Red hooks...when do you & when don't you??

[lovecranking]

Let's talk red. I really love using red hooks...trebles on cranks...ewg for plastics. I think it improves your chance of the bass hitting the bait you are throwing. On new cranks I'll always change the front treble to red & the rear to a feathered dressed treble. On ewg I'll use a red ewg about 75% of the time I'm throwing plastics. So I'm obviously hooked on using red hooks on my baits. The other day I tried a little experiment and rigged up 2 poles. One pole had a LC ghost minnow sammy with a red front treble & a chart. dressed rear treble. The 2nd pole had a LC ghost minnow sammy with the standard front treble and the same chart. dressed treble for the rear. I stayed in the same area & alternated using each pole fished the same way. The results were: 6 bass using the red treble and 1 bass using the plain front treble. I'd like to hear from others whether you think using red actually improves your chances...or is it all a confidence thing? If you do use red, under what conditions do you decide to switch back and change your treble and/or ewg to a standard black finish?  

[roadwarrior]

A couple of years ago when Takahiro Omori won the  Bassmaster Classic, I started experimenting with red hooks. I bought and still have a few lures with red trebles, but the experimental part was really focused on single hooks fishing soft plastics. My (unscientific) results were neutral. That is, I found ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE using red.

[BassPonder72]

its just a confidence thing IMO.

[FishTank]

I have tried them on both soft plastic and a few hard baits and have found no real advantage.

[Raul]

Better start talking about your confidence:

really love using red hooks...trebles on cranks...ewg for plastics. I think it improves your chance of the bass hitting the bait you are throwing.

You think it makes a difference ? I 'm the first one to tell you to have red hooks in every single bait you own, as long as they are good quality razor sharp hooks.

I didn 't do any experiments with red hooks, it just happened, I ran out of hooks and the only ones available in the size, shape & brand I wanted were red, so I purchased and fished with them and my findings mimic others, they made absolutely no difference whatsoever.

[snapperd1]

If you have ever taken a diving course you will remember that reds are the first colors filtered out as you go down in the water column.  I would think the red hooks would become black the deeper you fished the baits.  I like red hooks so I use them with most soft plastics other wise I use what the manufacture gives me.  I don't think the fish care one way or the other.

TD

[Sam]

Bass can see red in the water and the red hooks are to look like either an injured baitfish or the rear view of gills.

As for me, I do well with both but use the regular hooks as I am more concerned with the actual bait than the hook.  Other than to make sure the hook is sharp.

I agree with the guys that a red hook does not improve the probability of a hook-up.

Your bait, its size, technique and if the fish are in the area will improve the probability of a hook-up.

But like scent, if you like them and they strengthen your confidence then by all means use them although I doubt they really will make a differency.

[Other.]

I do not spend the extra money on red hooks. As other people said it is more of a confidence thing rather then a "If you would of thrown a red hook you would of caught that fish"

Bass strike for 4 different categorys Spawning, food, territory, and mood. When a fish strikes it does not look at any specific parts. If you throw the right bait in the right depth at the right speed the bass will strike it weather it has a red hook or not.

[G3-Basser]

This is not meant to sound like a smart *ss answer, but I will fish whichever ones are cheaper.  I picked up alot of Gammy's the other day in red that were $.75 a pack less than the black ones.  I do notice that when fishing the red hooks in bright sunlight and clear water, that they will give off a little flash.  This could work to your advantage (or disadvantage), but I haven't realized any difference in catch rate.

-J

[Taliesin]

I don't normally fish with red hooks, but if I did...

Topwaters would have red hooks.

Other than that it depends on water clarity. Clear water allows red to pass through up to 8', and muddy water up to 1'. If I am fishing shallower than that, red hooks might make a difference.

[.ghoti.]

I'm with G3 on this one. Gammy EWG red's are a bit cheaper than the regular version. I have both in my hook box, and have noticed no difference in catch rate.

Cheers,

GK

[Avalonjohn44]

I have not noticed a difference whatsoever.  It was simply 'the hot thing' one summer, a few years ago.  Then it was chatterbaits.  It'll be something else next week.