Red hooks vs red line

[Crow Terminator]

Here's something I've been pondering on lately. I would like your input on the subject as well.

Several yrs ago there was a craze with red fishing line. The selling point behind it was that red disappears in the water column and fish can't see it.

Now there is a craze with red hooks, and the selling point is that fish can see the red and are more apt to strike at it.

So the question is...which is it? Does it disappear in the water or does it make something more visible?

Here is a little cool info to it. Since we've started crappie fishing a lot...crappie are known to be extremely picky when it comes to colors. Just yesterday dad and I were fishing and I put on a red and green glitter lure...and began catching fish. Dad tried several colors of the same style bait and didn't catch a single fish, until he changed over to the red/glitter one. This happened while crankbait trolling as well...I had read a tip on changing out the hooks to red ones...and I began catching crappie 5 to 1 to dad. I tossed him a crankbait the same color as the one I had...only it had the factory hooks left on it, non red. Same result. Mom had some red fingernail polish in the boat for some reason and dad "doctored" his crankbait and put red gill plates on it and colored the hook...let it dry and threw it back in there. He started catching crappie then.

So I think it has something to do with them seeing it. As a side thought...what if the red is actually disappearing in the water, and thus making the lure look more "natural" since the hooks would not appear to be invisible? Or is it just the red is attracting them. Your thoughts?

 

[BARhunter]

I think the jury is still out on this issue. Your experience would make a person lean toward the belief that the red hooks definitely make a difference and the fish can more than likely not see them. Interesting story.

 

[Inkstainz]

This is an interesting study your putting on. Maybe they aren't lying and the fish can't see the red therefore red hooks are getting more bites because they just see the bait and don't see the hook. I know I bought some red hooks for catfishing and they didn't seem to catch any more fish than the silver hooks I was using. I'm not sold either way yet but thanks for your input.

 

[pressfit]

I have gone through the exact same thoughts as you have posted here.. i think the line my become invisible because the light can go through it but the light cannot go through a steel hook..

 

[spottedbass]

If the red line disappears in the water, why would there be ever a need to use a fluorocarbon leader?

 

[stik]

This is an interesting study your putting on. Maybe they aren't lying and the fish can't see the red therefore red hooks are getting more bites because they just see the bait and don't see the hook.

fish don't have the mental capacity to think "that has hooks on it!!". they see something smaller than them so it is food.

 

[rsimms]

I agree with stik... no matter what the color of line or lure, I think we give fish far more credit than they deserve. It's natural for us to try and assign human "reasoning" qualities to them, but they're just not wired that way.

It's far more simple, and primal for them... figuring , "That looks like food (or something that pisses me off) so I'm going to eat or kill it." End of story.

I have proven this on numerous occasions... breaking off a big catfish in a particular hole. Then within minutes, catching that fish (on the exact same bait), with my hook still embedded in its jaw. They have zero reasoning capability, and VERY short memories.

 

[Dbllunger]

They have zero reasoning capability, and VERY short memories.

That pretty much sums up my teenage years.

 

[agelesssone]

'at's funny rite there, db!

 

[timberjack86]

They have zero reasoning capability, and VERY short memories.

That pretty much sums up my teenage years.

 

[yamaha200]

I fish a red plastic worm in he summer sometimes, and catch fish on it. Wonder how they saw it ? If they can't see red !

 

[chunkandwind]

This page explains it well.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... subcatID=0

 

[FakeTree]

If the red line/hooks are not seen by fish, then why is there red flake in worms or on other lures, or plastic red shad worms? I have always heard when night fishing use black and blue, with the next best thing being black and red. I also agree with stik on this one. I have always crappie fished with live minnows and had luck with hooks black, blue, red, and rusted. I think if its hungry it will eat.

 

[Crow Terminator]

I agree with the article. I think a lot of the lures and contraptions are just meant to catch fisherman. And not all the "rules of thumb" are set in gold either.

A great example is a lot of the articles say that silver/chrome colors are not good in murky water. Yet most of the water on the lakes here is murky/stained, and I have caught the fire out of fish on chrome/blue lipless crankbaits over the years.

As far as over thinking the ability of fish, and assuming they will hit anything if you put it in front of them...I think if a person goes to the lake with that mentality and tactic, they are gonna come home humbled and with an empty livewell most of the time. Deer aren't exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer either...but they sure know how to make us eat some humble pie.

 

[stik]

As far as over thinking the ability of fish, and assuming they will hit anything if you put it in front of them...I think if a person goes to the lake with that mentality and tactic, they are gonna come home humbled and with an empty livewell most of the time.

I didn't say they would hit anything. just that they don't think "don't eat that. it has hooks in it!!!"

 

[jos3ywales]

I love and use Cajun red line on all my crappie poles it donot tangle up and has a good feel to it I fish with my finger above the bell just touching the line at all time so I feel the line a split second before the rod end dunno about the disapearing part. but I like it, I use stren for bass fishing in spinning reels but always use spiderwire on all my bait casters