Easiest and maybe the best tip I've shared........increase hits AND hookups!!!!!

[analfisherman]

First step.................BOOKMARK THIS TIP FOR THE UPCOMING TIPS CONTEST!!!!!!!!! 

As a rule, I wait to share tips 'till contest' time.
After some thought.....I realized this maybe a selfish act.
Many members aren't in areas that 'LACK', a 'Hard Water' season and being hard water season often fills our minds and often the WEALTH of great ideas that cross this site on a daily basis.........we forget when open water returns to give an idea a chance.

HENCE, this tip is coming at you cold weather anglers in time to give it a try during the late fall feed......Oct., Nov. next to the spawn times is the best chance to catch your PB!  (second part of TIP) 

TIP:
The name 'Bleeding Hooks is kind of a misnomer, in reality, the red simulates 'gill flare' more than a 'blood trail'.
All bait fish have gills and blood will conjugate quickly in water (colder the water the faster the conjugation).
Hence in reality the 'red' gets noticed by predator fish as the 'red' they see caused by 'gill flare'.
(remember...fish don't think and they have no idea 'where' the gills should be....but they are in-tuned to the red color of the gills)

So I experimented.....AND WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!!!!!!!!

On hard baits, SWAP out the first treble (closest to the head of the lure) with a 'bleeding' hook (red).
I found that.....90% of all bites AND HOOK UP'S came on the first treble hook.  
On lipless EVEN HIGHER!

Next advantage.....the rear treble almost ALWAYS embedded itself in the outer body of the Bass and hence.....RARELY EVER HAD A 'spit out'.

I do EXTREME testing on new baits and techniques and get fellow anglers to participate during testing. (different anglers have different ways on how they fish a bait....often tiny differences in cadence and how a lure is fished makes a HUGE difference in 'SUCCESS'!)

EVERYONE EXPERIENCED THE SAME HOOK UP AND SPIT OUT PERCENTAGES!!!!

We used multiple different hard baits....square bills, lipless, deep divers, short divers ect.
We even used jerk baits, (suspending and non-suspending) along with numerous other 'three trble' baits.
(three trebs, the front hook up suffered 'slightly'. Closer to an 80-85% front hook up....but equal non-spit outs) 

           ************************************
BONUS easy tip....especially on lipless and squarebills.........trade out the 'round' front split ring with an 'oval' split ring.
For those that trade out front split with clips....try the Worth 2xs....they are oval.
The INCREASED action of the bait will really surprise you!! 
Hook ups again along with decrease in 'spit outs' "SHOULD" increase because the oval  allows the bait/lure more and easier flexibility.

            ************************************
Nats....let the games BEGIN! 

[analfisherman]

OH, I forgot.........

ALL QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS......HIGHLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SFL BassHunter]

That is a very interesting tip!
I've never considered changing the trebles to red in the front.

Gives me something to think about next time I buy some trebles to replace my lures hooks. Does this also apply to topwater lures? Have you found any negative effects from using red lures? Or only positive?

[Lipripper]

My thoughts is it's good to see you back on line again.  Next time you get read to vanish you better stop by and let us know that your still alive, 

[analfisherman]

Spooks (I use puppies the most) although not heavily tested....YET (had a challenging year) I do throw them in the fall and I have one tied on one rod and it's seen approx. two 30 min. outings.

Three fish caught.....two hit front treble.
No spit outs.....and if there is ANY LURE that causes me 'spit out' grief....it's a SPOOK!

Only negative I've found..........Bait Monkey.....the red on most 'bleedings' fade quickly or wears off while removing the hook.
And you know 'us' anglers........once we get it into our heads that something works........so I tend to replace the hooks more frequently than is really needed.

Thanks for the question Rick.

[Smallie_Stalker]

I agree 100% with you Joe. If you remember, sometime back a member asked about red hooks and I said the same thing about the front treble and how the rear treble often gets them as a secondary benefit. Lot's of folks debated that (and still do) but you backed me on it and posted some of your great research. I thanked you then, and I thank you know for bringing this to people's attention again. 

Excellent tip!!! 

[Smallie_Stalker]

That is a very interesting tip!
I've never considered changing the trebles to red in the front.

Gives me something to think about next time I buy some trebles to replace my lures hooks. Does this also apply to topwater lures? Have you found any negative effects from using red lures? Or only positive?

Absolutely applies to topwaters. If the topwater has 3 trebles some people (myself included) will put the red hook in the center and hope that both of the others will act as "stingers" and help keep the fish buttoned. 

[analfisherman]

FIRST, I want to thank everyone for the GREAT INPUT!

Next, I TRULY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR from ANYONE who either tried this after reading this TIP or has been using this in the past......maybe you have a favorite 'bleeder hook' (Red hook) that seems to work better for you. (short shank, long shank, triple grip...whatever)

Also if anyone's used/tried the oval splits on the front tie on, please share your thoughts!

I'm 'considering trying/interchanging some SMALL ovals on the 'hook split ring' seeing if the 'oval' gives more flexibility when the fish is jumping/running to get leverage to 'spit the hook out'.........so feel free to ad ANY comments on that 'anal' idea too.

Again, THANKS FOR ANY AND ALL INPUT.........and have a great, FUN year fishing!

