Few saltwater anglers obsess over color the way fluke fishermen do — and Berkley Gulp is the reason why. With dozens of shades available across styles like the Swimming Mullet and 6″ Grub, picking the right one for the day’s conditions can make or break a trip. Here’s a quick-reference guide to the colors worth keeping in your bag, and when to tie each one on.
There are dozens of colors of Berkley Gulp to help anglers best match their jigs and rigs to the fluke’s forage. (From left to right: chartreuse, white, glow-in-the-dark, mackerel, pink/pink shine.)
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Best Gulp Colors for Fluke, By Condition
Chartreuse
Eye-catching chartreuse is a great color on cloudy days or in stained water, outproducing natural shades when water visibility is low.

White/Pearl
From the 4-foot backwater flats to ocean reefs 100 feet down, white is a close match to a wide range of fluke forage, making it a good starting point for most fluke trips.

Glow
In stained water after a storm or big blow, a glow-in-the-dark color can still grab a fluke’s attention in tough conditions.

Green/Olive
A sand-eel-imitating shade can work very well over natural structure in deeper water, especially off Rhode Island and Cape Cod, where flatfish key in on these slender baitfish.

Pink/Pink Shine
In deeper water, where fluke regularly feed on squid, pink is a must-have color. A contrasting color combination of a white bucktail with a pink trailer is a deadly deep-water fluke combo from New Jersey to Nantucket Shoals.

Weirdest Color You Can Find
Above all, don’t forget to experiment! Some days, an off-the-wall color like blue or orange might be the top producer.

Doormat fluke are opportunistic feeders and regularly eat sea robins, black sea bass, and a wide variety of crabs and crustaceans. Matching some of these lesser-known forage species could be the key to the biggest fluke of the day.
Berkley Gulp Colors for Fluke: Quick FAQ
What’s the best all-around Gulp color for fluke?
White/pearl is the safest starting point. It’s a close match to a wide range of fluke forage across depths, from shallow backwater flats to ocean structure 100 feet down.
What Gulp color works best in murky water?
Chartreuse is the top pick on cloudy days or in stained water, where its high visibility outproduces natural shades when clarity is low. Glow-in-the-dark is a strong second choice, especially in stained water after a storm.
What color should I use in deep water or squid-heavy areas?
Pink or pink shine is a must-have where fluke are feeding on squid. A white bucktail paired with a pink Gulp trailer is a proven deep-water combo from New Jersey to Nantucket Shoals.
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