Red Hooks??

[Strike Lead]

One day a while back, while trout fishing, I switched to some new red hooks. The fishing was noticebly better. I experimented with and w/o them and I was getting many more hits on the red hook. I have had great improvements ever since.

River fishing for smallmouth was the same. I went Salmon fishing in Pulaski, NY and guess what.....the guide was using my red hooks. Did very well.

I switched a few of my tip ups over to red. My friends and I have noticed that they are hitting over 2 to one better than regular hooks. I recently switched all of my tips to a #6 red hook.

I recently fished at night near the WISP and after the usual walleye run at sun down, I caught a few walleye and a couple largemouth on the red hook after dark. I fished Devils Lake, ND last Easter and they concentrated on walleye only at sunup and sundown. Then, they changed gear for a different species (perch). Seems like walleye are inactive or something after that. I have not caught many walleye in the dark in my experiences. But, now the red hook seems to allow for more success on night walleye.

And, the reality of the red hook thing........well it may be a placebo but......something is hapening.

Is anyone else noticing this???

[FishOnTheRocks]

Have you tried hooks dipped in the new glow paints?  I've got a batch done, but have been
waiting for the ice to return. 

[perchnut]

 Same here...as i replace hooks, Im using red hooks too.  I havent been as scientific and kept anykind of 'track record', but from what ive read.....

Hopefully we will have some ice soon to go out and play on...

[Strike Lead]

Have you tried hooks dipped in the new glow paints?  I've got a batch done, but have been
waiting for the ice to return. 

I haven't tried them yet.....although I've seen them in the store. It just didn't click.....I'll have to try them. What color do you recommend? The same color as the jigs that are hitting?? These might even work better at night than the red ones. Thanks for the tip!!!

[FishOnTheRocks]

Well I haven't had a chance to try them yet, still waiting for good ice on the weekends out at Deep Creek.  I'm
stuck between Baltimore and Wash DC so it's a bit of a drive.

Have some done in yellow glo and flame red glo, it's a vinyl jig paint made by Spike-it.  I did a variety of jig heads
and figured I try some hooks for under tip-ups, maybe it'll attract the 'eyes from a distance.  I'll post results.

[Fat Boy]

I think the theory is that red hooks simulate blood triggering a feeding response.  I will say that I've used them on tube jigs and super flukes when fishing for smallies and have done well using them.  I don't know if I would have done any better using black hooks on those same days/casts.  But, what the heck, if they work good why not keep using them?  I haven't used them through the ice yet.

I've also used them using crazy eggs for salmon and trout in the Great Lakes tributaries and the Niagara River and have done well on them (octopus style), better than the black hooks.  But, maybe it makes the egg pattern more realistic rather than the blood theory (camoflage the hook blending the egg color with the hook rather than accenting the hook as attraction).

Bottom line, I like them so far and see no reason to not use them in the future.

[tomg]

Can they really make a difference after dark? Does the red spectrum of light exist after dark, especially under-water?

[Rockfish]

Every study I've seen suggests red is the first color of the visible spectrum to get absorbed as an object is submerged while green and blue stay visible longest.  With this I can't see how it'd make a difference after dart. Still, I've used the red octopus style for a couple of seasons and while I haven't noticed a marked increase in success they haven't seemed to hurt.  I have had good success as well with flourescent orange or flo.chartruese hooks for 'eyes but again I mainly fish during daylight so I can't vouch for whether they work after dark... I have had some success with little green glo beads that snug right up to the hook eye while fishing low light conditions.

Rock

[Fat Boy]

Every study I've seen suggests red is the first color of the visible spectrum to get absorbed as an object is submerged

Hmmmm.  Maybe they make the hooks disappear, like camo, when used in deep water.   Might make the bait look more lifelike to fish?

[Rockfish]

Could be... I seem to remember they turn brown or even black as the color of the light is absorbed.  Still, if they work why not???

Rock