that (as well as any sticky-up things push pole).











But this is a great idea to really know - jump in and report back!


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## bryson

MRichardson said:


> Well, when scalloping in 4 feet or less i know that the water surface restricts what you can see from horizon to horizon due to Snell's law (google it!). Technically, light from further out than the window that you will see is visible, but the objects out on the horizon (of the water) are compressed so much that they are not visible, and are part of a dark ring around the "window" to the air world before it transitions to where the surface of the water simply reflects back the bottom.
> 
> If you are in very shallow water (>4'), and more than 15ft away or so, you're not visible. For example, in 2 feet of water, if your eye was flush with the bottom looking up, using the critical angle of 48.6*, the cone of light you can see reaches a maximum window of just over 7 feet. So anything on the water (and sticking up) needs to stay out of that cone. The cone thus starts about 3.5 feet away from where you are. Very easy to avoid being seen - you nearly have to be on top of the fish before it can see you or your boat. That angle of light above the water is about 20* - stay under that (as well as any sticky-up things push pole).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But this is a great idea to really know - jump in and report back!


Great info, thanks for posting that! Still, some hull (usually more than skiff owners want to admit) is under water, though.

Great stuff to keep to keep in mind when you're waving a push pole around or standing on the poling platform though!

My thought on the subject is that the effect on the angler's confidence is more important. I wouldn't like a bright colored hull because it would make me _feel_ "loud" on the water. Same thing with respect to my shirts. A safety orange shirt probably won't make much difference, but I would just personally rather fish in a more muted color.

I say go with whatever color makes you smile when you walk up to it in the parking lot


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## hipshot

I think that when all of your fish are at the end of the cast hull color is irrelevant (we're talking strictly color, not hull noise, vibration, wave slap, etc.). But at times, even in skinny water, you may have fish close to the hull, and I believe colors or shades that sharply contrast with the surroundings can be a negative factor. An aggressive fish might ignore all of the above, but a fish that is in a more neutral mode may be startled away by it. I've seen both happen.


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## makin moves

Dark blue hull- check, bright coral color shirt-check, fishing in less than 12 in of gin clear water- check. Fish on!


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## devrep

I fish crystal river area so, crystal clear water. I have one skiff that is fighting lady yellow, sides and bottom. I have another skiff that has bright red sides and a white bottom. I cannot tell any difference as to how the fish act. Boats put out a pressure wave moving thru the water that I would think the fish would notice way before they see you, not to mention sound. just my experience.


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## firecat1981

I don't think it matters at all. I've fished in all different colored boats over the years, and never noticed a huge difference. 

Look at all the tourney fishermen and guides with wild wraps. The bottom edges dip below the surface, and the fish don't care. If it really had an impact all of them would run light colored hulls.

I perfer light color hulls for the aesthetics, but some of the best producers I know run black hulls.


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## kylet

bryson said:


> Great info, thanks for posting that! Still, some hull (usually more than skiff owners want to admit) is under water, though.
> 
> Great stuff to keep to keep in mind when you're waving a push pole around or standing on the poling platform though!
> 
> My thought on the subject is that the effect on the angler's confidence is more important. I wouldn't like a bright colored hull because it would make me _feel_ "loud" on the water. Same thing with respect to my shirts. A safety orange shirt probably won't make much difference, but I would just personally rather fish in a more muted color.
> 
> I say go with whatever color makes you smile when you walk up to it in the parking lot


Your confidence ain’t gonna make a difference if the fish get the hell out. Lol.


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## DuckNut

MRichardson said:


> Well, when scalloping in 4 feet or less i know that the water surface restricts what you can see from horizon to horizon due to Snell's law (google it!). Technically, light from further out than the window that you will see is visible, but the objects out on the horizon (of the water) are compressed so much that they are not visible, and are part of a dark ring around the "window" to the air world before it transitions to where the surface of the water simply reflects back the bottom.
> 
> If you are in very shallow water (>4'), and more than 15ft away or so, you're not visible. For example, in 2 feet of water, if your eye was flush with the bottom looking up, using the critical angle of 48.6*, the cone of light you can see reaches a maximum window of just over 7 feet. So anything on the water (and sticking up) needs to stay out of that cone. The cone thus starts about 3.5 feet away from where you are. Very easy to avoid being seen - you nearly have to be on top of the fish before it can see you or your boat. That angle of light above the water is about 20* - stay under that (as well as any sticky-up things push pole).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But this is a great idea to really know - jump in and report back!



Great scientific write up. I knew the answer because I am a diver and I have tested my own experiment in the past.


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## DuckNut

makin moves said:


> Dark blue hull- check, bright coral color shirt-check, fishing in less than 12 in of gin clear water- check. Fish on!
> View attachment 69154


Mmmmm, redfish pizza!

