Author Topic: Importance of Hook Colors for Ice Fishing (Read 3473 times)

Dima · « **on:** Jan 25, 2019, 11:20 AM »

My relatives are convinced that only "golden" (brass) hooks work well for them for ice fishing. They say when they use dark or white steel hooks (either above the jig or just two loose hooks with weight on the end of the leader) they catch significantly less than with the same setup but with brass hooks. I think that hook colors affect bite in some way, but the difference is often minuscule. Have you ever noticed any difference?

Unclegillhunter · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 11:27 AM »

Yes it does matter what color your hook is, but only if you believe it.
Keep it safe! JDL

jethro · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 11:58 AM »

No matter what color hooks I use I still can't seem to catch fish.

bootstrap · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 12:21 PM »

the bronzed hooks will rust and deteriorate if you break off a fish or have to cut it. the colored hook do not. so the bronze ones are what i try to always use. i dont think it maters for the bite. if you want color use a bead.

RyanW · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 01:10 PM »

The quote under my post pretty much covers it.

mrjohnny · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 01:41 PM »

Red circle hooks work for me..Is it really the color?
Who knows..But I have noticed a lot of lures,jig,etc
do have a dab of red..go figure.

Reginald Bonz III · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 01:56 PM »

Uncle Dave knows what he's talking about.

PoleJerker · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 02:07 PM »

RyanW post sums it up. Totally agree.

stinkyfingers · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 03:13 PM »

Had too many fish straighten brass hooks. Just stick with steel, red , black, or bronze.

fishermantim · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 03:19 PM »

That would be like trying to figure out if dogs like red, blue or green balls to fetch.....

MT_mulies · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 03:48 PM »

Heck yes color matters. Example: this last weekend I was fishing for about an 1.5 hours and caught two fish and I had a few bites but saw(on my fish finder) TONS of fish swim up and look at my hook which was red. I switched to green and wham bam thank you ma'am it was on. I caught 10 fish in 45 min! It was unreal. Everytime I lowered my hook into the water when I would get about 2-3 feet from were the fish were hanging out in the water column I would see 3 or 4 lines(fish on my sonar) charging my hook quicker than a lady of the night charges you!
I always tell people that if the fish aren't biting keep switching hooks till they are. Somedays on the lake I go to, they want something in the blue-green-purple spectrum and other days they want yellow-orange-red spectrum. Everytime I go out I bait 2 hooks with a blueish color and 3 hooks with redish color. Until I figure out what they are after then I switch all my hooks to that colorish. (i'm allowed 5 poles during ice fishing season)
I do the same thing in the summer. Keep switching hooks till they are biting.

Dima · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 04:25 PM »

Nobody talks about constantly switching but the question was about the primary choice of hooks color for low light conditions. Example, I used to catch Atlantic hearring with bare shiny hooks, which absolutely wouldn't work with black hooks.

But you were probably just hoping to make a funny comment.

tipman14 · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 04:44 PM »

I’m not sure if it really matters but I seem to have more luck with red hooks and I’m sticking to it.

adkRoy · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 05:00 PM »

I seem to have more luck with red hooks than steel or brass. I think the fish think its blood coming off the bait.

Dima · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 05:06 PM »

One possible explanation may be that a red hook resembles a bloodworm (larvae of midge/mosquito), which is a natural forage of many fish species.

Kourcha · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 07:11 PM »

I recently switched out all my brass hooks to red hooks because last weekend I had a few Decent sized rainbows on and half my brass hooks straightened out pulling the fish out of the hole. It was infuriating to no end. Trying out red hooks on half and black on the other half of my traps.

Ramp 23 · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 08:18 PM »

I have never noticed a difference, hard water or open water.

Ice Scratcher · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 09:24 PM »

I've seen plenty of days perching where color made all the difference.. Just snelled hooks and shiner minnows..

<°)))>{

Tjtroutslayer89 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 09:26 PM »

Sweet many people swear on red hooks but I haven’t noticed a difference.

MT204 · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 25, 2019, 09:40 PM »

The color red is the first to disappear /change as it gets deeper in water, by 15-20 feet its not red anymore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAJjdA6b4Ts

slipperybob · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 26, 2019, 12:45 AM »

Fish eyes don't see like human eyes. Whatever reason we have, is a fish capable of having that same reasoning?

river_scum · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 26, 2019, 05:27 AM »

Quote from: slipperybob on Jan 26, 2019, 12:45 AM

Fish eyes don't see like human eyes. Whatever reason we have, is a fish capable of having that same reasoning?

bingo

you hear people say things like they will see your line or the only color that will catch them is_____. there are reasons colors, sizes, shapes, and speeds make a difference but the fishes ability to reason it out isn't one of them. IMO

as for the OPs question. yes I have see it make a difference. gold or bronze was the debate back in the day.

P Meyette · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 26, 2019, 12:45 PM »

i use red both winter and summer

SLAYERFISH · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 26, 2019, 05:41 PM »

Been pounding large perch the last couple weeks. Using castys the hooks get all jacked up after a dozen or so cause you get them out as past as possible to get it back down b4 the school moves. Anyway been replacing silver hooks with red and black and it makes absolutely no difference. Actually I been upsizing the hooks 2 sizes and it helps with hook-ups for sure.

In essence, size matters more than color-

hawg · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 27, 2019, 03:26 PM »

I think it makes a difference both winter and summer.

missoulafish · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 27, 2019, 04:02 PM »

Lots of jigs I buy have red hooks. First thing I do is swap them out because they are low quality hooks. I replace them with dark colored hooks. My theory is that they are harder to see. I know it's bs though lol.

Dima · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 23, 2019, 01:18 PM »

Quote from: missoulafish on Jan 27, 2019, 04:02 PM

Lots of jigs I buy have red hooks. First thing I do is swap them out because they are low quality hooks. I replace them with dark colored hooks. My theory is that they are harder to see. I know it's bs though lol.

I don't think it is. Here is an article on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website called "Why are so many deep-sea animals red in color?" - https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/red-color.html

P.S. I know that we are not fishing the deep-sea, but it is still an interesting article that explains how different light waves are absorbed.

Royalwapiti · « **Reply #27 on:** Feb 23, 2019, 02:07 PM »

There are days when the pink plastic coated eagle claw hooks are all the perch will bite on in, put a minnow on them and put it close to bottom.

hawg · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 23, 2019, 04:40 PM »

How do you change out a jig hook?

?

wyogator · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 24, 2019, 01:17 PM »

Some jigs have treble hooks. I don't replace them until they break. I agree with Missoula that they are cheap. I just wait until they break before replacing them. Other jigs like teardrops, the hook is part of the jig. For tipups/live bait, I use red or blued Gamakatsu octopus hooks. I don't really think color matters. It could though.

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Author Topic: Importance of Hook Colors for Ice Fishing (Read 3473 times)