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Subject: "Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering me" Previous topic | Next topic
UrbanFri Jan-20-06 12:39 PM
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#3652, "Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering me"
Fri Jan-20-06 12:43 PM by Urban

          

So, just about every bait that comes out that says its a hitch or "Clear Lake" hitch color generally has bronze sides and a blackish back. This has always bothered me because Ive never ever seen a hitch with this coloration. The ones Ive seen have slivery sides with a blackish back, no bronze at all. And, Ive seen spawning ones too; yep, no bronze on them either. I decided to look into the matter and see where this bronze color for hitch has come from.

Turns out that in Clear Lake there are two types of hitch. One is called hitch (proper common name), and the other is a subspecies of the hitch and it is called Clear Lake hitch (proper common name). A deeper look into the issues uncovered the fact that Clear Lake hitch are either extirpated from Clear Lake, or they are present in very low numbers. Also, it is virtually impossible to find info pertaining to Clear Lake hitch, no pictures, no physical description, no nothing. Also, a co-worker informed me that he looked into this issue a few years ago and found that nobody that has worked on Clear Lake in the last like 20 years has sampled a Clear Lake hitch (I didnt verify this, but hes a smart fella).

So where all this is going is this. I assumed that Ive only seen hitch (since Ive never seen the bronze coloration), and that it is the Clear Lake hitch that shows the bronze color. This quote came from Moyle (2002): "When small, hitch are silvery with a black spot at the base of the tail. Older fish lose the spot and become darker, with the largest fish approaching brownish yellow on the back." The problem with this description is it doesnt say which species of the two gets this brown/yellow color. So, Im still confused.

My interpretation of the whole thing is this. Clear Lake hitch likely are gone from Clear Lake. That leaves hitch, and no hitch Ive ever seen have bronze in them, and Ive seen big ones (ones pushing maximum prey size for largemouth). All of the ones that Ive seen that are 12 inches and under (the size range I consider to be primary prey items for largemouth) are silvery. So why would I possibly want to use a hitch imitator that is bronze? I dont get it.

Maybe some of you can shed light on why most lure makers think they should paint their hitch baits with a bronze color.

Anyway, attached are two images of hitch that I caught by accident vertical jigging yesterday at Clear Lake. It was kinda cool, we found a school in deep water that, on the electronics, we thought were bass and/or crappie. Neat surprise when we brought the first one into the boat.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/4511-Fish1.jpg


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/4512-Fish2.jpg

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)
Attachment #2, (.jpg file)

  

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Replies to this topic
RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Bigreenjobass, Jan 20th 2006, #1
Ok, let me clarify, Urban, Jan 20th 2006, #3
Hey Bigreenjobass, Fish Chris, Jan 21st 2006, #18
RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., bass coyote, Jan 20th 2006, #2
It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a crawdad, swimbait, Jan 20th 2006, #4
RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., Urban, Jan 20th 2006, #5
      RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., Bigreenjobass, Jan 20th 2006, #6
      RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., swimbait, Jan 20th 2006, #7
           RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., Bigreenjobass, Jan 20th 2006, #8
                RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., swimbait, Jan 20th 2006, #9
                RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., Bigreenjobass, Jan 20th 2006, #10
                     RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., swimbait, Jan 20th 2006, #11
                          RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..., Bigreenjobass, Jan 20th 2006, #12
                Florida?, Urban, Jan 20th 2006, #13
                     RE: Florida?, Tm Customs, Jan 20th 2006, #14
                          RE: Florida?, Mattlures, Jan 20th 2006, #15
                               I saw it, Urban, Jan 20th 2006, #16
RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Nico, Jan 20th 2006, #17
RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., magmaster, Jan 22nd 2006, #19
      RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Mattlures, Jan 22nd 2006, #20
           RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Tm Customs, Jan 22nd 2006, #21
           RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Urban, Jan 23rd 2006, #22
                RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Mattlures, Jan 23rd 2006, #23
                     RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Nico, Jan 23rd 2006, #24
                          RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..., Mattlures, Jan 23rd 2006, #25

JeremyfisherFri Jan-20-06 01:08 PM
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#3653, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 0


  

          


I don't understand. Those pictures to me show the hitch looking slightly bronze. Am I missing something or is this a joke? It's kind of silvery bronzish. Maybe I'm color blind :)

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bigreenjobass/

  

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UrbanFri Jan-20-06 01:26 PM
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#3655, "Ok, let me clarify"
In response to Reply # 1


          

Before everybody jumps on me, let me clarify a bit.

Take a look at the Hudd hitch, or the osprey, or whatever. There isnt just a hint of bronze, its ALL bronze, and a deep bronze at that.

