In those conditions, he tends to use less chartreuse and opts for a pearl-white tail. When fishing shallow or clear water, Marshall prefers the translucent colors and even lures with a sparkle added.

In bright conditions, one of the veteran angler's all-time favorites is a chartreuse head, blue body and pearl tail. But when fishing down deep in clear water, Marshall stays with the lighter colors, but uses the opaques; again relying on the more visible profile in the deeper water column.

He emphasizes that in spring, the crappie bite may be more of a reaction strike, and that trying different presentations is also important.

Crappie may prefer a bait that's dead-still, with maybe a little shake here and there, or perhaps a sideways movement. Also try pitching or casting the lure and vary your retrieve. Try vertical jigging or even simply holding it dead still. Don't be afraid to experiment!

Lonnie Stanley, the founder of Stanley Jigs, Inc. and an innovator of jig-fishing for bass in the 1970s, agrees that when targeting crappie, color most definitely matters.

In fact, Stanley admits to being a "color freak" himself! He mentioned how often he has been fishing a brushpile with a buddy. Using differently colored jigs, one angler will out-catch the other by four to one. Usually, that leads to one of them changing to the color that's working!

When fishing under overcast skies or in heavily stained water, Stanley prefers using chartreuse, reds and oranges. When the water is clear and light conditions are bright, he goes to white, silver and shad-colored lures.

Another favorite color combination is a white minnow with a pink head.

Another factor that you need to consider is the hue of the jighead. Some anglers think its coloration can be important at times as well. In many situations, basic lead-colored heads work fine. Other times, black or brightly colored heads are needed to help add visibility and contrast.

Many experts agree that contrast is the key, especially for getting the crappie's attention in stained water. When greater contrast is desired, use a body color that differs from the hue of the jighead. Alternate your colors -- for instance, a chartreuse jighead, white body and chartreuse tail; or you can even use three different colors.

Do eyes painted on the head make any difference? Marshall and Stanley agree that it can tip the balance in catching fish or not. Both experts agree that a lot of fishermen swear by having painted eyes on their jigs. Some use jigs with red eyes only, but others demand chartreuse eyes.

Stanley noted that it may make more of a difference when fishing with the heavier and larger jigheads. Having painted eyes may simply increase color contrast, therefore making the lure more conspicuous.

Fishermen are a superstitious lot and resist change as much as most people. We sometimes stick with what has worked well at times -- but may not always be the best choice.

The best method for finding out what the fish want is experimenting. When fishing with a buddy, start out using different color combinations to see what works best.

If you aren't catching fish, then change the color as well as your presentation tactics.