Well, you hit on something that I didnt want to really talk about cause I could write a book about it. And that is the seasonal variation that many fish species show in coloration. I tried to account for that by saying "Ive seen them spawning" and "Ive seen big ones". Ive seen them zipping all through the shallows when bass are spawning.

Ive also seen both of the pics that you talked about. But yet, Ive yet to see one that looks even almost like what available baits look like.

This is why I speculate that it was the Clear Lake hitch, not the HITCH in the photos, that likely showed much more bronze/brown/yellow or whatever color you want to call it. But its impossible to verify for lack of available information and that they probably are gone forever.