[Guest]

I went to Gander Mountain and bought two of the Bagley crankbaits. They are $9 a piece. They better be worth it. I haven't got to use them yet. Has anybody used these baits before? I'm not fond of the red hooks so I will be replacing those.

 

[Guest]

I would be hanging them things up to admire for generations, especially for that price. ;D

I used one Bagley a couple of years ago, and they are sweet crankbaits.

As for the red hooks, I would leave the front treble red, and make the back one nickel. That's just my preference, though.

 

[Guest]

If you don't mind can you explain why you would change the hooks like that? What is the reason for it? What can red hooks possibly do for you?

 

[Guest]

The whole theory and concept behind red hooks is that when fished above a certain depth, they represent blood on an injured baitfish, and will evoke a natural feeding response, which is genetically programmed into all predator fish. That feeding response is that they should not pass up a free and easy meal.

The red hook, as it has been my experience, will get you more fish. Whether it be pure fact, or pure confidence, that's your call, but I only use red hooks anymore.

 

[Jared]

First let me say that bagley makes some great baits. My buddy Joe Frye will swear by them. He has an office FULL of tackle... imagine a dozen or so walmarts tackle sections all in one room... and within that glorious room he has a huge box full of nothing but bagley balsa baits. I've used them but Ive never had quite the same confidence that Joe does in them.

Now as far as red hooks... I think the red hook thing is over rated. I think more often than not the red hook thing is a mental aspect for the angler and couldn't mean less to the fish. Not all that long ago (but years before the red hooks hit the market) I did a lot of experimenting with red in my baits that I was pouring. I would pour one bait that was black with silver fleck and I would also pour the same style bait (a soft jerkbait) black and silver fleck but Id pour a bit of red near the head of the bait on the bottom side.

Some days the bass would hit the bait no matter if the bait had red in it or not. There were also days when the bass wouldn't go near the baits with red in it but tear up the plain ones. Very rarely did I encounter fish who preferred the bait with the red in it, I mean it happened, but it was rare compared to how often the fish either didn't want red or didn't care one way or the other.

So my personal opinion is to go with nickel hooks all the way, as I feel it will suit more fishing situations than the bait with the red hook on it. Of course if you have enough baits, there is no harm in setting up some with red hooks just for those special times.

A cheaper way to achieve pretty much the same affect is to carry a bunch of small round red stickers (like the kind you'd find in an office supply company) and if you feel red may be needed... just slap on a piece of sticker near the gills of  the bait.

I think its more or less just personal preference of the angler as to whether or not red matters THAT much THAT often.

 

[Guest]

Jared, what you are comparing is apples and oranges. First off, the red in lures is not the same color as the red color on the hooks. The hooks are shiney, the color of the lures is a dull red, and does not have the sheen that the metallic coloring has. This may not make a difference, but I certainly feel that it does.

I have done a lot of experimenting over the past 2 years where I did have red hooks, and I found that from 1-10', the red in the hook produced more than the nickel hook. Anything deeper than that, it and it balanced out.

If you are going to add any coloring to lures, it should be the glitter, so that you have almost a exact comparison in color and sheen.

 

[Jared]

actually the red I poured in my baits... was shiney and did relfect, especially when I greased it up good with oil.. and quite often I did add red gltter to the red plastic I was pouring. At times I even would dip the head of my oiled bait into a baggie with red glitter in it so t he glitter would disperse in the water slow... my results were still the same as mentioned above...

but if we really wanna be technical about it... blood doesn't shine nor reflect in water... it disperses and is sort of flat colored... which neither the hooks, nor the glitter imitate.

Also... if we really wanna get even more technical... you cant really compare how fish react to a slow moving bait colored a certain way to how they react to a fast moving bait colored a certain way because the slow moving bait will get studied a LOT more a majority of the time.

I dunno tho... I still tend to think the red hooks are just a trend that will fade away.. just as fire tails on plastics were once a hot trend that rarely you ever see anyone using anymore.

Maybe I will have to experiment more with red hooks on crankbaits. I cant say I have done that much as I have never been much a crankbait user until spring of 2005.

 

[Guest]

When my friend sent me two of the first Thin N crankbaits, he also sent 2 Gamakatsu red treble hooks. After reading quite a few articles written by anglers, and thinking things over, I put one hook on one crankbait, and I kept the other with two nickel hooks, and I caught more fish on the crank with the red hook.

As for me, if manufacturers, in the future, stop making red hooks, I will be very upset. I have a high confidence in them, and going back to nickel hooks might take a period of adjustment. I guess as a safety precaution, though, I should start fishing more nickel hooks, in case that day ever comes. Or either buy as many hooks as I can, and keep them in a cool and moisture free place. ;D

 

[Guest]

I understand what your saying but if you listen to what most people say about the red hooks then you would see that it is a confidence thing and not so much as a proven fact that red catches more fish. Even you have said the same thing in your above statement John. And all that is fine. If your confident in red hooks then go for it. I will give them a try but won't make any promises.

I also understand the red lure/hook theory and for me I am more cofident in brass and nickel/silver hooks that are on the crankbaits

 

[johnporter]

I think you all have hit a good point here. Confidence, is a big factor when fishing for bass or any other species of fish. I personally don't buy into the red hook deal, but once again, it's a CONFIDENCE deal.
John