Match the hatch means matching SIZE before color

When fish are feeding selectively on a specific baitfish or insect, the size of your lure matters 3-5x more than color. A 2-inch shad imitation when fish are eating 4-inch shad will get ignored regardless of how perfect the color match is. Start by matching length, then profile (slim vs wide), then action, then color. Color is the last variable, not the first.