Color-C-Lector

[SRJ]

Anyone use one of these successfully?

[Anglinarcher]

Yes, but like any other tool, it has limitations.  In clarification, I had one of the original ones in the 80's.  It finally stopped working and I have not got another one, but it does work.

Limitation 1, it was developed around Large Mouth Bass.  The color receptors in LMB (cones in the eyes) are not the same as the color receptors in some other species, like Walleye.  Trout have different color receptors then both.  So, if the C-Lector tells you that a specific color is easiest to see in that condition, it might have little to no bases in reality if you are not fishing for LMB.

Limitation 2, matching the exact shade they give you is pretty tough.  It use to be a color chart they gave you and you could buy paints that were suppose to match, and they seldom did.

Limitation 3, it predicts what color the LMB sees best, not the color it will strike.  I know that there is some correlation, but sometimes better results will be had using a color a few shades away from the "predicted" color.  Note that mine had a regular color and a fluorescent color option.

So, limitations, and there are more, are that in many respects it is a sales pitch.

Advantages 1, it provides a good way to visually observe water clarity.  You can do this with a white tube jig, but at least this is a pretty simple way.  If you will, a simplified Secchi disk.

Advantages 2, it gives you a great way to see how clear, stained, or cloudy water alters light penetration in water.  This in itself can and will help you catch more fish.

So, Advantages, and there are also more, is that you can learn a lot from it.

I used mine in the 80's and after a year or so I knew enough that I was predicting the colors accurately without even wetting the cord on the unit.  Still, it was a good teaching tool for that year.

I hope this is what you were after.  good luck one way or another.

[SRJ]

 Thank you. That is exactly what I was after.