Humic acid
Humic acids are derived from the decomposition of the remains of dead organisms in the soil, such as peat, leaves and wood. The acids produced by this decomposition give the water a tea-brown or even black hue.
This type of water is found all over the world, mainly in environments with vegetation-rich edges. As far as pike are concerned, in France, this type of water is not often found, whereas in Sweden or Canada, this type of environment can often be encountered.
In this case, it's a good idea to update your selection of lures, as certain colors quickly become indispensable and it would be a shame to miss out on your stay.
Gold
Gold is a color you don't often come across in fishing lures, yet for this type of water, it's clearly the color to have! Both soft and hard lures are effective. On sunny days, it's one of the best colors for fishing this kind of environment.
Orange
After gold, orange is one of the must-have colors for fishing waters rich in humic acids. It is particularly effective when the sky is overcast, light is low or water transparency is reduced.
The fire-tiger and the chartreux
I've grouped fire-tiger and chartreux together, as they are quite similar colors. These two colors are best used when the sky is overcast, with a preference for fire-tiger in very low light, and chartreux when the sun is shining.
White
White is another color to be used in waters with high humic acid content. It's certainly the most versatile color, and can be used in all weather conditions.
Sequins
Well, it's not a color per se, but I've noticed that glitter or gloss lures often give the best results, compared with matte colors.