Joe

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Well, no luck for me yet, but I'm most definitely not the one who would have any luck to begin with.
I also don't have red hooks on all my cranks and jerks yet, but I picked up a couple new jerk baits from a thrift store that need new hooks, so that's a great excuse to go get some more.

[Donald Garner]

I've switched a few stock hooks for red ones on my crankbaits and haven't noticed any more or less increase in catching.  I've also went to using EWG Red hooks on some of my Texas rigged baits.  Again there wasn't an increase or decrease in hookups.  Most of the water I fish is dingy or murky. 

I could see where RED hooks could be a (+) in clear water though 

[analfisherman]

Thanks for the input fellas! 

If your trading out ALL the trebs with Red hooks......it's actually, in my eyes, just swapping hooks....if all the hooks are the SAME color there is nothing different in the appearance of the bait....but when only ONE hook is a different color, red (simulating Gill Plates in this case), the Bass has something which appears different from the rest of the lure.....hence TARGETING that hook AFTER the instinct to BITE has already happened.

Just so everyone knows, I am not saying the 'red hook' will increase or trigger  MORE bites rather 'WHEN' they do decide to bite...they will target or bite the 'red hook' more often than not.
In other words.....they target the red hook WHEN they decide to BITE......the red hook DOESN'T trigger the instinct to bite.

I've tried EWG red hooks on TX rigs.......no increase in bites.
I've put ALL red hooks on cranks....no increase in bites.
I've tried 'Bleeding Spinner Baits....no increase in bites.

I've put red on first hook....no increase in bites......BUT THE ONES THAT DO BITE end up in the boat more often than on lures with just the normal hooks.

So after replacing front hook(on two hook crank) with a beeding hook (red) I've SIGNIFICANTLY had less spit outs!!

The tip is for losing less fish rather then increasing the bite.

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Oh, so I probably won't see a lick of improvement.

But...
Done. Read that last post after I already got them all dressed up!

[Lipripper]

Oh, so I probably won't see a lick of improvement.

But...
Done. Read that last post after I already got them all dressed up!

Hey it can't hurt to try it after all. 

[Smallie_Stalker]

I already got them all dressed up!

Wait!!! They're still partly neked. They still need a feather skirt to cover up their hind end. 

[merc1997]

Spooks (I use puppies the most) although not heavily tested....YET (had a challenging year) I do throw them in the fall and I have one tied on one rod and it's seen approx. two 30 min. outings.

Three fish caught.....two hit front treble.
No spit outs.....and if there is ANY LURE that causes me 'spit out' grief....it's a SPOOK!

Only negative I've found..........Bait Monkey.....the red on most 'bleedings' fade quickly or wears off while removing the hook.
And you know 'us' anglers........once we get it into our heads that something works........so I tend to replace the hooks more frequently than is really needed.

Thanks for the question Rick.

if red floats your boat in your hook, use a red magic marker.  question.  why not just add red gill on front of bait to begin with??  if the red works, then wouldn't the bass attack the red on the head of the bait to begin with, and therefore hit the front hook that you are wanting them too???  just asking because, first you would not need any red hooks that keep fading out, and two, the red paint added to the bait will be there from now on.

bo

[analfisherman]

First off SHC......many feel the front red hook does INCREASE attraction!
All I can say is I've CAUGHT MORE FISH using this idea!!!!!!!!!!

I'm looking forward to you TELLING ME if it helped.
Next I GUARANTEE IT WON'T HURT THE BITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bo, you may be right......maybe a marker will be the best for you.
And guess what......I HAVE A RED SHARPIE! 
And I HAVE PUT GILLS ON A BONE COLORED SPOOK PUPPY.

I also have a Blue Sharpie and KVDs scented colored markers in Blue, Red and Chatruse.
I often mess with my plastic swim baits by adding color...if Thread Fin Shad....put Blue on Dorsal.
I won't go through ALL the varibles I use.

Now maybe you've never fished a Spook?
But everyone I know who fishes them OFTEN.......will tell you dozens of stories about a Bass hitting the Spook and not getting hooked.........AT ALL.
If the Bass actually is TARGETING the HOOK ITSELF....you think chances of it actually getting a HOOK in it's mouth....just may improve?

Oh and guess what else I've had great SUCCESS using........ 



My favorite....

They are called....IKARI SHAD......I use a

I also use

when the waters have Gizzard Shad spawning or just heavy populations.

Anyone who knows me....I don't just DREAM THIS STUFF UP.....I put it to the test!
I will use MUTIPLE VARIBALES......and fellow 'open minded' anglers to test my ideas.

Some people think COLOR has little or no effect on attracting bites.
Others will swear by a skirt color like Brown and Blue yet couldn't care less what color head is on the jig.......maybe even a 'paintless' head.

I've used 'red hooks' on plastic worms, plastic swimbaits....etc. etc.
I've seen no real increase in bites with them.
Hence I use Owners and Trokars.........SILVER.

Use a red marker on the hook of a NuTech jig.....you tell me if it made a difference.

There are NO MAGIC ANYTHING IN BASS FISHING.....but if confidence is boosted (even illogically).......SO IS SUCCESS.

Some anglers are happy with the results of what they are doing and they will never try new ideas........that's just not me.

If something works well.......it can also work BETTER.