Red Hooks

[crappiefarmer]

Has anybody give these a good try? Thanks CF

[fishin3]

I don't know if they really catch more fish but they do help with my confidence. I have used them bass fishing and seem to do better but don't know if it was the bait or me believing in it. I will keep using them. I even found some in jigs that have green hooks. I saw more in BPS catalog but have not got them yet waiting to see how these do.

[duane]

Has anybody give these a good try? Thanks CF

I have tried them and still use them seem. Have mainly went back to using gold hooks. I think crappie like the extra flash from the gold hook. Just my view.

[jaycee]

This summer, I did what I call a test. Using a Ky. rig, I used one gold hook and one red hook baited with minnows. Never caught a crappie on the red hooks. I switched them with top and bottom hook. Did catch a few small bass and yellow stripes with the red hooks but no crappie.

I am just starting to fish and am trying to learn so I am trying new things.

I will stay with the gold hooks.

[Patrick Vowell]

I use them and they seem to help when nothing else is working. I think it is one of those time and place things though. I do not use the gold hooks because they do not come free easily when hung. I like a small bronze hook. My favorite hook of all is the new eagle claw blood hook for crappie. On my home lake red hooks make a huge difference. On some other lakes across the midwest I haven't been able to tell the difference. I think they should be treated like another weapon in your arsenal. I have switched to them 100%. But don't think for a minute that I don't have bronze hooks in my box.

[whizkids]

I have been using red hooks for 4 years. First was treble hooks for largemouth, then on shiner hooks ( I painted the hooks myself for small mouth) Then I painted the eagle claw EL's for crappie. and painted some jig hooks. There are day's when the red will out produce the regular bronze hook.I have not used many gold hooks. In my view they are just like another color jig. Some times they enhance the bite some days they do not. When the bite slows or does not exist change color hooks. In my view total switch to red is not a home run and may be a strike out.
I have seen days when every fish caught was on a red hook. I have seen days when no fish were caught on a red hook. When tight lining I use eight double hook rods and usually keep both colors on. Even if the bit is predominantly one way I will keep two rods with the other color in case the bite changes.
Four years ago when rigging semi-floating plastics with the bleeding hooks, I was convinced red hooks were the answer. I am just as convinced today that they are just another tool ( variable) in the infinite number of variables there are in fishing.

[chaunc]

They haven't worked on my home lake. Even when i'm catching crappies on a red and white tube jig they wont hit the red hook. The water here is murky to stained most of the time. Would that have anything to do with it?

[CrappiePappy]

for stained to murky waters - you might want to try: a larger tube, darker colors, slower presentations, & scents. As for the red hooks ... they supposedly are a "sight" factor, so they may not register as well in the darker waters, as they do in clear waters ... a gold hook may be a better choice. I have some Crappie Magic jigs that have red hooks - but, have yet to notice a catch rate increase due to the "red" of the hook. There may very well be a confidence thing going on with red hooks, gold hooks, etc ... but, unless you're putting the bait in front of them - don't much matter what color you're throwin !!! Once having found a school, or an "occupied" piece of cover ... I haven't found them to be too awful picky about "what" color you put in their face - and I don't change colors, once I start catching them from some spot, until they slow down or stop hitting. Then I'll try a few "other" colors (usually totally different than what I was using) to see if I can entice a few more to hit. ............luck2ya ...........cp

[crap-king]

several saltwater fishermen did a study in NC the past 2 summers - it seems as the red hooks were no better or no worse in catching fish - they were experimenting with them for flounder - drum - and trout - I have not used them much crappie fishing - but from what I have seen if you find the fish they will bite the minnow no matter what color the hook is - I have not tried any jigs with the red hooks but I am thinking of getting some red hooks and mold some jig heads with them and try them

[Jason Piper]

The red hooks have increased may catch rate since I started using them a month ago! Whatever helps this time of year! I use a # 6 tournament series Aberdeen red hook from Bass Pro Shops and they have been a life saver this past month. I will switch back to gold when the bite picks back up though!