There are many folks on here that are more knowledgeable than I am but I'll share what I've seen and learned. FYI, I have an aluminum trolling plate that sits horizontal like a cavitation plate when not trolling.

Clear is somewhat simple as it's a very clear view of my trolling plate. You can see the details of your prop in clear. Green tinged water is good fishing. Can still easily see plate. A slight brown tinge is ok for me with lower visibility of plate. If I can't see the plate at all as the water is muddy, I have had bad luck. Last spring was like that and I was only able to pick up a few fish near the surface around the islands when it was sunny. Had to run over past Huron to find green water.

Fish will also concentrate sometimes where different color waters overlap. Lure color can be very important based on water clarity and sunny vs. cloudy.

I suggest checking out slimshady's website for specific lures, descriptions and optimal usage. Mike has an awesome selection of custom painted bandits and he also has several excellent instructional articles on his site......Slimshadycustoms.com

Hope this helped you. I have learned a lot from the captains and many other experienced folks on this site. Thanks to all who continue to share your knowledge .

Don