You might be asking yourself, can you catch bigger fish with red hooks? OR do red hooks actually work?
Our short and sweet answer is YES!
For starters, if you are using any of the artificial baits such as crank baits, jerk baits, or top water baits, you don’t want to go saltwater fishing without attaching a red fishing hook under the front of your bait. (I know some so called pros would disagree and say a brown or black is better ). Well, It’s like going on a blind date unprepared. It could turn out boring and then get you frustrated and worn out. You may eventually be lucky enough to catch some fish but it would have been a whole lot easier if you had gone with a red fishing hook to start with.
An avid fisherman who goes by the name of Higgy whom we consider a pro in this field, will tell you stories about red hooks for hours. If you ever get the opportunity to go deep sea fishing with him, you will be entertained for hours and most likely catch the biggest fish on his red hooks. Spinning gear is his go to on catching monster striped bass.
You can purchase the red hooks directly from amazon here Gamakatsu Octopus Hooks Size 6
A quick tip here for starters is that if you are going to use a red fishing hook, make sure it’s placed under the front of the bait when you are fishing less than 5-feet of water. You want the bass to catch the front hook deep in the mouth which would allow the back hook to firmly grip the fish.
Some bass pros think the effectiveness of the red fishing hook is a myth. For those of us that have consciously observed it, in comparison to silver black fishing hook, it works like a miracle. The only difference is that there’s nothing mysterious about the whole process. As you read on, you’ll find the top five benefits of using a red fishing hook. I’d bet some skeptical bass pros would even agree with the benefits listed here. Let’s dive in.
5 unique benefits of using red hooks for fishing
- Bass trusts the bait.
Perhaps you are targeting a striped bass with a crank bait that has a red hook fixed under its front. The idea is that when the fish sees the red hook under the front of the crank bait, it thinks it has found a helpless and wounded sport. And so, it swings to take its prey. Now, you want the bass to swallow enough of the red hook so that by the time it realizes what’s inside of him, it’s already locked. By thinking the crank bait is helpless, the bass trusts the bait and becomes an easy catch. That way, you don’t need to stress yourself before making a catch.
2. Puts your bait on target
It’s depressing for your bait to be so close to a catch and not get one. And this may result in a waste of time especially if you are in unfamiliar waters. However, with bait on your red fishing hook, it’s unlikely that you’d miss your catch. In short, a red fishing hook puts your bait on target and makes a sure catch.
3. Great catch on sunny days
Although it may not be scientifically proven, Marty Stone, an expert angler, on close observation pointed this out as one of the benefits of using a red fishing hook. During his fishing adventures, he noticed that using a red hook on a cloudy day may not be as effective as when used on a sunny day. The sunlight gives the red hook more visibility, thereby attracting the nearby bass. It’s like being the prettiest girl at the party- everyone wants a taste. On the other hand, the red color is ineffective in foggy weather as a result of poor visibility. When used rightly, you are sure to enjoy your expedition.
4. Great lure when fishing in shallow waters
The red craze among anglers may have dwindled but we can’t deny the fact that angler pros agree that there tends to be more catch in shallow waters when the red treble fishing hook is used. To the bass, red signifies blood. In that case, spotting a red on a lure suggests it’s wounded and incapable of escape, thereby making it the perfect prey.
5. Yields better results than other colors
Undoubtedly, the red fishing hook is the most controversial of all the fishing hooks. The reason is not far-fetched. Some die-hard anglers who have used red fishing hooks have claimed that they witnessed an unusual increase in their catch. Although it is not an ideal benefit for starters, it’s a good one to take advantage of.
Some will say the red hook myth is what it is, a myth. Others will say red hooks trigger an instinctual response. The red hooks, treble hooks specifically resemble a bloody, wounded fish. Often times these instinctual responses will trigger a strike even when fish aren’t feeding.
You can put a red trebled hook on your doc if you are hitting the top water, mainly we will target blues and striped bass with our doc complemented with our red hooks.
What does one of the most respected charter captains on the east coast say in regards to love of red fishing hooks? Capt Mike from ArchAngel Charters gives them a double thumbs down!