My point was/is, the hitch are much, much closer to being all silver. And I wasnt gonna say this, but I know that I would much rather use the Kokannee Hudd than the Hitch Hudd when trying to imitate hitch, or fish in a place where I think hitch are a primary forage item

  

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Fish ChrisSat Jan-21-06 08:35 AM
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#3671, "Hey Bigreenjobass"
In response to Reply # 1


  

          

here's a little note on photography that most of you may not know. There is a little thing called white balance that has to do with the overall color of a photo leaning more towards the red or the blue side. I suspect that "either" Nico's shot was balanced more towards the red side than it should have been.... or, it was taken close to sunrise, or sunset, which will also lend more of a red (or in this case bronze) shade to a photo.

Anyway, I can vouch.... I caught Hitch from Clear Lk. as recently as last week (while Crappie fishing) and they were anywhere from white, to silver, to grey....... but not even a hint of bronze.

Peace,
Fish

PS, Those are some of the "stinkiest" damn fish on the planet ! Once you hold them, your going to stink for a month ! Hey Nico, is this your excuse ? :-) Sorry buddy :-)

  

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bass coyoteFri Jan-20-06 01:24 PM
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#3654, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 0


          

Wow thanks for the pics Urban ! From other hitch pictures I've seen posted they always appeared brownish on the back , kind of gold scales (above the lateral line) silver scales (below the lateral line) giving way to a white belly .
Its appears from the pictures you've posted the scales on the upper half have a light gold hue to them to me?




  

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swimbaitFri Jan-20-06 01:39 PM
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#3656, "It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a crawdad"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

I've gone down the same road hitch color investigation a few times. What's funny is that if you ask different people who have seen hitch to describe them, invariably you get different responses. Greenish, bluish, whitish, bronzeish, etc.

There have only been two other good pics of hitch online in the past, one was on a scientific website that had a bunch of pics including a large female hitch (no longer online). That fish was mainly silver in coloration, a hint of cream/gold and a black back. The other hitch pic is on Chris Youlden's baitfish gallery on this site, I think it came originally from a pic in the ncbf photo gallery, but anyway that one is basically silver with grey/blue tones.

After hearing so many different reports on their coloration, I can only speculate that the hitch is a fish that can vary in coloration, probably in response to water clarity and surrounding colors, just like bluegill and crawdads do.

Urban's pic above (and you can clue me in if I am wrong) probably came from deeper water with bad clarity like less than one foot. Most fish look paler than normal when brought up from those conditions. That same fish in the pic might look considerably different in the spring over grass beds in clear water.

I do agree though that I've never seen a pic or heard a description of a hitch as being brown, and a lot of hitch imitators are primarily brown. It's probably because they guys making the baits just haven't seen a hitch before and are relying on descriptions... which of course vary a lot :)

  

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UrbanFri Jan-20-06 02:30 PM
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#3657, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 4


          

Well, you hit on something that I didnt want to really talk about cause I could write a book about it. And that is the seasonal variation that many fish species show in coloration. I tried to account for that by saying "Ive seen them spawning" and "Ive seen big ones". Ive seen them zipping all through the shallows when bass are spawning.

Ive also seen both of the pics that you talked about. But yet, Ive yet to see one that looks even almost like what available baits look like.

This is why I speculate that it was the Clear Lake hitch, not the HITCH in the photos, that likely showed much more bronze/brown/yellow or whatever color you want to call it. But its impossible to verify for lack of available information and that they probably are gone forever.

  

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JeremyfisherFri Jan-20-06 02:35 PM
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#3658, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 5


  

          


Urban,

True, doesn't seem like anybody has perfected the color of a hitch. That's basically the bottom line. But Hey, the lucky craft pointer CL hitch looks pretty sweet.

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bigreenjobass/

  

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swimbaitFri Jan-20-06 03:11 PM
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#3659, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 5


  

          

I still have all the pics that used to be online (I'm obsessive like that :) )

It's possible people were looking at the pics of the small hitch in an aquarium and got confused into thinking they were brown. I think the pictures were just taken with bad lighting. The only good pic they used to have online was that pic of the big female hitch which, like I said, looked black/silver with a slight bit of tan/gold. I don't even fish clear lake but once a year at the most so I don't know why I even care anyway lol.

  

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JeremyfisherFri Jan-20-06 03:20 PM
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#3661, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 7


  

          


OH swimbait....I just realized something, I live in Florida.

Why, please tell me why im getting involved in a conversation about a baitfish that is evidently decently abundant in a lake that is across the country from me? Answer that and you win a cookie.

