I am not sure when I developed the habit of reading magazines from the back to the front.  This month's magazine (March) was about one of the best I have ever read!  I have crappie fished seriously for over 50 years starting in my teen years with my Dad who was and still is the  best of the best.  We even started our own crappie jig business which was very successful containing over 150 mini tube jig combinations which I gave up to follow a higher calling from God.  I really enjoyed Dan Johnson's article "Color & Crappies"--possibly the best article I have ever read on the subjest!  Later, I read Steve Pennaz editorial which absolutely stinks!  I could list all the reasons it stinks but most of all why would you ask a person to write an article and then put it down in your editorial column.  Dan did a great job--over and beyond my expectations.  Steve did just what many of us have learned to expect of him.  Great cover, great article, lousy editorial.  To avoid the negative side let me share a little experience I had with my Dad.  We had a rare chance to fish together two consecutive days.  On our way to the lake we stopped by local shop that served great breakfast and fellowship among avid fishermen.  One asked my Dad how we did the day before and before I could blink my eyes:  "Dad, said we limited out and all we kept were nice slabs.  The guy who I had known from early childhood asked what color we caught most of them on?  My Dad immediately replied blue with white tail and a kind of flesh color with white tail.  My mouth dropped open but I did not say anything.  We finished a great breakfast and fellowship with the "liar's club" and headed for the truck.
When we got underway I couldn't help but ask my Dad:  Why in the world did he tell the man the truth about the colors we used?
Dad replied:  Son, you know in our club that other than me, he is the head of the "liar's club",  He thinks the same about me.  So, I told him the true colors--which he will never try because he thinks I lied to him.  Sorry, for the criticism Steve.  Why don't you and Dan have a shoot out kind of like Bobby Flay.  The magazine continues to improve!  Uncle Tom's Jigs

Great post! I really enjoyed reading it. And I agree that Steve's article wasn't worth the paper it was printed on! It's cool that you started your own lure company. Talk about a dream come true! God bless!

Hey, UTJ, that was one of the best posts I've read in a long time. Thanks, and I'll tell Dan to make sure he logs in and reads it. I've got to ask, though, that you read Open Line one more time. Steve doesn't disagree with or dis Dan's piece, but rather reinforces that lure color can be important. But you have to get many other things right first--before color even comes into play. He says, "I'll take the right lure in the wrong color over the wrong lure in the right color any day." That's a gem more fishermen should take to heart. Make sure the lure is going to get to where the fish are (size, weight, diving/sinking characteristics, line choice, cast or boat position, retrieve all have to work together). THEN start fine-tuning color choice.
KB

Location trumps color every time with fish like crappie that feed up. Yes, color is important but if your bait is as little as 3" below the fish your success will be limited no matter what color it is. Tom