Red Crankbaits

[YeahSure]

When would you use these? Are they more of a Stained water color?

[Chris W]

I use them in clear water this time of year for smallmouth with good success, also in the early spring with rattletrap style baits with good success.

[Jig Man]

I use them any time I am in Texas.

[.ghoti.]

Put some red hooks on them to draw more strikes.

And, make sure to fish them on red line, because it disappears under water.

[SkilletSizeBass.]

I use a Bomber redfire craw, red & chart. color in clear water and do quite well on it.

[dodgeguy]

Put some red hooks on them to draw more strikes.

And, make sure to fish them on red line, because it disappears under water.

hooks reflect light therefore show up better.line has light pass through it.this makes it turn grey as it sinks.grey line is harder to see in deeper water.red lures turn black as water gets deep.there fore red as an attracking color is true in shallower water and only with materials that reflect light.in deeper water it helps make line hard to see.if you don't believe it then reasearch it and you'll find it's true and based on science.

[Micro]

I catch the most on red craw colored cranks this time of year.

[Catt]

I use them any time I am in Texas.

[bigtimfish]

When it's time for bass to key in on craws.

[YeahSure]

When it's time for bass to key in on craws.

And when is this usually?

[fishfordollars]

The bass in our Texas lakes just love them.

I fish them from November until the spawn is over in the spring. I then seem to do better with the shad colors summer through mid fall.

[Bantam1]

I tend to catch fish year round on red colored cranks here in CA. They even helped me win a tournament a few years back 

[KSRonH]

Put some red hooks on them to draw more strikes.

And, make sure to fish them on red line, because it disappears under water.

Good advice, but you forgot to mention the red boat and red hat

[.ghoti.]

Put some red hooks on them to draw more strikes.

And, make sure to fish them on red line, because it disappears under water.

Good advice, but you forgot to mention the red boat and red hat

;D ;D ;D

Can't a guy have at least a couple of secrets?

I use red cranks all the time in dirty water. With good success.

I have a lot red EWG hooks, BPS had them on sale a couple of years ago, at half the price of the regular finish, so I stocked up.

I even have some of that red line. I use it in my garden to tie together stands and supports for my tomato and pepper plants.

[senko_77]

I use them any time I am in Texas.

I love how people always think Texas is the place for red colored baits.  It is true that Texas is known for it.....but has anyone ever thought that maybe it works just as well in other states?  I ALWAYS have a red Aruku Shad tied on at all times of the year and red soft plastics are my top producers, and guess what.....I live in Georgia!!!  I fish quite a bit in North Carolina and guess what color works best for me up there?  RED!!!  Try it, it works   

[broncoboxer]

Put some red hooks on them to draw more strikes.

And, make sure to fish them on red line, because it disappears under water.

;D

[Mottfia]

Red Cranks are based around crawfish. A number of crawfish have red crawfish during certain times of years. I know where I'm from I catch fish flippin red plastics and throwing red cranks because of the craws...and we are in Alabama. Study what type of craws you have in your area and imitate that color.

Mottfia

[phisher_d]

hooks reflect light therefore show up better.line has light pass through it.this makes it turn grey as it sinks.grey line is harder to see in deeper water.red lures turn black as water gets deep.there fore red as an attracking color is true in shallower water and only with materials that reflect light.in deeper water it helps make line hard to see.if you don't believe it then reasearch it and you'll find it's true and based on science.

Red hooks reflect red light, and red line allows red light to pass through it, so either way the bass should see red (in shallow water)... Am I missing something? 

If the depth is sufficient to filter out all available red light, then both the hooks and the line should appear black.  (An object that can't reflect or transmit any light, by definition, appears black)

This deep water scenario is where most proponents of red line claim they have the greatest advantage, but does the red really help?  If there is no red light available, then all that the line can do is absorb the remaining light (the blues and greens), which will end up making the line stand out from its surroundings even more (by appearing black in an atmosphere lit by blue and green).

It seems to me that under any conditions (from an invisibility standpoint), you can't beat a truly clear line.  A clear line does not filter the light passing through it, meaning that no matter the depth, the line will look like its surroundings.  If the line happens to have similar refractive properties to water (*cough* fluorocarbon), then it will be that much more invisible, because it will not distort the light passing through it.

Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of red lures and hooks and I can believe that there are times when the bass might really key in on those colors.  However, when it comes to invisibility and red line, I have not come across any information that would lead me to believe that it would have an advantage over plain, old-fashioned clear line.

Perhaps you could post a link?

[Chris]

I use them if the lake has a bunch of pumpkin seed sunfish. I don't know which sex it is but I am thinking the male has a red underbelly. Sometimes long ear's have them also. Red lures also under different color water can appear to be a orange hue.  Many sunfish tend to have some  orange on their underside. Many fishermen point to crawfish as to why it works but it might be a little more expanded then that.

[CCP]

I use alot of red craw patterns on lipless crankbaits from about January through April on my home water on lake guntersville........ripping it through the milfoil and hydrilla stubble. The color is dynamite in the spring here