Cool sticker on the cooler.


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## MRichardson

kylet said:


> Your confidence ain’t gonna make a difference if the fish get the hell out. Lol.


Yeah but at least you have hope lol. 

Those days where you expect to catch fish, but don't, are still better than those days when you know you don't have a chance but still do it and don't.


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## mrbacklash

I had 3 fish thump my skiff for the first time the other day pretty funny our water is nowhere near clear around Sabine Lake mostly muddy so I doubt the seafoam green hull made a difference pretty entertaining though


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## MRichardson

With the IRL water clarity in the state it's in you could probably do fine in a flouro orange/lime green combo with flashing police lights on top of the platform.


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## jay.bush1434

I don't think it really matters but I like the softer colors. My Vantage is bonefish grey and most of the shirts I fish in are muted soft tones. Where I fish, speckled trout seem to be the most sensitive to the boat's presence (pressure wave). They seem to stay just out of my comfortable casting range. Redfish not so much, black drum don't seem to care and sharks give zero care. Sheepies are hit or miss, I've never figured out flounder and triple tail but I am pretty sure they have multiple personalities. Personally, I have learned to move around the boat very quietly and with a minimum of movement.


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## Backwater

In all my years of fishing from boats..... Yes it does matter! It can with those fish who can get spooky close to the boat.

Here's what I've found over the years and have verified it by studying it underwater with a mask/dive gear and seeing the reaction from the fish. When you are offshore or fishing deeper water where the fish are below the boat and looking upwards to the sky, lighter colors will blend in to the sky. That includes, white, guide green, sky blue, fighting lady yellow, etc. The color I found that blended the best obviously was a sky blue, but most of the light colors blend in very well. 









But pelagics near the surface in blue waters will definitely see the hull sticking out like a sore thumb when horizontal to the boat. 









So darker colors blend in better offshore, but near the surface, looking horizontally. Your darker blues, greens, grays and even black will fade out about 30-50ft from the boat. 









However, when bottom fishing, like someone said here, they will contrast out against the background sky and stick out and seems to throw an obvious shadow. 









In shallower waters, beach fishing on sandy bottoms and deeper flats fishing, in depts of 4-10ft+, your medium tone colors will blend in good looking horizontal, like light greens, olive, light to medium blues, med- to light gray, etc.

Up inside on grass flats, back country fishing, creeks, rivers, lakes, etc, it seems colors like olive, canteen green, forest green, some medium blues, gray, dark tans to light browns, in very shallow to about 6ft deep, will all blend in well. That being said, the greens like drab green, olive, canteen green, jon boat green being some of the best blending colors.










Again, with night fishing, the darker colors will blend in better and hide the hull from nearby fish.


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## DuckNut

The Fin said:


> I'm thinking about your musky comment and then I think about how sharks and cuda typically don't care about the boat's presence at all (no matter the hull color). I wonder if it also has something to do with where that fish falls on the food chain? Bones, Reds, Trout are almost always lookin over their shoulders for predators and therefore are almost always looking for a reason to flee towards deeper/safer waters.


Certainly could but the more I think about it I think it's even more simple.

They don't know what a boat is and therefore not afraid of it. They all know what a shark and other predators are and looking for them.

If you ever been on a head boat the fish show up at the sound of the engines. Pull up to the ramp in the key and hook up a shrimp and you'll hook up to a snook.

In the wahoo tournaments they even claim the Diesel engines attract the fish at a certain rpm and the good captains try to replicate the pitch of the engines.


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## Cam

Oddly a darker less reflective hull likely stands out more than a white one when underwater looking up. There is a reason most underwater predators have a lighter colored bottom and a darker top. In theory a lighter hull (or predator belly) may reflect light bouncing off the bottom much like the surface. I can say that seeing a dark hull in the water while diving is much easier than a white one. That said I don't think anyone really knows other than the fish and they ain't talking.


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## ceejkay

Let me add another what if In this mix. I used to fish my inflatable off the beach out to about 60 ft of water. I had painted fish on the underside of it. Had a good ole boy tell me back in the day it raised the fish. Don’t know if there was any truth to it but I always caught fish on that boat.


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## coardbenson

has to be some truth to the patterns attracting fish


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## FishWithChris

now I want to add a bunch of vinyl fish stickers to my hull.

..but my hull is red, so it'll prob just attract the sharkies - right? I need a marine biologist to weigh in here... science?


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## ceejkay

FishWithChris said:


> now I want to add a bunch of vinyl fish stickers to my hull.
> 
> ..but my hull is red, so it'll prob just attract the sharkies - right? I need a marine biologist to weigh in here... science?


My biggest cobia came from a hull with red bottom paint. Boat is to the right of this pic.


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