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bigreenjobass/

  

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swimbaitFri Jan-20-06 03:22 PM
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#3662, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 8


  

          

one word: obsessed

  

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JeremyfisherFri Jan-20-06 03:22 PM
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#3663, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 9


  

          


You win a cookie!! hooray!

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bigreenjobass/

  

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swimbaitFri Jan-20-06 03:28 PM
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#3664, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 10


  

          

see how fast you replied to that post... :P

  

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JeremyfisherFri Jan-20-06 03:35 PM
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#3665, "RE: It's like asking what color is a bluegill or a craw..."
In response to Reply # 11


  

          


you got me, however, you responded almost as quickly. It's a mutual obsession perhaps?

I go crazy posting right before fishing trips because im so excited about going. Matt isn't here yet, and brock and marshall are already on the water so that doesn't help. All my rods are rigged too.

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bigreenjobass/

  

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UrbanFri Jan-20-06 05:19 PM
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#3666, "Florida?"
In response to Reply # 8


          

Damn, Florida? I had you pegged as some kook from SoCal.

Where in Florida?

  

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Tm CustomsFri Jan-20-06 06:02 PM
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#3667, "RE: Florida?"
In response to Reply # 13


  

          

My friend Larry cought one last year at clear lake it was abou 10-12" and had a Dark brownish/black back w/ a gold sheen to its sides. If this is indeed a "Clear Lake Hitch" they are still there.

Hey let that Bass go I wanna catch her some day
http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/tmcustoms/

  

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MattluresFri Jan-20-06 06:16 PM
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#3668, "RE: Florida?"
In response to Reply # 14


  

          

You guys are going to love my new hitch bait. The color matches those pics well.

www.mattlures.com

  

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UrbanFri Jan-20-06 06:22 PM
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#3669, "I saw it"
In response to Reply # 15


          

Hey Matt, I was lucky enough to see it this weekend. Supermat is the one holding that hitch. Can you guess what bait he started fishing.

The kokanee is the bait I like most though.

  

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NicoFri Jan-20-06 09:47 PM
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#3670, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

dead hitch from coyote res. maybe it changed color after dying, but stil...

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/1495.jpg

  

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magmasterSun Jan-22-06 12:04 AM
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#3672, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 17


  

          

That looks like the Hitch I saw when I was at Clear Lake. Maybe there's different species of Hitch in Clear Lake. Some are bluish grey backed some may be bronze backed??

All I know is the fish we caught at Clear lake on swim baits looked nothing like a Hitch but the bass sure seemed to think they were!

I think we're all a little obsessed in one way or another.

  

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MattluresSun Jan-22-06 02:29 PM
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#3676, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 19


  

          

How is this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/Mattlures/DCP_2365.jpg
The bait is about 6in

www.mattlures.com

  

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Tm CustomsSun Jan-22-06 02:51 PM
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#3677, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 20


  

          

The hitch I have seen are more like Matts bait where the hitch everyone else seems to have seen a more of a silvery blue color??

Hey let that Bass go I wanna catch her some day
http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/tmcustoms/

  

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UrbanMon Jan-23-06 12:37 AM
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#3681, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 20


          

I dont know Matt. I think in general the bait looks great, but I still think there is too much bronze in it. Ive held the bait and seen it swim, and there is no doubt it will catch fish, but I think if I was trying to match the so called hatch, and I wanted to imitate hitch, that I would likely turn to your kokanee instead.

But, this is just my opinion. Either way, it really doesnt matter. The way I see it, if youre throwing some sort of baitfish imitator, its gonna get eaten provided you have the right presentation at the righ time, regardless of color.

  

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MattluresMon Jan-23-06 02:52 PM
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#3682, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 22


  

          

Urban I think you are right. The sides are poured and painted silver.
the top greenish bronz is then painted. I think I painted the top color down a little far. If I just hit the top of the bait, It would look more silver. My next batch I will try not to paint as far down.
The sides are actualy painted the same as the kokanee bait.

www.mattlures.com

  

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NicoMon Jan-23-06 03:14 PM
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#3683, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 23


  

          

The hitch seem to have a real strong scale pattern. It seems like if you took the hitch color you have and paint a silvery scale pattern over it you might get just the right effect.

  

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MattluresMon Jan-23-06 10:35 PM
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#3688, "RE: Hitch and hitch colored baits, somethings bothering..."
In response to Reply # 24


  

          

Nico your are correct. That would nail it. The problem is the paint. if I were to spray that scale pattern I would have to clean the stencile after every single bait. It simply wouldnt be pratical. This stuff is real hard to work with and it doesnt just whipe off when you clean a stencile. If it were a hard bait or even a real big soft bait with a big scale pattern it would work.

www.mattlures.com

  

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