Does Hook Color Really Make Any Difference?

[Prairiegoat]

Do colored trebles on a quick-strike rig make any difference?

For that matter, do colored hooks on any setup produce more strikes?

If the hook on a jig is covered with bait what difference does the hook color make?

Do different fish species prefer certain colors?

Really interested to hear everyones take on this................

[adkRoy]

I've tried red, silver, gold, and steel hooks. I've never seen a difference. Color of the lure and bait choice is where I've seen the most difference.

[perch-man]

I have seen a fire orange jig catching while a green or pink or a white not produce as much . Depends on the water clarity depth time of year and species your after but a change up in a colour can make a huge difference. Besides it gives you excuse to go and buy more hooks

[rondog]

I think it catches more fisherman

[fozsey]

Just like every other product we use I believe there is a time and a place where a red hook might have a bearing on how a fish reacts to a presentation. I have witnessed, albeit not on the ice, a red hook attract walleye where a bronze hook would not. My result, although not scientific, showed me only that it made a difference on that particular day. The next day might have proven the exact opposite.

Along the same line of thinking I have another interesting tidbit to pass along. The last few days I have been fishing for perch and rainbow trout in a local lake. Last year I was using a mixture of microice and fireline with good success (although I can't remember catching any specific fish on the fireline rods) and this year I decided to switch to fireline ice for my trip to Lake of the Woods. The first couple of days I was out on the ice I could not buy a bite on the newly strung rods with the fireline. During this time my dad, who hasn't changed his line yet, was catching fish one after another with the exact same jig, the exact same minnows, the exact same presentation, on and on. I know what your thinking...this has happened before with a hot rod and a cold one but when I switched to a rod with the microice left on it from last season, I started catching fish. Next day....same $h**. I changed the line back to microice and no more problems.

In fairness, this lake is very clear, a camera users dream so I can understand why the fireline would not work well but I can't remember having problems like this last year with the rods I had the fireline on. Again, not necessarily scientific but it made a believer out of me...I will stick with what works...

[tarmitten]

I have noticed when ice fishing for trout that a lure with red and white preferable a red devil is hard to beat.   Colour of hooks not important.   I have caught fish on red devil lures when nothing else worked.    As a matter of fact some people are making their own lures by ..get this.. taking a 3 to 4 inch nail and flatting both ends, boring a small hole in each end,  one with a split ring and hook the other with a swivel to attach line, then painting the nail red.   I have to admit it works real well on trout.<>>>< Tarmitten

[tarmitten]

......Of course you have to bait the hook.   Preferable with worm or a peice of squid. 

[esox13]

I have had success with a glow hook (Northland) in orange and chartreuse while fishing in stained water - such as a flowage etc... They have out performed the standard hook in my situations.

[brujharr]

Using red and bronze hooks. No verdict yet! 

[pirkaus]

Have used red, bronze, silver hooks and noticed no difference.
If someone can produce scientific data to the contrary I would be interested.

[winchester 88]

 I definitely have seen color make a difference. I like to use the vinyl coated hooks that come in blaze orange,blaze green,pink and white baited with a maggot,waxie or a small minnow.
 On consecutive days on the lake fishing in the same holes, the color that caught them one day couldn't buy a fish the next day.
I don't know what makes them like one color over another but for myself I have come to feel that color does make a difference.

Winchester 88

[pipes18079]

I notice a better catch rate when using red hooks with salmon eggs for trout in the shallows

[bigfish_1556]

Agreed with pipes there, had much better luck for 'bows on Skaneateles Lake (ny) with red circle hooks than with std. hook (bronze, gold, silver) colors.

however, had a spread of tipups out amongst friends this past weekend for crappies, and hook color had absolutely zero correlation with catch rate.

Species specific, location specific, time of day specific - there's no perfect color hook for all situations.